100 WORDS OF SUPPORT
The Mama Jane Foundation has launched the “100 Words of Support” initiative to raise awareness of one of the most painful topics in Ukraine—the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia.
The initiative involves caring citizens of the world writing 100 words of support addressed to Ukrainian children who continue to remain in the occupied territories and/or have been abducted by representatives of the Russian Federation and are being forcibly detained in the occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea or Russia.
Together with Hromadske Radio, we broadcasted letters written by kids from different cities of Ukraine addressed to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children who continue to remain in the occupied territories and those who have been abducted by representatives of the Russian Federation and are being forcibly detained in its territories and the occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Overview of the Initiative:
Date: starting from 1st of June, on International Children's Day
Title: 100 Words of Support
Participants: Ukrainian children, public figures, politicians, journalists, opinion leaders, athletes, celebrities, and all concerned citizens from around the world
Content: Letters or messages of 100 words expressing support for children who are trapped in the occupied territories or abducted by Russia and are being told that nobody cares or wants them, which is not true!
Language: Ukrainian or English
Broadcasting: Hromadske Radio in Ukraine for the whole of June 2024, all local and foreign media, and social networks
Objective:
1. Delivering a message to children who continue to remain in the occupied territories or abducted by Russia through social media and the media globally
2. Encouraging Western leaders and governments to take active steps to return all abducted children
Implementation: We ask each participant to write "100 words of support" or record a one-minute video addressed to children who continue to remain in the occupied territories or abducted by Russia and publish it on any social network using the hashtags: #comebackhome #100wordsofsupport
The campaign calls on Western leaders and governments to support Ukrainian children with meaningful action:
1. Stop using the term "deportation"; it is "abduction or kidnapping" (link to an article with a detailed explanation).
2. Support the abduction court case in the European Court of Human Rights**
3. Bring to justice all perpetrators for their involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children.
** The mandate, which combines all international laws and conventions protecting human rights, was developed by the Payback4Ukraine legal network and the University of Pittsburgh. The mandate details the requirements for Russia on how to treat Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
Jane Alieva, founder of the Mama Jane Foundation:
"The 100 Words of Support initiative was launched to convey an important message to thousands of Ukrainian children whose identities and lives are being destroyed by Russia's illegal invasion: 'Come back home!' This message has many subtexts: 'We are waiting for you at home,' 'We have not forgotten,' 'We will fight for you,' 'You are important,' 'You are Ukrainians'...
We call on people of all ages and all nations to use International Children's Day as an appropriate and timely opportunity to support abducted children in unimaginably horrific circumstances and to call on politicians around the world to focus attention on this ongoing genocide. New passports with changed names, psychological pressure, physical abuse and violence, manipulation, brainwashing, and militarization of Ukrainian children. The world must understand that the abducted Ukrainian children are the newest Janissaries, as Russia abducts and holds our children not only to improve its gene pool but also to prepare them for a new war, terrorist attacks, agent networks around the globe etc. Teenagers who have reached the age of military service are already being mobilized and sent to war against their own people. We, the whole world, can and must do more to return all abducted children home."
