“Let’s Stand Together!”: Project highlights progress in supporting conflict-related sexual violence survivors

Since October 2022, the Ukrainian Women’s Fund, in collaboration with the La Strada-Ukraine NGO and the Ukrainian Women Lawyers Association “JurFem,” has been spearheading a two-year initiative called “Let’s Stand Together!” The project, backed by the Office of the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, the Office of the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, and funded by the European Union, seeks to enhance the support system for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. The initiative spanned 14 regions across Ukraine.

At a press conference held at Media Center Ukraine to mark the project’s conclusion, key stakeholders discussed its outcomes.

“We focused on 14 regions—those most impacted by the war, including areas under occupation and regions with high numbers of internally displaced persons. It’s clear that among these populations, both men and women, there are individuals who have likely experienced war-related sexual violence,” explained Nataliia Karbovska, Director of Strategic Development at the Ukrainian Women’s Fund.

Karbovska outlined the project’s three main pillars: training, localization, and policy development. “We know that dealing with sexual violence during conflict is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach. La Strada-Ukraine developed a training program, and the Ukrainian Women’s Fund led the initiative to prepare instructors. These trainers are now in every region. To date, we’ve trained over 1,800 professionals, including NGO workers, social workers, healthcare providers, and representatives from the security and defense sectors. These are the people on the ground, working directly with survivors, ensuring they receive the support they need. It’s crucial that these cases are reported, and that they receive the appropriate response,” she emphasized.

The project also emphasized local engagement. Civil society organizations across the regions were awarded 23 grants, amounting to more than UAH 12 million, to bolster their efforts.

“This funding not only supports civil society organizations but also aids the government in implementing the 1325 National Action Plan (the National Action Plan for the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security through 2025). Conflict-related sexual violence is a key focus within this plan,” Nataliia Karbovska added.

In addition to policy development and training programs, the project organized online courses for legal professionals, study visits to countries with experience in dealing with wartime sexual violence, and distributed printed materials for potential survivors, informing them of where to seek assistance.

“Over the past two years, we were among the first to address the issue of war-related sexual violence, and we’ve been able to help establish a system both nationally and regionally. This work is absolutely ongoing, and we’re pleased to see that the foundation we built is continuing to grow. At the final event, we said that while some projects end with a full stop or an ellipsis, we don’t even use an ellipsis—we just keep going because this work is crucial,” Nataliia Karbovska summarized.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news