REHABILITATION OF WAR VICTIMS AS AN INTERNATIONAL LEGAL OBLIGATION OF THE STATE: UN STANDARDS AND CHALLENGES FOR UKRAINE

Abstract

This article analyzes the international legal standards for the rehabilitation of victims of armed conflicts, as enshrined in UN General Assembly Resolution 60/147 “Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation,” and their application in the context of the full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine. The author substantiates that rehabilitation is not an auxiliary element but rather an independent international legal obligation of the state, constituting an integral component of the comprehensive right of victims to reparation alongside compensation, restitution, satisfaction, and guarantees of non-repetition. The article examines mechanisms for implementing rehabilitation standards at the national level, including procedures for executing decisions on reparation, the system of guarantees of non-repetition, the informational component of ensuring victims’ rights, and the principle of non-discrimination. Particular attention is given to the integration of international humanitarian law and international human rights law as complementary systems for protecting war victims. The evolution of international legal doctrine from strict separation of these legal regimes to their parallel and mutually complementary application is analyzed. The author examines the specifics of applying rehabilitation standards in the context of gross violations of international law, which by their nature constitute an affront to human dignity. The study encompasses an analysis of the collective nature of victimization during armed conflicts, the relationship between individual and collective approaches to rehabilitation, and the connection between criminal prosecution of perpetrators and the psychological recovery of victims. It is argued that for Ukraine, the implementation of Resolution 60/147 should become the foundation for forming a transitional justice system, where rehabilitation is viewed as an investment in restoring public trust, social stability, and the rule of law. The necessity of combining rehabilitation services with institutional reforms, establishing judicial independence, and protecting human rights defenders as conditions for creating a safe environment for effective recovery of victims is emphasized.