The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, together with Denys Uliutin, Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity of Ukraine, and Eivind Vad Petersson, State Secretary for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, co-hosted Pathways to Peace: Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War in Toronto, Ontario, on September 28 and 29, 2026.

At the conference, Minister Anand announced a series of initiatives to strengthen Canada’s support to Ukraine in bringing people home and ensure that those who return can access rehabilitation and reintegration services:

Coordinated response to child militarization in temporarily occupied territories

Partner: Hala Systems

Funding: $3 million

Description: Canada is supporting a pioneering response to the evolving threats facing Ukrainian children, addressing not only deportation, but also indoctrination, militarization and recruitment. The project will strengthen cooperation between state and civil society partners by identifying children at risk, facilitating the safe return of children and providing immediate post-arrival support to children and their families.

Rescue and resilience for Ukrainian civil society

Partner: German Marshall Fund

Funding: $1 million

Description: Canada has previously announced the extension of a project with the German Marshall Fund to support local Ukrainian organizations in identifying and documenting cases, assisting families through complex return procedures, collecting evidence of human rights violations and coordinating with Ukrainian authorities and international partners. By strengthening these locally led efforts, the project assists in the safe return of children, supports families affected by separation and strengthens the capacity of Ukrainian civil society organizations to advocate and respond to the needs of affected children and their families.

Access to justice and healthcare assistance for male survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine

Partner: All Survivors Project Foundation

Funding: $500,000

Description: Canada is providing additional funding for an existing project to strengthen services for male survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine, including prisoners of war and civilian detainees. 

Canada Fund for Local Initiatives

Partner: Embassy of Canada to Ukraine, through the work of multiple local Ukrainian civil society organizations

Funding: $363,112

Description: Through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, the Embassy of Canada to Ukraine is supporting Ukrainian civil society organizations providing psychosocial, medical, legal, and reintegration assistance to formerly detained civilians and their families; legal support, advocacy, and trauma-informed services for families of POWs and missing persons; and education, skills development, and career guidance for youth returning from occupation, deportation, or displacement, helping them rebuild their lives and strengthen community resilience.

State reintegration services

Partner: UNICEF

Funding: $2 million

Description: This additional funding, announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney, supports UNICEF’s work with the Government of Ukraine to pilot its State Reintegration Service project in 15 communities. This state service will help establish a nationally defined pathway for returned children, connecting them and their families with the services they need for rehabilitation and reintegration.

Support to Ukrainian veterans and their families through a multi-donor pooled initiative

Funding: up to $40.1 million

Description: Canada and Ukraine are developing a multi-donor pooled initiative to support the implementation of Ukraine’s National Veteran Strategy, thereby providing support to Ukrainian veterans and their families. This initiative will further four broad areas of work: health, rehabilitation, and recovery; access to services and benefits; economic opportunity and livelihoods; and social inclusion and community participation for veterans and their families. Through this initiative, Canada will bring together governments, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to foster coordination, share expertise and lessons learned as well as strengthen Ukraine’s long-term capacity to respond to the evolving needs of veterans. Canada and Ukraine are inviting interested partner countries to also contribute to this collective endeavour.

Sanctions on individuals involved in human rights violations of Ukrainian children

Description: On September 10, 2026, Canada announced new sanctions on eight individuals who have facilitated the Russian government’s violation of rights of Ukrainian children, including their unlawful deportation and forcible transfer, indoctrination and militarization. This brings Canada’s total number of sanctions on individuals who have facilitated Russia’s violations of Ukrainian children’s rights to over 120.