People experience conflict differently 

Democracy is a continuous process and not a point – it can never be fully accomplished. By the time I applied for WPLP I have already become a refugee, and at that point in the crisis, I knew that it was up to us, civil society, to make a change. Working with the community, we can include as many different voices and experiences of vulnerable population groups as possible. That’s my motivation: I want to make sure that I live my life in a way that makes sense and that I am part of a transformative change for democracy, inclusion, freedom, diversity and peace. 

In my work, I focus on the promotion of gender equality and enhancing the resilience of Ukrainian society. Russia’s war against my country has affected everyone differently.  

Some people have stayed in their communities, and some have become internally displaced people (IDPs) or refugees, like myself. Some have joined the military, some have started volunteering and try to support either the military or civilians, or both. Some had moved abroad when the war started and returned already. And then there are people who have stayed in territories outside government control, some of which have been liberated and some not. All these people have quite different experiences, which need to be acknowledged. 

Still, we hold strong and I try to make sure that I do what I can to let the world know about the immense work being done on the ground and also contribute to it.  

The greatest reward for me would be seeing how the Ukrainian society succeeds in standing for its independence and right to self-determination while remaining inclusive and democratic. It would be knowing that the women, the feminists who are doing the work on the ground in this very moment, are heard and that their experiences are accounted for. Using my privilege of having the connections and being admitted to WPLP, I want to make sure that the prominent role of women in Ukraine in responding to this crisis is acknowledged and respected. 

Turning to Ukrainian feminists 

My inspiration is my Ukrainian sisters, the brave women that I work with. I used to look up a lot to feminist thinkers from the West, trying to find answers to my questions, especially on militarism and the way feminism should look like. However, since the invasion, I realized that these are the people around me that I should first listen to. While recognizing the value of exchange and mutual learning, at this point in my life, I understand that knowledge comes from within, and no one knows our context better than we do. 

People I work with are academics and activists. Some have become full-time volunteers, some joined the military even though had never planned to. I want to make sure that the experiences of these women are known and their ideas respected. For the women living in territories outside government control the mere act of survival, of preserving themselves and the people they care for, is such a strong political act. These are the people I look up to and learn from. 

When others matter no less than yourself  

Networking is a value in itself and learning from the other WPLP participants has been an immense privilege. Getting access to new tools has been very helpful too. For example, we’ve learned about multiple frameworks on how to approach conflict resolution, in particular, through mediation. We learned how to break a huge problem into segments thus making it easier to tackle. 

We all here have plenty to contribute, and we all need to express our solidarity. In my work, I see solidarity as the key to making sure that the gendered issues are addressed, and that the conflicts are taken care of – in a sustainable manner. 

Solidarity also means that others matter no less than you do. Because we do share common issues, common threats, and it’s only jointly that we can make an impact.