An adult holding a childs hand on a red background

Return Every Child

Tens of thousands of Ukrainian children have been forcibly displaced and taken into Russia - Take action.

Return Every Child is a campaign calling for the safe return of the children taken from their homes in Ukraine and moved into Russia, stripped of their names and their identities erased. Their families left fighting to find them. 

This is not just a tragedy; it is a crime. 

Right now, 19,546 Ukrainian children are confirmed missing, according to the Ukrainian Government in March 2023. The true number is likely in the tens of thousands.

They, and 1 million more Ukrainian children under occupation are at risk of abuse, forced assimilation, and even military recruitment. Their childhoods destroyed. Their futures stolen.

So far, only 1,366 have made it back.

That’s why War Child has launched the Return Every Child campaign. They are not forgotten. They are not lost. They were taken and we will not stop until they are back where they belong. 

We demand action from governments, from leaders, from every single one of us. Together, we must bring them home.  

Return Every Child

A Powerful Event for Ukraine’s Stolen Children.

On Sunday, 7 September, War Child will fill The Now Building at Outernet, London, WC2H 8LH with 19,546 paper dolls. The launch event will be open 10AM – 5PM for one day only. Each doll represents a Ukrainian child officially confirmed to have been taken from their home. Although the true number is far higher. Join us at our launch event, decorate the dolls with drawings or messages of hope, and stand with Ukraine’s children.

With thanks to the following supporters of the Return Every Child campaign: 

Save Ukraine and the Human Security Centre for partnering with us on a Return Every Child report, which will be published later this week.

Evgeny Afineevsky for generously sharing his work and time with us in support of our campaign. Our video installation features powerful scenes and photography from his award-winning documentary ‘Children in the Fire’ (2025). Through live-action footage and Ukrainian artists’ animation, the documentary shows the deep bravery, strength and resilience of the Ukrainian children, and their hope for a nonviolent world.  

Jasha Klebe, composer of the original score for ‘Children in the Fire’ (2025) for allowing us to use his music in our installation.  

Outernet for donating The Now Building in support of the Return Every Child campaign. 

Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb, author and illustrator of The Paper Dolls (Macmillan Children's Books, 2013), for allowing us to use an except in our installation.  

EDNAEDNA for being our production partner for the paper dolls installation and Alex Purcell for video design.