Europe Prykhystok’s Post

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has taken a severe toll on the nation's most vulnerable population—its children. With thousands displaced, orphaned, or traumatized, the need for comprehensive care has never been more urgent. International organizations, local NGOs, and government bodies are stepping up efforts to provide better care for these children, focusing on immediate relief and long-term recovery.  European Commission, in collaboration with Regeringskansliet, Socialdepartementet, organized a study visit focused on deinstitutionalization reform. The study visit brought together policymakers, social care professionals, and experts from Ukraine and Sweden. Participants studied Sweden's approach to deinstitutionalization, which emphasizes person-centered care, social inclusion, and the development of community-based alternatives. The study tour combined workshops, discussions, and site visits, all simultaneously interpreted by the competent @polyglott.se team. Thank you, cecoforma events & communication and @taiex.eu, for giving us the opportunity to make our tiny contribution to Ukraine's European integration.

Svenska institutet has awarded 2-year funding to the BUILDS-UP project – ‘Building Universal and Inclusive Local Design - a Swedish-Ukrainian Partnership’ – to Malmö University which will implement the project together with the Ukrainian NGO “Poruch” together with architect Anne Faurskov and the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD) The cooperation project is focused on promoting accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities and other marginalized members of society in Ukraine.  The BUILDS-UP cooperation addresses challenges from the war, and supports Ukraine’s drive towards EU alignment. The project also directly aligns with national strategy and development reconstruction reform in Ukraine. It builds capacity among Ukrainian local authorities, addressing the urgent need for greater awareness among officials of the human rights and practical needs of people with disabilities. By empowering officials with the tools to conduct accessibility audits and identify solutions, it aims to improve the overall situation for people with functional variations in Ukraine. #FundedbySI #SIforUkraine

🇧🇷Today we celebrate one year of cooperation between Emile Foundation and Brazil 🙌 Since May 2023, our organisation, Emile Foundation, has been advocating in over 27 countries to raise awareness about Ukrainian children being forcibly and illegally deported to Russia. For a year now, Brazil has been a vital partner, helping us address the humanitarian aspects of this issue. We are immensely thankful to our team for their intense work on the advocacy programme, sharing the situation of these children with the world. 🇺🇦 Over the last 12 months of partnership with Brazil, we have met with more than 36 senators and members of Congress, as well as ministries and the Brazilian government, with the aim to return illegally deported children to Ukraine. Our NGO focuses its efforts on providing a voice for those who are unable to speak or whose voice cannot be heard. We are absolutely honoured to see such great and important support, as well as promising partnerships for our upcoming activities 🙏🇧🇷 Civil society plays a crucial role in re-establishing democracy, freedom, and solidarity during wartime. It's essential to continue raising awareness until every single child is returned to Ukraine, peace is restored, and the Ukrainian people feel their rights are protected. We wish Brazil all the best as they prepare for and host the G20 Peace Summit, where the Russia-Ukraine war will certainly be discussed. #EmileFoundation #brazilcooperation #children #HumanRightsMatter The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine | European Parliament | Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe | Council of Europe | Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada Ministère des Affaires étrangères français | Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken | Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium | Bring Kids Back UA

Around 1,000 children from Artsakh will attend a summer camp in Hungary, following an agreement between Armenia’s Minister of Labor, Narek Mkrtchyan, and Hungary’s FM, Péter Szijjártó. In August, 120 children participated in this program, which claims to offer relief for those affected by the ethnic cleansing in Artsakh. However, this initiative is controversial, given Hungary’s pro-Turkish and pro-Azerbaijani stance, especially during the Artsakh wars. Hungary openly supported Azerbaijan in the 2020 Artsakh war, reaffirming this just days after the war began. The 2004 murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan by Azerbaijani soldier Ramil Safarov in Budapest further highlights Hungary’s role. Safarov was extradited to Azerbaijan, pardoned, and celebrated as a national hero despite being convicted of Margaryan’s brutal murder. This incident exemplifies the deep-rooted Armenophobia in Hungary’s foreign relations. Concerns have been raised that the state sponsored summer camp could be used to indoctrinate Armenian children into viewing Turkey and Azerbaijan more favorably, despite ongoing hostility. Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender, Gegham Stepanyan, has criticized Hungary’s stance, noting its participation in the Turkic States summit held in Shushi, a city now occupied by Azerbaijan. Just last year, Hungary blocked an EU statement on the near 10 month Berdzor Corridor blockade and made pro-Azerbaijani remarks at a UN Security Council meeting during Artsakh’s humanitarian crisis. The camp raises fears of an attempt to influence vulnerable children, encouraging them to overlook the deep-seated Armenophobia and violent history that still shapes relations between Armenia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. While this program is presented to support the well-being of Artsakh’s children, its location in a country with a contentious history toward Armenia casts a shadow over its true intentions. 📸:

💡 Today, as part of #EndChildPovertyWeek, I had the privilege of accompanying my colleagues from Save the Children in Albania, Kosovo (Festina Kabashi), and Ukraine (Kateryna Lytvynenko) for great discussions with the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) and European Commission DG NEAR and DG EMPL. 🔦 These meetings were instrumental in highlighting the pivotal role European Union frameworks and actors can play in advocating for stronger social policies in pre-accession countries. 👉 Particularly, we emphasized the European #ChildGuarantee as a unique instrument that should be integrated into the accession process to bolster social policies and ensure no child is left behind. It's inspiring to witness its positive impact in countries like Albania, and it holds immense potential for all the other countries. 🤝 Collaboration like this underscores our commitment to creating a brighter future for children across Europe. #ChildrensRights #EU #Iam20million #ChildGuarantee

