Our Charity Foundation joined the annual international campaign 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence in Ukraine, which aims to prevent discrimination and gender-based violence. That is why from November 25 to December 13, we held 16 online and offline events in 14 oblasts of Ukraine aimed at raising awareness about gender discrimination and preventing gender stereotypes. We also familiarized the participants with legislative initiatives aimed at preventing violence against women and girls and shared women’s activism opportunities. The events were attended by 270 participants in Donetska, Lvivska, Cherkaska, Kirovohradska, Sumska, Kyivska, Khmelnytska, Odeska, Ternopilska, Zaporizka, Chernihivska, Kharkivska, Vinnytska, Dnipropetrovska and Poltavska oblasts.
The participants showed high interest in the issues of gender equality and preventing violence. Giving real life examples, they asked how to influence the problem of violence on a personal level and were interested in the existing legislative framework regulating protection against violence against women. Active discussions were held on the manifestations of gender stereotypes in everyday life and the need to counteract the discrimination they lead to. In view of the current challenges, the impact of war on the problem of violence, especially in relation to internally displaced persons, was discussed.
The events were conducted by our regional coordinators Natalia Sikora, Oksana Yakovets, Larysa Khodakovska, Taras Shcherbatyuk, Nataliya Salimova, Lyudmyla Rudenko, Oleksandr Yavtushenko, Nataliya Savitska, Stanislav Troshyn, Yana Shkuratova, Anastasia Perepelitsia, Iryna Kulyk, Olga Averina, Nataliya Hurkovska, Tetyana Mamchych, Anna Taranik and Mykola Trotsenko.
During the meetings, we presented the board game Being a Woman, which was developed by our Foundation with the support of the Ukrainian Women’s Fund. The purpose of this game is to draw public attention to the fight against gender stereotypes and discrimination against women. As part of the events, we held game sessions and gave the participants the opportunity to get acquainted with the game and have an interesting and useful time.
We are grateful to those who joined the events and hope that the participants will be able to use the knowledge and skills gained to contribute to building a society free from discrimination, prejudice and violence.
Charity Foundation Stabilization Support Services holds these events in the frames of a joint project with the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine.