KYIV – As Ukraine endures its third year of full-scale war, mental health challenges are emerging as a critical issue, particularly for women. A 2023 study revealed that nearly 39% of Ukrainian women, along with 33.8% of men, screened positive for mental health conditions, underscoring the profound psychological toll the war has taken.
Women, in particular, are facing heightened stress due to various factors. These include family separations as men are required to serve in the military, internal displacement, increased caregiving responsibilities, and a rise in domestic violence.
Lesia Shevchuk, the MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) coordinator for HIAS Ukraine, highlighted the overlooked importance of mental health during wartime: “At times of war, people sometimes forget that mental health matters. But we know that this is often what matters the most.”
For women working as humanitarian aid providers, the psychological burden can be even greater. These women often spend much of their time helping others, leaving little opportunity for self-care.
Iraida Gerashchenko, a humanitarian worker for a local NGO in Kherson, emphasized the importance of self-care in such challenging times: “It’s essential to be in a good state yourself to take care of others.”
In response to these mental health challenges, HIAS Ukraine, with support from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), organized a series of mental health workshops and a retreat in September 2024. This initiative aimed to support local humanitarian workers serving on the frontlines in regions such as Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odessa, and Dnipro.
These evidence-based activities allowed participants to disconnect from the stress of their daily work, acquire new coping skills, and build resilience to continue assisting their communities. The workshops focused on preventing burnout and provided women with practical tools to prioritize their well-being, even when self-care feels like an impossible task.
The retreat incorporated movement-based dance therapies and meditation to help participants release physical and emotional tension. Additionally, the event included educational sessions on the physiological and psychological impacts of stress, how the brain functions during distress, and strategies for positive coping mechanisms.
Hanna Ilina, an NGO worker from Odessa who attended the retreat, spoke about the significance of the event: “This event was crucial for women working in humanitarian projects as the psychological burden is immense. We are looking forward to more well-being activities.”
As humanitarian workers continue to provide essential aid on the frontlines, these mental health initiatives are proving vital in supporting their ability to endure the psychological challenges of their work while fostering a sense of personal resilience.
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