Making an impact together: Work to advance human dignity and equality in Ukraine continues

24 February 2025 marks three years since the Russian Federation began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This year also marks eleven years since Russia illegally annexed Crimea, and the Ukrainian peoples’ Revolution of Dignity. During these years, the human rights situation has deteriorated dramatically, particularly in terms of serious human rights violations.

The representatives of the Deaconess Foundation, its Ukrainian partner Roma Women Fund Chiricli, Ukrainian Commisioner for Human Rights and the Finnish Human Rights Center after a discussion on the human rights situation of minorities in Ukraine.

Supporting the Ukrainian Roma communities

Since 2019, the Deaconess Foundation has been working with Ukrainian institutions and civil society actors in order to improve the human rights situation of the Ukrainian Roma minority.

Roughly 200,000 to 400,000 Roma live in Ukraine. However, these figures are inaccurate, as many Roma remain invisible in the national statistics because they lack IDs. The absence of IDs poses many challenges, which have been exacerbated by the conditions of war.  Roma citizens without valid IDs face difficulties in accessing official evacuation, housing and other services in the municipalities to which they have relocated. The same applies to those seeking refuge outside Ukraine, where it is difficult to access emergency assistance.

We started planning our work during the evaluation[i] of Ukraine’s first National Strategy for the Protection and Integration of the Roma National Minority into Ukrainian Society 2013-2020. The strategy has been an important step in systematically working to improve the participation and living conditions of Ukrainian Roma.  We had the opportunity to base our plans on the findings of the evaluation study, which concluded that a new Roma strategy and plan were needed, and that Roma civil society and Roma citizens should be given the opportunity to contribute to them.

Based on these findings, the first project led by the Roma Women Fund Chiricli and the Deaconess Foundation planned to create permanent discussion forums between local authorities and Roma citizens in four municipalities: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv and Odesa. Led by the Roma Women Fund Chiricli, local civic actors and local authorities had also to come together to develop plans for improving the participation of local Roma and addressing their needs. The process of bringing together institutions and Roma citizens was intended to develop the idea that the meaningful participation of Roma citizens and Roma CSOs is the cornerstone of effective and sustainable policies meant to improve their rights.

Navigating the realities of war

On 24 February 2022, the world awoke in fear and shock as Russia attacked Kiev. Ukrainians in Kiev had to decide whether it was worth leaving their homes in the hope of finding safety elsewhere. The Roma Women Fund Chiricli had to think not only about the safety of themselves and their families, but also that of the Roma community as a whole, as people called them for advice and support. These calls from people all over Ukraine gave strength and meaning to their work during the hardest times of the war.

Over the past three years, the work done by the Deaconess Foundation has not stopped but has grown stronger. Plans were reassessed and updated, but the work itself continued. Once the full invasion began, safeguarding human life and well-being by addressing basic humanitarian needs became a top priority.

So far, 131,371 Roma and other citizens in vulnerable positions have received support. Requests ranged from questions about accommodation after relocating from East to West Ukraine, to financial support for firewood to sharing the grief of starting a new life in a new place. Shelters for Roma IDPs were also opened in Mukachevo, Odesa, Beregovo and Vinnytsa. 488 people have lived and been supported in these shelters, where they receive three hot meals a day, medical consultations, psychological support, assistance with the documents and legal advice, as well as art therapy. The project has supported Roma citizens to have income-generating opportunities. This has been crucial given the difficult economic situation in the country.

Strengthening the participation of Roma citizens: strengthening the Ukrainian democracy

Structural policy and advocacy work remained strong and took new directions where necessary. In 2021, Ukraine adopted its second Roma strategy, the “Strategy promoting the realization of the rights and opportunities of persons belonging to the Roma national minority in Ukrainian society for the period up to 2030”. The implementation of the strategy has been affected by the war, but it was never abandoned. Ukrainian institutions and the Roma civil society have been very committed to continuing the work of the strategy.

Deaconess Foundation’s work has developed paths of participation for Roma citizens and Roma organisations to participate in the work related to the strategy. The first step was to make communities aware of the policy processes, listen to their needs and thoughts and welcome them to working groups and events.

We also had to address new areas of policy work. The war has highlighted the vulnerable legal and social position of internally displaced citizens and of those who lack identity papers. Among these, Roma people face disproportionate difficulties, due to generally negative attitudes against Roma in Ukraine.

The partnership between the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the Roma Women Fund Chiricli and the Deaconess Foundation, was crucial in addressing these challenging and significant human dignity issues. In partnership, we advocated for the simplification of the documentation process and supported the mobile teams to reach Roma citizens. So far, 150 Roma citizens have obtained their IDs or legal status as internally displaced persons.

Looking ahead: courage in partnership

It has been extremely difficult for our colleagues and partners in Ukraine to work on such important and difficult human rights issues, as the Russian attacks have kept them and other Ukrainians sleepless and in fear. But the mission remained and remains strong, working together towards a strong civil society and institutions, towards a Ukraine where Roma citizens can participate fully. Good progress is being made, but consistent work is still needed to achieve tangible and sustainable results.

Right now, many of us feel anxious about the state of world politics and security, and about the rise of polarising and violent discourses. The Deaconess Foundation’s recently published 2025-2027 strategy, “Making an Impact Together” proposes working boldly, impactfully and in partnership to effectively and systemically defend the human dignity of every person.

Today we want to celebrate the togetherness and the partnerships that have made our work in Ukraine impactful, even in times of extreme violence. In the future, togetherness will give us strength, hope and new solutions as we work towards a life of dignity for all.

………………………………………..

[i] Gender-Responsive Evaluation of “Strategy for the Protection and Integration 08 of the Roma National Minority into Ukrainian Society until by 2020”, UN Women Ukraine and Council of Europe Office in Ukraine at the request of the Sub-Committee on Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination of the Parliament Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations, 2019.

Contact:

Anca Enache, Senior Human Rights Expert, anca.enache@hdl.fi

Maria Dorofte, Programme Coordinator, maria.dorofte@hdl.fi