The Council will provide a platform for interaction between public authorities, international organizations and NGOs in the area of prevention of domestic and gender based violence
Kharkiv City Council established a permanent advisory body - Coordinating Council - to facilitate effective implementation of state policy on family, gender equality, demographic development, prevention of domestic and gender based violence, combating human trafficking.
The composition of the Coordination Council consists of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Social Welfare, representatives of the city council, foundations and NGOs. In particular, the Council includes representatives of strong local non-governmental organizations. For example, NGO "Social Crisis Center" works with gender based violence aggressors and "The Fund for victims of violence" has extensive experience working with government agencies.
The Council will enhance the coordinated cooperation of various agencies to implement state policy on preventing and combating gender-based violence at the local level.
The Coordination Council will participate in the development of local programs, projects and other legal acts, initiate monitoring of effectiveness of the implementation of relevant programs and activities related to gender-based violence. In addition, the Council will work on the implementation of international experience in strengthening the role of the family, increasing live expectancy and preserving life and labor potential of the population.
UNFPA welcomes the decision of the Kharkiv city authorities for the establishment of this important advisory body. Starting last year Kharkiv oblast has been actively cooperating with the Fund in the implementation of humanitarian response to the crisis in Ukraine. UNFPA mobile teams providing psychological assistance to survivors of domestic and gender-based violence has been working in oblast from November 2015. Oblast maternity hospitals received 53 reproductive health kits. Over 50 thousand condoms and 1 thousand pregnancy tests were distributed among local youth-friendly clinics.
