Supporting Domestic Violence Survivors in Ukraine and Moldova

In Eastern Europe, life can be challenging for women. Data from the World Health Organization shows that approximately 20% of women in the region have experienced some kind of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.

Many countries in Eastern Europe do not criminalize certain types of gender-based violence (GBV), and in countries that do, survivors must overcome significant legal hurdles to access support and justice. Social pressure, fear, and shame often prevent survivors from speaking out and reporting abuse.

Conflict has exacerbated many of the difficulties that GBV survivors must face.

In Ukraine for example, there were only 33 shelters available for women experiencing GBV before the onset of the war. Now, the majority of these shelters are being used to house internally displaced people.

These experiences create an environment where many survivors of GBV seek services through local, women-led organizations (WLOs) rather than seeking institutional support.

In response, HIAS has launched a new program with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office to strengthen the capacities of WLOs in Ukraine and Moldova to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance. The program will train WLOs to provide front-line services to survivors and to engage with authorities on the challenges faced by survivors to foster a coordinated response.

Survivors of GBV living in areas of Ukraine impacted by armed conflict, internally displaced survivors, and refugee survivors in Moldova will all be assisted by the program.

“Through our localization strategy, HIAS will guarantee positive long-term outcomes for displaced women in Ukraine and Moldova, even after our humanitarian response has concluded,” said Ilan Cohn, director of HIAS Europe.

The program will offer training and resources so that WLOs can provide:

• mental health services
• high-quality services to survivors of GBV
• cash and voucher assistance as well as hygiene and dignity kits to conflict-affected populations
• advocacy and awareness-raising campaigns

The program began in September 2024 and will run until August 2026, with the aim of supporting over 20,000 refugees and GBV survivors throughout implementation. HIAS will work with the following local organizations across Ukraine and Moldova: Right to Protection, Successful Women, Angels of Salvation, The Power of Women, Zviazok, CASMED, Female Support Force, Biaz Gul and the National Roma Center.