The social use of seized assets offers an opportunity to transform property belonging to individuals involved in corruption offences, financing Russia's aggression against Ukraine, or collaboration with the aggressor state into a meaningful resource for supporting children, families and communities.
This approach was the central focus of a working meeting between Acting Head of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) Yaroslava Maksymenko and Mykola Kuleba, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the charitable organisation Save Ukraine and former Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights.
The meeting was held at the "Save Ukraine" Hope and Healing Center, which provides comprehensive assistance to children returned from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and the territory of the Russian Federation, families affected by occupation, orphans, children with disabilities, and other people affected by the war.
Save Ukraine has extensive practical experience in rescuing, returning and reintegrating Ukrainian children and families. According to the organisation, its team has rescued more than 1,400 children from Russia and the temporarily occupied territories, evacuated over 165,000 children and their family members from frontline areas, provided safe shelter and trauma recovery programmes to more than 5,000 families, and supported the reintegration of more than 9,000 children.
«Today, ARMA manages a significant number of seized assets. These assets belong to individuals who acted against Ukraine, financed the aggression, or are associated with the aggressor state. Such assets should serve Ukrainian society by supporting children, families, communities and the State», Yaroslava Maksymenko stressed.
During the meeting, the parties discussed practical opportunities for using certain seized assets to address socially important needs in accordance with the applicable legislation of Ukraine.
This approach is consistent with the objectives of the international anti-corruption framework. The United Nations Convention against Corruption provides for mechanisms for the freezing, seizure, confiscation, recovery and disposal of assets derived from criminal activity. The Council of Europe Criminal Law Convention on Corruption provides for the criminalisation of corruption offences, international cooperation, and the application of mechanisms for the seizure and confiscation of criminal proceeds.
The social use of such assets, in accordance with national legislation, may represent the next step in asset management – moving beyond the mere preservation of property towards its meaningful use for the benefit of society.
«We would be very pleased if seized property did not remain idle but instead benefited Ukraine and its children. The assets of those who sought to destroy our country can contribute to Ukraine's recovery, support families, and help save children's lives», said Mykola Kuleba, who has dedicated more than 25 years to protecting children's rights.
Combining international anti-corruption standards with the principle of the best interests of the child makes it possible to establish a fair mechanism whereby the assets of those who have harmed Ukraine can contribute to rebuilding the lives of Ukrainian children and families.
ARMA and Save Ukraine agreed to combine their expertise and efforts to ensure that seized assets retain their economic value and, where permitted by law, are used to support Ukraine's recovery, assist war-affected families, and protect children.
