Children born of war in Ukraine: Policy considerations for a future peace

Andrea Cocciarelli, Olesia Fesenko, Johanne Rokke Elvebakken, Inger Skjelsbæk, Lina Stotz, Torunn L. Tryggestad & Ingvill Constanze Ødegaard

The war in Ukraine has had devastating consequences for children. Many have lost their lives or their parents. Others have suffered physical and psychological trauma, been denied education, and been forcibly deported to Russian ‘re-education camps’. A crucial yet often overlooked group is children born of war (CBOW), whose parents are from opposing sides and who are often conceived through conflict-related sexual violence. These children could be seen as symbols of the ‘enemy’ in a post-­conflict landscape, potentially making them more vulnerable.

The EuroWARCHILD project team, together with two research assistants, wrote a policy brief published with PRIO to address these points, which came up in an expert workshop that convened academics, policymakers and Ukrainian civil society in April 2025. This policy brief summarizes key points and strategies to support CBOW in Ukraine.

Read the policy brief here: https://www.prio.org/publications/14558