Preventing and Responding to Gender-based Violence in Humanitarian Settings
By Emily Galloway, Sr. Advisor for Global Protection, Global Communities Gender-based violence (GBV) is a pervasive issue that disproportionately affects women, girls and vulnerable individuals during emergencies. In disaster or conflict-affected areas, gender inequalities and power dynamics can both exacerbate existing risks of GBV and create new ones. While risks are always context-specific, we see…
Read MoreSupporting War-Affected People in Ukraine: Insights from Our Protection Manager
By Paula Rudnicka, Sr. Manager for Public Affairs at Global Communities I remember feeling frightened and devastated when the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began unfolding on my television screen in February 2022. While these feelings were, and still are, not isolated, there is something incredibly jarring about watching the neighboring country being attacked by…
Read MoreTeacher Uprooted by War in Ukraine Helps Displaced Children Find Healing in Nature
By Tania Dudnyk In March 2022, Anna was heading from Kharkiv, Ukraine, to the western part of the country, fleeing the war with no idea where she and her family would find shelter. Today, she is a volunteer with the Ukrainian People’s House (UND) in Chernivtsi, one of seven civil society organizations in the region…
Read MoreHelping Families Piece Life, Homes Back Together in Ukraine’s Chernihiv Oblast
By Tania Dudnyk Chernihiv Oblast is among the top five regions of Ukraine most affected by Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022. Due to its proximity to the Russian border, many villages have experienced occupation firsthand and, thus, significant damage to their residential areas. To date, over 8,200 sites and facilities have been destroyed or…
Read MoreArt Therapy for Ukrainian Children Helps Reduce Stress Under Everyday Shelling
By Tania Dudnyk Since the end of June, children from three villages in the Chernihiv region have been attending special art therapy classes designed to support their mental health as the war continues in Ukraine. The sessions, which will continue until the school year begins in September, are made possible with funding from the United…
Read MoreDirect Cash Assistance Gives War-Torn Ukrainians Freedom to Cover Most Pressing Winter Needs
The winter of 2022-2023 was expected to be highly challenging for Ukrainians. Continued Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure caused disruptions of electricity and heating as well as damage to unprepared houses. The ongoing war has had a disastrous impact on the country’s economy. Millions have lost their livelihoods, and among those who have not…
Read MoreReviving Ukrainian Communities through Shelter Repairs in Hard-Hit Regions
Since the start of Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have been deprived of their homes and had their livelihoods disrupted due to ongoing hostilities and massive missile attacks. Damage to residential buildings and civilian infrastructure continues to grow. As of November 2022, according to the Kyiv School of Economics,…
Read MoreResponding to Humanitarian Needs in Ukraine
Since the war began in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, an estimated 5 million refugees have fled to neighboring countries, while over 7 million people have been displaced inside the country in search of safety, protection and assistance meeting basic needs. As the scale of this humanitarian crisis continues to grow, Global Communities is working…
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