Healing and Rebuilding: A Community-Based Approach to Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Ukraine’s Recovery
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Summary
The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has caused a humanitarian crisis, exacerbating pre-existing social issues and causing a significant surge in gender-based violence (GBV) across the country. As Ukraine embarks on a protracted recovery process, addressing and preventing GBV is crucial for fostering long-term stability and social cohesion, aligning with the government's commitment to gender equality and inclusion strategies outlined at the 2022 Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano.
Encompassing physical, sexual, psychological, and economic abuses, GBV disproportionately affects women and girls due to unequal power dynamics and economic vulnerabilities. The full-scale war has introduced new dimensions of violence, including conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) perpetrated by Russia’s military forces in the occupied territories, with devastating consequences for individuals and communities. Reports of war crimes, including rape, torture, and indiscriminate attacks, underscore the urgent need to address CRSV and mitigate its long-term impact.
Statistics reveal a stark increase in domestic violence cases, with an 83.6% rise from 2021 to 2023. Economic instability, unemployment, and displacement have further exacerbated vulnerabilities, particularly for internally displaced persons living in precarious conditions.
Since 2017, Ukraine has been updating its legislation to address domestic violence and GBV, including the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in 2022. However, effective implementation remains a challenge, necessitating comprehensive and sustained efforts at all levels. Hromadas—local administrative units broadly equivalent to municipalities—play a crucial role in recovery as they are on the front line of rebuilding local infrastructure and restoring social services. Equipping them with the necessary expertise and knowledge is essential to ensure they can effectively respond to GBV, and thus foster a just and equitable recovery for all members of society.
Addressing GBV in Ukraine requires a multifaceted holistic approach that combines integrating prevention and support strategies into gender-sensitive recovery and development processes at the local level to ensure that the needs of survivors and their families are properly met. To support this approach, several key actions are needed. These include increasing public awareness of GBV through education initiatives and media campaigns, and institutionalizing continuous training for frontline responders such as social workers, police officers, psychologists, and healthcare professionals. It is also important to implement measures that prevent burnout among social service providers and to adopt strategic, long-term planning for projects with flexible funding mechanisms. Enhancing public access to information through diverse communication channels is essential, as is the development of an effective, survivor-centered referral pathway system. Additionally, the introduction of clear indicators and transparent feedback mechanisms will help monitor and evaluate the quality of services. Finally, empowering women to make decisions in their recovery and building trust among all stakeholders are critical steps in ensuring a coordinated and effective community response to GBV. Together, these efforts can create a safer, more supportive environment for survivors and contribute to long-term social resilience and gender equality in Ukraine.
Galyna Kotliuk is a ReThink.CEE Fellow 2024 of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.