On 26 November 2023, the "Acting for Survivors" run took place in Irpin to mark the International “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence”. The event was an act of solidarity for GBV survivors, including survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.
The event was attended by UNFPA, representatives of the government, local and national authorities, police, UN agencies in Ukraine, celebrities, athletes, partner NGOs and residents of Irpin. More than 1500 people took part in the run, demonstrating the unity of Ukrainian society in their effort to overcome gender-based violence.
“We are starting not only “16 days of activism against Gender-Based Violence”, we are starting an annual marathon. I hope that every year we will gather in the squares of Ukraine and the world to show citizens who need help that they can count on it and that we do not keep silent about crimes of violence," Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olga Stefanishyna said at the opening of the Run.
Irpin city was chosen as the central location of the Run for a reason. At the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, the city experienced an unprecedented level of violence, 75% of Irpin was damaged as a result of military operations. The Run’s route passed through one of the main streets where residents were evacuated in February-March 2022. Other Ukrainian cities, such as Lubny, Lviv, Lutsk, Kalush, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Uzhhorod, Khoroshiv, Mukachevo, Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih, as well as representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora in the United States (Chicago), also joined the Run.
"We must all work to combat gender-based violence, prevent it, mitigate its consequences, and ensure survivors have the support they need," highlighted Denise Brown, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, during the Run in Irpin.
A Social services fair also attracted dozens of people during the Run. Marathon runners and Irpin residents had the opportunity to learn more about UNFPA-supported services provided to people affected by the war, such as survivors of gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence.
UNFPA's specialized services at the fair included the Survivor Relief Centres, Psychosocial Support Mobile Teams, women’s “Vilna” space and “Vona Hub”, and Mobile gynaecological teams.
“The most important actors here to support survivors are the people who are offering the services. We just brought a sense of what the services are that help women, girls, men, and boys who may have been survivors of the most horrific type of personal violence,” said Massimo Diana, UNFPA Representative in Ukraine.
The “Acting for Survivors Run” was organized by NGO "UA Experts", on the initiative of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, with the support of the United Nations in Ukraine. The events were held within the framework of the project "Cities and Communities Free from Domestic Violence" with the financial support of the Governments of the United Kingdom and Canada.
