THEAt Russian war he is leaving profound wounds in the entire Ukrainian society, setting off on women in an even more violent way. While, in fact, The world witnessed the invasionUkrainian women were facing not only the fear of bombing and the destruction of their homes, but also An escalation of gender violencehidden behind the home and shadows of the conflict.
Ukrainian women: gender violence, a silent epidemic
While men fought on the front line, women found themselves fighting for survival. Have become refugees (more than 1.7 million women and girls, according to OIM data, the International Organization for Migration of United Nations), Sun mothers, activistsall at the same time. But to this load there has been an even darker threat: sexual violence, used as a weapon of war to terrorizehumiliate and submit. The war, in fact, unfortunately, triggered a real epidemic of violence and abuses: The anti -violence centers are often overwhelmed by requests And many women do not denounce for fear of retaliation or for shame.
Devastating psychological consequences
In short, the war is leaving a deep sign on the Ukrainian female world. Traumas, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disordersare just some of the psychological consequences that many women have to face. The loss of loved ones, the destruction of their homes and the precariousness of the futurehave an inevitably devastating impact on mental health.
Ukrainian women are subjected not only to the military war but also to a more hidden war which is that of gender -based violence (Photo by Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
The Safewomenhub project
To provide data and stories, Halyna Skipalska, executive director of the Ukrainian Foundation for public health and national director of Healthright International in Ukraine, who with the project Safewomenhubto which a Women provides technical support, supports Ukrainian women with psychologists, social workers and legal specialists. Since 2022, the platform has provided more than 46,000 consultations and services to 19,500 women and girlssupporting the survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence linked to conflicts. “The feedback that we receive from the survivors underlines the transformative impact of our work – underlined Skipalska – Women report they have improved sleep, to have reduced anxiety and nightmares and to have recovered the ability to commit himself socially ».
Economic and social impact
The conflict, of course, also caused a serious economic crisis, with a consequent increase in unemployment and poverty. And, even in this case, women, who often occupy precarious and low salary jobs, have been the most affected by this crisis. Many have been forced to abandon their work to take care of the children or to escape from the war. To support them, in this sense, the project Women for the Future by Happy Monday, once again supported by a Women, who helps women to reconstruct their careers through employment programs that aim to restore their financial independence. The project has achieved more than 74,000 women since 2022.
The resilience of Ukrainian women
Despite the difficulties, however, Ukrainian women demonstrate an extraordinary resilience. They are voluntary, activists, entrepreneurs, who work tirelessly to reconstruct their country e Their stories are an example of courage and determination.
The need for gender approach
To concretely face the consequences of this “War on Women”support the organizations, it is essential to adopt a gender approach. And this should be translated, meanwhile, in the increase in funding for services such as anti -violence centers, psychological services, legal assistance; as well as professional training programs. Then, in strengthening social protection systems To guarantee women fair access to social services, health and education. Fair access that, women should also have in decision -making processes and in all the reconstruction processes of the country, In order to ensure that their needs are represented.
A war for change
In addition to the bloody war, therefore, There are also those who fight for a systemic change in the way in which cases of sexual violence are managed. Too often, in fact, people prefer to solve the question on their own, due to the lack of trust in the police. Because of this Organizations are trying to build greater trust in the system: among those on the front line there is Jurfemone of the first associations of women lawyer in Ukraine, who He is trying to reform the Ukrainian legal framework on sexual violence and provides legal support to the surviving victims.
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