Safe stop for women fleeing the war in Ukraine

“At our biggest shelter, close to the train station, we welcome women and children. They usually stay one or two nights and then move on to cross the border,” says Halyna Fedkovych who is a lawyer working for Centre Women’s Perspectives.

The organisation is specialised in dealing with gender-based violence and has now shifted its work to providing urgent humanitarian assistance to refugees. In their bigger premises, they can house 30-50 people. They have also converted their office space into an emergency shelter for an additional 10 people since accommodation is extremely difficult to find.

Alongside beds, food and bathing facilities, Centre Women’s Perspectives also provide urgent psychological support. Many people who arrive at their shelters are traumatised by the effects of the war.

Needs are huge

Marta Chumalo, vice-head, explains that the situation is very stressful and difficult for women—both who have left Ukraine and who have stayed.

“Women who have money or cars can go on to Europe, but the most vulnerable women, who really need help, they can’t go,” she says.

Many women are arriving with young children and many without money or connections to help them. It’s especially difficult for families with family members with mental or physical disabilities, or who are elderly.

One huge challenge is to find suitable accommodation.

“It is almost impossible to find decent housing for a decent price and there is no more free housing, since everyone who has been able to provide shelter has done so and they are now already taken,” says Halyna.

Domestic and sexual violence on the rise

Since the war began, domestic violence and abuse has increased.

“When the war first began, there were no calls about domestic violence at all. But then there were increasing numbers of reports every day after that. There is especially an increase of sexual domestic violence,” says Halyna.

Due to the urgent situation in Ukraine, The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation has activated an emergency fund to urgently support women’s rights organisations and women human rights defenders. Centre Women’s Perspectives is one of the recipients.