Viola Popenko – Roma activist from Chernihiv region, who spent the first month of the war in a shelter hiding from bombs. As a person who suffered from Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine, she understands the needs of IDPs very well, so during the war, she raises the issues of Roma IDPs and refugees at the international level.
Indeed, not for the first time, on behalf of the Roma Women’s Fund “Chiricli,” she participated in the OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting on the functioning of democratic institutions during crises. She talked about how the humanitarian conditions for Roma communities in Ukraine continue to deteriorate due to the war.
As the speaker notes, as of May 1, 2022, over 5.8 million people have left Ukraine, with over 90% being women and children. According to various Roma organizations, over 100,000 Roma have left Ukraine to escape the war. Millions have become internally displaced persons. Roma communities, like the majority of Ukrainians who remain in the country, are threatened by hunger and disease, as the war disrupts access to food, education, and medical supplies.
“Like many Ukrainians, Roma fleeing the war in Ukraine are at significant risk of family separation, exploitation, and human trafficking. Many families from Roma communities couldn’t cross the border due to the lack of personal identification documents or birth certificates for children. The children and mothers who moved to European countries in some cases lack education and face substandard conditions in refugee reception centers,” stated Viola Popenko.
Among other things, the speaker called for ensuring equal access to shelters and humanitarian assistance for Roma, including those without personal identification documents, especially for Roma women, girls, and children. She also emphasized the importance of investigating discrimination in access to shelters and reception centers.
In conclusion, Viola reminded that “Chiricli” helps Roma obtain food, medicines, hygiene products, and other essential humanitarian needs. Collaborations with UN Women, ERGO Network, MRG, Madre, and Diakonissalaitos can be seen as positive examples of NGO partnerships.
Viola also provided another important positive example of providing temporary housing in Uzhhorod, provided by the Blago Fund.
*The article was prepared as part of the project “Strengthening the Participation of Roma Women,” implemented with the support of Diakonissalaitos.
The opinions and positions expressed in the publication do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Chiricli Fund.
