Victims of Russian war crimes“Many Ukrainian women returned to their homes on the front line”
In the midst of war, Tetiana Ivanova wants to provide a sense of security for women in Ukraine. Ivanova runs a women’s shelter near Kiev for refugees who are victims of war crimes. Despite the horrors they experienced, many missed their homeland, he said.
ntv.de: You run accommodation for women leaving the occupied territories for the non-governmental organization Eleos. How did this project come to life?
Tetiana Ivanova: We started this project in 2022 in response to mass reports of war crimes and related violence. That was surprising information for us. We already have experience working with survivors of crime, particularly domestic and gender-based violence, at our non-governmental organization, Eleos. So we have the resources to start the project. Those affected in the occupied territories were not only affected by the violence, they also lost everything, including their homes. So we started building a shelter where we could provide comprehensive support.
How do you organize it?
Our rehabilitation accommodation is located in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast in the mountains. This area is quiet. No alarm bells sounded and there were no air raids. Women with children have the opportunity to relax there. They all receive psychological help, social help and medical care from good private clinics. All his bills have been paid. For rehabilitation, we use a model developed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege for refugees in the Congo. One focus is women’s economic development. This is what differentiates us from Congo: in Central Europe we have more opportunities to better educate women and help them financially.
So education and professional prospects are the key to returning to everyday life?
This is clearly important. Here too we have a wide range. We offer training and seminars for CVs and job interviews, as well as providing job opportunities. As an organization, we also run projects where we educate internally displaced women and even provide microloans. But we actually have a higher goal in our project: we want to ensure women’s safety. After rehabilitation, there was a problem: many Ukrainian women returned to their homes on the front line, even though it was dangerous there. These places are under attack and there is no work there. Normal life is virtually impossible. That’s why we want to motivate women to integrate into a new, safe environment to find a new home. In some cases, this works. Only in this way will women be safe in the long term.
Are there any success stories from women that really impress you?
There are many success stories. We have the capacity to help 100 women per year in our accommodation. 30 people and their children can stay here at the same time. We currently accommodate 16 clients and their children. What impressed me the most: About a year ago we received a woman who had fled from the Kharkiv region. She had experienced terrible things under Russian occupation, arriving with her two children and being pregnant. After the birth of the third child, the family initially lived in the inn. But the woman quickly found the strength to build a new life near Kiev. At one point he was even able to buy a small house in Cherkasy with his savings. It is about 200 kilometers from Kyiv.
There have been many reports of Russian soldiers’ brutality towards women. Do victims tell you about this when they come to you?
It is not our goal that women should be allowed to tell their stories. Memories like that can be traumatic, and we don’t want to make those memories re-traumatizing. Most likely they will tell their story to the psychologist we provide. However, this matter is very confidential. And if I, as the accommodation manager, know something, I will keep that information confidential.
How do you convince women not to return to their homes on the front lines?
We don’t convince them with words. We show them examples in everyday life of how things can be done differently. We give them the experience of living in a safe place. It is also important that children are happy. Many women decide to stay here because their children behave differently here and smile more. There are people who decide to return because they have a very strong connection to their origins. This is dangerous, but every woman has a free choice. All we can do is create a safe experience for them in this comfortable place – and show that this is possible even during war.
How do you see the role of women in this war?
This is a deep question. When I talk about it, I get emotional. The role of women in the Russian-Ukrainian war cannot be overstated. Women served in the army as soldiers, medics, and doctors. They ensure that civil society is maintained by carrying out the duties of fighters on the front lines. They take care of their children and household. They continued their education and obtained university degrees. You achieved a leadership position in the private sector. When it comes to women’s rights, Ukraine is a progressive country. Women have many opportunities here, which they take advantage of because of their ambition. I am very proud of our women.
Lea Verstl talks with Tetiana Ivanova