🌿A Growing Civil Society During Wartime🌿 "In response to the Russian armed aggression, Ukrainian civil society came together, and new CSOs and NGOs began to appear," says Alina Orkusha from the Ukrainian organisation БФ "Схід SOS" | CF "East SOS". This project is titled 'Bridging Capacities Amid the War', a collaboration between the Danish organisation Den Danske Helsinki-Komité for Menneskerettigheder and the Ukrainian NGO "East SOS". The project is designed to assist the recently established CSOs and NGOs in Ukraine in strengthening civil society amid a crisis. This is done by offering capacity building, providing organisational development, and helping to integrate human rights principles into the work. "We decided to support those who take a proactive stance, sometimes despite lacking resources and skills. We know that only with joint efforts will we be able to overcome the challenges that Ukrainians face today," says Alina Orkusha. Mutual learning and exchange between Ukrainian and Danish civil society groups will enrich all members and establish new connections and networks, linking Ukrainian NGOs and CSOs closer to their European counterparts. Read more about this great project and New Cooperation Mechanism on our website ⬇ https://lnkd.in/ecmiPYmS

Missing Children Europe Senior Research Officer, Efthymios Antonopoulos, took part in a discussion titled "How to face the abduction of children in Ukraine" at the European Parliament. He contributed to the panel discussion titled "UA Children are EU's future, don't steal it," which addressed the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.   Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, 19,546 Ukrainian children have been deported to Russia and the occupied territories, with only 388 being returned. Working alongside our Ukrainian partner organization, NGO Magnolia, Missing Children Europe will persist in efforts to reunite these children with their families. Every possible step should be taken to achieve this goal as these children are at high risk of harm, loss of identity, acculturation, and long-term or permanent separation from their families.   The discussion included the participation of:   ▪ MEP Hilde Vautmans, Co-chair of the Intergroup on Children’s Rights ▪ MEP Catharina Rinzema, Vice-chair of the Intergroup on Children’s Rights ▪ Ms Mariam Lambert, Orphans Feeding Foundation, Mission «returning children deported to Russia and aftercare under BKB program» ▪ Ms. Oksana Diakun, Deputy Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union ▪ Ms. Anastasiia Vezhnevets, Second Secretary of the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union   We are grateful for the insightful contributions of all the participants and look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to address the pressing issue of child abduction in Ukraine and ensure the well-being of Ukrainian children. 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 #MissingChildrenEurope #StandWithUkraine #ChildrensRights

In a landmark meeting co-hosted by HelpAge International, Friends of Europe and supported by the British Embassy in Kyiv, international partners endorsed Ukraine's vision for an inclusive society for all ages. With the world's largest percentage of #OlderPeople affected by conflict and displacement, Ukraine's journey towards EU membership necessitates prioritising reforms that uphold the rights of its older citizens. Engagement and empowerment are pivotal as older Ukrainians actively shape policies impacting their lives. At HelpAge, our three hopes for older Ukrainians are: 1. Comprehensive policies that listen to and include the unique perspectives of older people 2. Health and care services that respect the dignity and choice of each individual 3. Voices that speak out for older people's rights and wellbeing. Only then can we truly create a society for ALL ages in Ukraine. https://ow.ly/Xah350RBfwP

We are sharing an important appeal – an open letter “Solidarity in Action” of the National Network of Local Philanthropy Development, a member of the Alliance UA CSO. The letter calls on international partners to prioritize the results of their work in Ukraine, and on local actors to be proactive and advocate for the creation of a sustainable system of local humanitarian response. Alliance UA CSO focuses its work on ensuring local leadership, including spreading awareness about the localization approach, and this letter emphasizes the key principles underlying our joint work: solidarity, responsibility, transparency, and mutual support. Changing the distribution of influence within the sector, and introducing new funding and coordination mechanisms is a multilayered process that requires the involvement of all parties on an equal footing. We urge you to read the letter and, if you resonate with these values, support the localization and join the signing. https://lnkd.in/dN5pJkAr

Ukrainian peacebuilders have been reimagining peacebuilding since 2020 and advocating for the concept of a "just peace", one that ensures Ukraine's independence, territorial sovereignty, and accountability for human rights violations and war crimes committed by Russia. During the conference "Ukrainian Approaches to Just and Sustainable Peace," organized by the CF “Right to Protection” and the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners on July 25, 2023, Ukrainian civil society presented 31 projects, showcasing new Ukrainian approaches to peacebuilding. These projects are tailored to address the challenges and opportunities currently faced by our country and fellow citizens, as well as the specific dynamics of each region. A brief description of these projects and case studies, along with their outcomes and contact information, can be found here: https://lnkd.in/dcb7DUWx Each project demonstrates a positive impact in one of the following categories: - International Advocacy of Peace Agenda and Local Ownership of Ukrainian Peacebuilders - Social cohesion, integration of MHPSS and conflict resolution to work with conflict-affected groups - Working with Ukrainians displaced to EU on dialogue and trauma-informed conflict resolution - Social cohesion in local communities including liberated territories  - Peacebuilding through Art and Media - Women and Youth Leadership in Peacebuilding - People-centered Transitional Justice and memorialization work. One of the main goals of the conference was to explore a wide array of mechanisms and approaches, both within Ukraine and internationally, aimed at advancing just and sustainable peace in the region. Emphasis was placed on the internal Ukrainian dimension, focusing on the resilience of the Ukrainian state and society. The way how Ukraine addresses challenges such as strenghtening social cohesion, integrating internally displaced persons (IDPs) and war veterans, and facilitating the reintegration of those residing in de-occupied territories and abroad will significantly shape the quality of peace for years to come. We encourage you to share in the comments links to other peacebuilding projects in Ukraine.