In 2023, a consortium of UN agencies united efforts to launch a project titled “Strengthening national and community-based CRSV prevention and response mechanisms in Ukraine through a survivor-centred multi-sectoral approach” (short title: “UNited Action to Empower Survivors of CRSV”). The project is co-implemented in a spirit of cooperation by UNFPA, UN Women, UNODC, WHO, UNDP, and IOM.

The project is a first-ever in Ukraine inter-agency initiative on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) response by the UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict to: 

• address gaps, challenges and needs identified jointly with the Government of Ukraine (GoU) and civil society;
• be implemented in close coordination with the humanitarian coordination structures and build on the existing arrangements, incl. GBV Area of Responsibility in Ukraine (and its Sub-Working Group on needs of male survivors of sexual violence) and Sexual Reproductive Health Technical Working Group under Health Cluster (and its Sub-Working Group on Clinical Management of Rape).

Project’s beneficiaries:

• women and girls, men, and boys who survived CRSV or potentially exposed to these violations;
• first-line responders and service providers, incl. health care practitioners from different types of healthcare facilities, staff of the specialized gender-based violence (GBV) response services, psychotherapists, incl. those working with male survivors; 
• criminal justice practitioners, incl. prosecution office, judiciary, free legal aid system, law enforcement and security institution officials, private lawyers and advocates;
• other governmental representatives, CSOs, incl. women-led and survivors’ networks, media outlets representatives.

Project’s outcomes are fully aligned with the Implementation Plan for the Framework of Cooperation signed in May 2022 by the GoU and UN to Prevent and Respond to CRSV, the UN Transitional Framework, and other commitments such as National Action Plan for the UN Women, Peace and Security Resolution. They are as follows:

Outcome 1: Coordination, cooperation and coherence for impactful, survivor-centred solutions (UNFPA-led under participation of all the partners).

Outcome 2 & 3: Ensured rights-based effective investigation and prosecution of TIP for sexual exploitation by criminal justice practitioners, and Improved quality of legal and healthcare services available to survivors of TIP for purpose of sexual exploitation (UNODC-led).

Outcome 4: Vulnerabilities of women and girls that increase the risk of trafficking for the sexual purposes are mitigated (UN Women-led).

Outcome 5: Survivors of CRSV and at-risk groups are better protected, supported and benefitting from the improved contextualised comprehensive and multi-sectoral assistance (WHO and UNFPA-led).

Outcome 6: Increased capacity of community-based groups and women’s CSOs for raising awareness on CRSV, providing basic legal information and do referrals to qualified legal aid services available (UN Women-led).

Outcome 7: Strengthened capacity of the national authorities for victim-centred and gender-sensitive response to CRSV and support to victims and survivors (UNDP-led).

Outcome 8: Enhanced capacity of local government authorities, police and State Emergency Service on prevention and response to GBV/CRSV at community level in accessible conflict-affected areas (UN Women-led).

Outcome 9: Survivors of CRSV have increased access to interim and long-term reparative measures (IOM-led).

For additional information or concerning potential cooperation please reach out to the following e-mail: chuyeva@unfpa.org. 

The project “UNited Action to Empower Survivors of CRSV” is funded by UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action), which has the goal of ending sexual violence during and in the wake of armed conflict.