USAID and UNFPA are strengthening the provision of psychosocial support to survivors of gender-based violence in Ukraine

In late July, sixty mobile psychosocial support teams began providing life-saving services to survivors of gender-based violence in Ukraine.

The mobile teams, supported by UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, with funding from USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, provide free social and psychological assistance to survivors of violence in local communities and internally displaced persons who have fled areas of heavy fighting and bombardment.

Access to support and assistance from specialists is crucial for people who are unable to find the contact details of social services in a new place or do not have the means to get to available services. That is why psychologists and social workers of mobile teams are ready to consult survivors by phone or visit, wherever and whenever it is convenient or necessary for the survivors.

Gender-based violence, including domestic violence, is one of the most serious human rights violations in the world. In Ukraine, this problem is exacerbated by a certain culture of silence, caused in particular by the prejudice that survivors themselves share the guilt. Since 2015, UNFPA has been working on the development of a comprehensive national response and prevention system to domestic and gender-based violence in Ukraine.

"We strive to provide emotional, physical, legal protection and comfort for each survivor. Our mobile teams are premised in local communities, where the need for services is the highest," said Mr. Mustafa Elkanzi, UNFPA Senior Emergency Coordinator/Deputy Representative in Ukraine.

As a part of the humanitarian response, UNFPA, in coordination with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, is actively working to create a network of psychosocial assistance services for all survivors of violence all over the country.

At present, survivors can call upon the services of 101 mobile teams operating in 56 cities and communities in Ukraine. These teams are funded by the governments of the USA (USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance), Canada, the United Kingdom, CERF (Central Emergency Response Fund), the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF) and the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme funded by the European Union.

The life-saving work of the mobile teams is made possible by close cooperation with local authorities and partners from the public sector, namely: the Faith, Hope, Love NGO, the Smile UA charitable foundation, the Initiative youth charitable fund, the Butterfly charitable fund, the Innovative Social Solutions NGO and the M.ART.IN-club NGO.

The contact details for all mobile teams are available at this link: https://ukraine.unfpa.org/uk/PSS_mobile_teams