Representatives of human rights and feminist organizations and initiatives gathered for a discussion on the challenges and difficulties of activism. The meeting was organized by the NGO “Diyachky,” the NGO “Ukrainian Feminist Network for Freedom and Democracy,” the NGO “Women of Bessarabia,” and the initiative group “Rivni v Kryvomu.”
Among the main topics discussed were: the psychological resources of activists, mutual support, ongoing advocacy on the path to overcoming systemic problems in Ukraine, and geopolitical trends—the reduction of funding for democratic processes and support for anti-gender movements.
Anastasiia Chebotarova, Ukrainian Feminist Network, spoke about this in her speech. She emphasized that UN research shows that 79% of women’s organizations surveyed reported that funding cuts had a serious or moderate impact on their activities.
“Globally, less than 1% of humanitarian aid goes directly to women’s rights organizations, despite their proven effectiveness and important role in responding to crises. Marginalized groups (such as LGBTQ+ women, women with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and female veterans) remain underserved: only 12.7% of women’s rights organizations receive targeted support.”
Hanna Demidova from the VETERANKA movement spoke in more detail about the problems faced by female veterans. According to her, changes to the disciplinary code are now being introduced that will allow for more systematic and consistent protection of female military personnel from sexual harassment. Hanna emphasizes that the military structure still does not understand that these are not isolated cases, but a systemic problem. It is only exacerbated by the fact that female military personnel who have been victims of harassment do not call the official hotline because they do not trust the current system.
Among the representatives of other organizations was Natalia Vyshnevetskaya from D.O.M.48.24, who shared the challenges of working on the issue of women’s reproductive rights and sexual health and the negative attitude towards gender equality in the Ivano-Frankivsk region.
Other challenges common to all activists were also discussed. These include the constant danger associated with shelling, pressure from donors that limits the ability to work flexibly, a lack of understanding of the principles of gender equality by state structures, and, in some cases, a lack of seriousness in the perception of the activities of civil society activists. Working in such conditions leads to emotional and physical exhaustion among activists. Despite this, they continue to work, and their greatest support comes from people who share the same values and want to be part of the community.
The conversation ended with a discussion of the importance of mutual support, caring for the activist community, and safety. In particular, they talked about centering care and safety in organizations, communities, and movements. From creating spaces where you can share joys and experiences to providing health insurance for activists, it is important to find practices that work for you.