72% of Ukrainian women’s organizations are facing serious challenges due to the suspension of U.S. funding. Moreover, 35 out of 99 surveyed organizations may be forced to shut down within six months if new sources of funding are not secured.

The consequences are far-reaching: as women-led initiatives weaken, the first line of protection disappears for hundreds of thousands of women who rely on these organizations as their only source of help and support. This crisis has already forced 93% of women’s organizations in Ukraine to suspend at least one initiative — especially those aimed at preventing gender-based violence, which disproportionately affects vulnerable women.

Anzhelika Bielova, President of Voice of Romni, spoke about these risks and the experience of a Roma women’s organization working in Ukraine during the war. She spoke at the online conference “Why Gender Equality in Humanitarian Aid Saves Lives — Lessons from Syria and Ukraine”, addressing members of the German Parliament working on development, humanitarian assistance, and gender equality, as well as their staff. The event, dedicated to promoting gender equality in humanitarian efforts, was organized by our partners at CARE Germany and ADRA Germany.

Experts from Syria and Ukraine shared how women’s rights and humanitarian aid are interconnected on the ground — and what is needed to effectively advance both. Anzhelika Bielova highlighted the challenges faced by Roma women in Ukraine, as well as internally displaced women, mothers of large families, survivors of gender-based violence, and others in vulnerable situations.

“The war in Ukraine has led to a significant rise in gender-based violence. According to UN Women, reports of domestic violence have increased by 30–50% since the start of the full-scale invasion. At the same time, nearly 70% of respondents in Voice of Romni’s study on gender-based violence and gender practices in Roma communities reported experiencing various forms of GBV,” shared Anzhelika Bielova.

Roma women often experience economic violence and are unable to manage their own finances. Our research also shows that survivors rarely report abuse to the police — instead, they try to resolve the issues within the family. As a result, these women remain invisible to the official support system.

For many of these women, women’s civil society organizations remain one of the only real sources of support. Since the start of the war, hundreds of initiatives across Ukraine have been evacuating women and children, providing humanitarian aid, and offering psychological support. Yet despite their crucial role, funding for women-led organizations is being significantly reduced.

It is essential to provide targeted support and funding to women’s rights organizations, ensuring that their voices are heard and their needs are met.

To guarantee gender sensitivity and effectiveness in humanitarian response, Anzhelika Bielova outlined key steps that should be implemented:

  • Integrate gender analysis at all stages of aid delivery and reconstruction;
  • Ensure long-term and flexible funding for gender-sensitive initiatives;
  • Develop legislative measures to strengthen women’s rights, support feminist movements, and promote equality and justice;
  • Guarantee the inclusion of women — particularly those from national minority communities — in decision-making processes.

We call on international donors, humanitarian agencies, and governments: do not cut support for women’s organizations. Invest in those who are saving lives every single day. Without gender equality, there can be no just future — and no effective recovery.