On September 18, at 43 Vadym Hurov Street in Kryvyi Rih, the opening of a daycare centre for socio-psychological assistance to survivors of domestic and gender-based violence took place. This initiative was implemented within the framework of the UNFPA project, the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine, titled "Cities and Communities Free of Domestic Violence."

Since 2023, the city has been a participant in this project, within which training was conducted for social workers, psychologists, lawyers, and police officers. The city operates a local social services centre, a crisis centre, and four mobile teams.

In the first eight months of 2024, the four mobile teams made 1,267 trips, which is 170 more than in the same period in 2023. Social services were provided to 2,973 survivors of domestic/gender-based violence (2,134 women and 839 children). Survivors can also seek advisory, informational, and psychological services through the 24-hour crisis centre hotline and the mobile teams' phones. As of today, 1,068 such requests have been received. A total of 5,614 people have reported domestic violence incidents to the police.

According to official data, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kryvyi Rih is 81,000, and since the city is under constant shelling, there are other vulnerable groups affected by military actions. Therefore, the opening of the daycare centre will be a great support for the community.

The daycare centre is a free, accessible, and safe space where, in comfortable conditions, survivors of violence can receive comprehensive assistance, including:

• Consultation with a psychologist and a social worker;
• Legal counseling;
• Social support services aimed at overcoming or minimizing the effects of domestic and gender-based violence;
• Information on services provided by other organizations and institutions engaged in violence prevention and response efforts.

The daycare centre in Kryvyi Rih is the third to be opened in partnership with Avon as part of a $160,000 charitable contribution, which was allocated for the creation of four socio-psychological assistance centres in Irpin, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kryvyi Rih, and Lutsk.

“Avon Ukraine, as a socially responsible business, cannot remain indifferent to the events happening around us. Supporting women and their well-being is one of the Company’s priorities. In collaboration with UNFPA, we are doing everything possible to ensure that every woman feels safe and confident that she is not alone with her problem and can rely on qualified help. The $160,000 charitable contribution from Avon International will provide even more support to survivors of violence and make such assistance more accessible. The presence of such centres is an important component of the city and helps create a better world for women, and thus a better world for everyone," says Maryna Sukhetska, Internal Communications and Social Corporate Responsibility Specialist at Avon Ukraine.