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Ahead of the Fifth EU Senior Officials Meeting on Ukraine in Brussels, CARE Emphasizes the Need for Inclusion of Women’s Rights Organizations in Humanitarian Response.
As the humanitarian community gathers for the Fifth Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) on Ukraine, CARE underscores the critical need to prioritize the inclusion of Women’s Rights Organizations (WROs) in humanitarian decision-making and response efforts in Ukraine. In this vein, CARE welcomes the inclusion of our Ukrainian partner, the NGO Girls, in this high-level forum.
“Too often, the outcomes of joint projects implemented in Ukraine are presented to the international community by international partners. This is disheartening because Ukrainian experts, in addition to their professional expertise, are deeply immersed in the context - they know the situation from the inside and are intricately woven into the social fabric,” says Yuliia Sporysh, Founder and Director of NGO “Girls”. “The challenges and achievements of Ukraine can only be best communicated by us, Ukrainians. We need greater access to international platforms and a seat at the table.”
WROs play an indispensable role in Ukraine’s humanitarian response. Working in hardto-reach areas with resilience and profound community insight, they provide lifesaving, survivor-centered services that restore dignity and hope. Yet, their contributions often go under-recognized, and barriers to funding and decision-making persist.
Recent initiatives have demonstrated the impact of empowering Ukrainian WROs. “It’s crucial to make long-term investments in Women’s Rights Organizations and groups representing marginalized communities such as Roma and LGBTQI+, ensuring they have the resources and capacity to lead. This includes prioritizing meaningful financial support through mechanisms like the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund and providing national organizations with the sustainable funding they need, including full coverage of their costs. Without adequate resources, these organizations cannot fully participate in coordination and advocacy efforts effectively, leaving critical coordination spaces underutilized,” says Pamela Orgeldinger, International Program Director at CARE Germany. “The humanitarian community has a responsibility to recognize the unique contributions of Women’s Rights Organizations and invest in their sustainability. This is not just a commitment to gender equality - it is an imperative for effective humanitarian action,” says Yuliia Sporysh.
By addressing these priorities, the international community can foster a more inclusive, equitable, and locally led humanitarian response in Ukraine. The time to act is now. The participation of NGO Girls, CARE’s Ukrainian partner, in the SOM marks an important step toward amplifying the voices of local organizations. However, much remains to be done to ensure WROs are fully integrated into humanitarian systems.
Contact Information:
Halyna Bilak
Communication coordinator at CARE Ukraine Bilak@care.de