On Monday, 25 November, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna initiated a solidarity evening “Hear in the Dark” in Kyiv to launch the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Violence. The event was held with the support of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine, and in cooperation with the NGO UA Experts. The evening was based on a symbolic concert telling the story of the path that victims of violence go through: from pain and trauma to recovery.

The event was attended by representatives of the Government of Ukraine, Ambassadors of the EU Member States, the USA, Canada, as well as representatives of the Parliament, international and civil society organisations, opinion leaders and service providers in the field of combating violence in Ukraine.

In her welcoming remarks, Olha Stefanishyna thanked all those present and stressed that there were no random people in the room. She emphasised that each and every one of the guests took steps every day to support those citizens who needed help.

“Today we start the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Violence. Every year, together with you, our partners, we start these 16 days as a symbol of countering violence, but every day we work together to help and hear each and every one of you. For many years, we have been identifying priority goals, and I am proud that together with our partners, we have now developed a powerful network of support services in Ukraine. Everyone who needs help can apply and receive decent support,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

The unique musical programme of the evening, created by People’s Artist of Ukraine and director Anatoliy Solovyanenko, with the participation of leading soloists of the National Opera of Ukraine, the National Academic Choral Capella “Dumka” and the Ukrainian Radio Symphony Orchestra, highlighted the importance of sensitivity and support.

“We heard excerpts from various works that symbolise the real stories of citizens who have suffered from domestic violence and violence in war. This is about the journey of one person: from the first step to the struggle, freedom, new life. A step that allows you to protect yourself, and even help the abuser to start on the path of recovery. And every step is important,” the Deputy Prime Minister stressed.

The official urged the guests to share their feelings about the event so that everyone who can take a step towards the light, help another person who is being abused, could do so.

Olha Stefanishyna also noted that in addition to domestic violence, we are now talking about sexual violence as a crime of war, and stressed the need to provide comprehensive support to victims. She stressed the importance of the model regulation on survivor assistance centres approved by the Government and the amendments to the legislation adopted by the Parliament, which for the first time legally define the legal and social protection of victims of sexual violence related to the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine and the procedure for providing urgent interim reparations: “All of our efforts are important. Every step taken to support one person leads us to justice, leads us to the light.”

As part of the event, visitors could also talk to specialists from services supported by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine, who provide daily assistance to victims of violence. During the event, two specialists were presented with a special commendation for their significant contribution to supporting survivors of violence: Olha Dovhaniuk, a lawyer at the Chernivtsi Survivors Assistance Centre, and Olena Shevchenko, a psychologist at the Irpin Mobile Social and Psychological Assistance Team.

According to Massimo Diana, UNFPA Representative in Ukraine, gender-based violence has different forms – physical, sexual, psychological, and economic. It creates insecurity, instability, silence and leaves unhealed wounds. In a time of war, this becomes an even greater challenge for Ukrainian women and girls, who demonstrate incredible strength and resilience even in such difficult circumstances. It is a shared responsibility to support them, to shed light on this darkness, and to ensure their dignity, safety, and care. Collective actions are key to helping and shaping a future without violence.

According to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Belgium to Ukraine Luc Jacobs, Belgium is proud to be a reliable partner of Ukraine in the fight against gender-based violence, working closely with the Government and UNFPA to ensure that help is always available when it is needed most. By supporting victim services across the country, Belgium recognises the importance of creating safe spaces and providing psychological support for survivors. These services not only save lives, but also give a chance to start over for those who need it most.

The evening also featured nine real-life stories of survivors of gender-based violence told by well-known Ukrainians. Most of these videos were made public during the social campaign “The Thing is” by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and UNFPA, which took place in 2021. New stories were also presented during the event, reflecting the current situation of the full-scale invasion. This made it possible to demonstrate that each of these stories is still relevant today and to remind us that everyone, regardless of age or gender, can be affected by violence.

In solidarity with the victims, on 25 November, the National Opera of Ukraine was illuminated in orange, symbolising a bright and violence-free future.

The event “Hear in the Dark” is part of the national communication campaign “Take a Step. Sensitivity Overcomes Violence”, which is being implemented with the support of the Belgian government.

Background

Since 1991, from 25 November to 10 December, the international community has been holding an annual 16 Days of Activism Against Violence campaign. The campaign is aimed at drawing public attention to the problem of violence, as well as methods of preventing and responding comprehensively to any of its manifestations.

Ukraine joined the campaign for the first time in 2020. In times of war, in the context of deteriorating security and economic instability, the issue of violence becomes extremely relevant, as the increase in its incidence has a devastating impact on the lives of thousands of citizens across Ukraine.

The Government of Ukraine, with the support of UNFPA and the international community, is working to strengthen the system of combating and preventing gender-based violence, including by creating a network of services to assist survivors and raise awareness of the problem. More information can be found on the website: https://rozirvykolo.org/ (in Ukrainian).