Children

The war in Ukraine has affected millions of people, but some of its most vulnerable victims are children who have been transferred away from their families and communities.

When children are moved across borders, placed in institutions or adopted under circumstances that may not comply with Ukrainian or international law, establishing what happened is essential. It is equally important to understand who made the decisions, who organized the transfers, who facilitated them and who may ultimately bear responsibility.

This is why UICA is developing a dedicated investigation unit focused on the transfer and adoption of Ukrainian children. The programme brings together investigators, legal experts, analysts and digital investigation specialists. Its purpose is not simply to collect information, but to transform fragmented information into reliable, documented and legally usable evidence that can be shared with competent national and international authorities.

Our approach combines traditional investigation methods with digital research, evidence preservation, cross-case analysis and artificial intelligence-supported tools.

What UICA does

1. Collecting and analyzing information

Investigations often begin with information scattered across many different sources. UICA collects and analyzes administrative records, judicial decisions, archives, press reports, social media publications, open databases, photographs, videos, and other relevant publicly available information.

The information is carefully assessed, classified and connected within a secure evidence database. The objective is to create a reliable picture of what happened and identify links between individual cases.

2. Building individual investigations

Each case may contain only part of the story. UICA works to reconstruct events and identify the people and organizations involved — identifying individuals involved in child transfers or adoptions, reconstructing decision-making chains, verifying witness statements, comparing information between different cases, mapping relationships between individuals and organizations, and assessing the reliability of available evidence.

This approach can help reveal connections that may not be visible when cases are examined separately. The programme aims to initiate 400 investigations and develop 200 comprehensive case files.

3. From information to legally usable evidence

Collecting information is only the beginning. For evidence to contribute to accountability, it must be properly documented, assessed and presented in a form that can be understood and used by competent authorities.

UICA's legal team works on legal qualification of facts, responsibility analysis, national and international legal review, preparation of referral dossiers, and legal quality assurance. The programme aims to produce 150 legally reviewed case files and referral packages for the appropriate authorities.

4. Using artificial intelligence to support investigations

The volume of information involved in these investigations can be extremely large. Artificial intelligence can help investigators identify connections and patterns that would otherwise take considerable time to detect.

UICA develops and uses AI-supported tools for centralizing information, detecting relationships between individuals and organizations, identifying inconsistencies, building automated timelines, mapping networks, detecting recurring patterns, and comparing information across different cases. AI is used as an investigative support tool, helping human investigators work more efficiently while maintaining professional oversight and responsibility.

5. Protecting and preserving evidence

Evidence can disappear, become inaccessible or lose its value if it is not preserved correctly. UICA establishes secure procedures for the long-term management of investigative material, including digitization, document classification, chain-of-custody management, secure archiving, access-rights management, and secure digital evidence storage.

The objective is simple: important evidence must remain available, traceable and protected throughout the investigation process.

6. Connecting cases and identifying responsibility

One individual case may reveal only a small part of a larger system. By comparing different investigations, UICA looks for recurring names, organizations, locations, procedures and decision-making patterns — helping investigators understand who was involved, how decisions were made, which organizations were connected, how different cases may relate to one another, and where responsibility may lie.

This systemic approach is designed to move beyond isolated cases and help establish broader patterns of responsibility.

Our programme in action

Over a 24-month programme, UICA plans to collect 5,000 documents, launch 400 investigations, prepare 200 comprehensive case files, complete 150 legal reviews, conduct 500 AI-supported analyses, produce 200 network maps, identify 300 cross-case links, and prepare referral dossiers for competent authorities.

These activities are designed to create a structured and sustainable investigation capacity rather than a short-term research project.

Working with national and international authorities

UICA's work is intended to complement existing accountability mechanisms. The programme seeks cooperation with Ukrainian authorities, national judicial institutions, international justice institutions, and relevant professional and investigative partners.

The purpose is to ensure that investigative findings can reach the authorities competent to assess them and, where appropriate, pursue judicial action.

Monitoring our impact

UICA monitors the programme throughout its implementation. A baseline assessment is conducted at the beginning of the project to examine existing investigation capacity, available documentation, digital infrastructure and legal cooperation mechanisms. A mid-term review assesses operational performance, improves investigation procedures and strengthens coordination.

At the end of the 24-month programme, an independent evaluation will examine effectiveness, efficiency, legal robustness, sustainability, and institutional impact. We also monitor concrete results, including the quality of case files, preservation of evidence, identification of cross-case links and the number of referral dossiers delivered to competent authorities.

Building a sustainable investigation capacity

UICA does not want to create a system that disappears when the project ends. A major objective is to leave behind the knowledge, tools and professional capacity needed to continue this work.

At the end of the programme, UICA aims to have established a trained multidisciplinary investigation team, a permanent digital investigation platform, secure evidence-management infrastructure, standardized investigation procedures, legal and investigative methodologies, a secure digital archive, practical training and professional development, and a replicable model for future accountability investigations.

The methodology developed through this programme could also be adapted to other conflict-related accountability mechanisms.

Why this work matters

For families searching for answers, knowing what happened to a child is essential. For investigators, establishing the facts requires reliable evidence. For courts and competent authorities, responsibility must be supported by properly documented information. And for Ukrainian society, accountability is an important part of rebuilding trust and upholding the rule of law.

UICA's role is to help build the bridge between information, evidence and accountability.

Our vision

The transfer or illegal adoption of a child is not simply a statistic. Behind every case there is a child, a family and a story that deserves to be documented.

UICA's vision is to develop a professional, independent and sustainable investigation capacity capable of following those stories, connecting the evidence and helping establish responsibility. We believe that accountability begins with facts. Our mission is to help ensure that evidence is not lost, that investigations can continue and that competent authorities have access to reliable and legally usable case files.

Help us support accountability

This programme requires specialized investigators, legal experts, digital technologies, secure evidence infrastructure and long-term professional capacity. You can support UICA by supporting the investigation programme, becoming an institutional partner, contributing professional expertise, supporting digital investigation and evidence preservation, and helping develop sustainable investigative capacity.

Every contribution helps strengthen the capacity to document cases, preserve evidence and support accountability. Contact UICA to find out how you can support this initiative.