Looking for the Dawn. Women of Donbass

Since 2014, Ukraine is at war. This war led to big human losses and to a huge wave of displaced people who had to flee the occupied territories.

Women who lived on temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Lugansk regions, with the history of drug use and HIV status as well as female clients of opioid substitution treatment programs were among the most vulnerable.

With the armed conflict, humanitarian crisis and mass internal migration, they face poverty and gender-based violence, lack of access to medical and social services, stigmatization and prosecution.

Before the war, Svitanok (“Dawn”) NGO worked in Donetsk providing support to such women.

When the armed conflict started, the NGO team and their clients had to leave Donetsk and other temporarily occupied areas.

Today, Svitanok activists continue their activities in Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine.