Author:
Anastasia Poleshko
Educational sessions on gender-based violence and social inclusion took place in Chernivtsi as part of the project "Integrated Response to Ensure Inclusive Education and Protection for Children and the Most Vulnerable Population Victims of the Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine." The project is funded by AICS (Italian Agency for Development Cooperation) and implemented by the Voices of Children Foundation, with support from the Tree of Life—Ukraine Foundation.
Morning. A bell rings. The teacher pushes the door open firmly. Silence rushes in behind her, bringing a sense that today will not follow the usual routine.
But this time, she is not alone on the other side of the desk. Today she is together with Chernivtsi mobile team from Voices of Children, who have come to give a lecture to teenagers.
"Good morning! How about we start by changing the space a little?" cheerfully suggests Nataliia, a gender and inclusion expert from the Foundation. Today, she is the main speaker.
The students set aside their notebooks, push the desks together, and arrange their chairs in a circle. The atmosphere becomes more relaxed.
But this time, she is not alone on the other side of the desk. Today she is together with Chernivtsi mobile team from Voices of Children, who have come to give a lecture to teenagers.
"Good morning! How about we start by changing the space a little?" cheerfully suggests Nataliia, a gender and inclusion expert from the Foundation. Today, she is the main speaker.
The students set aside their notebooks, push the desks together, and arrange their chairs in a circle. The atmosphere becomes more relaxed.
A round of introductions, the first exercise—and conversations quickly come to life. There are no right or wrong answers here—only thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences. Most importantly, everyone has the opportunity to be heard.
These sessions took place over two days in Lyceum No. 19, named after Olha Kobylianska, and Lyceum No. 12, named Yuvileinyi, in Chernivtsi.
This was the second meeting in a series of educational sessions organized by the Voices of Children Foundation for teenagers from the Kyiv and Chernivtsi regions.
These sessions took place over two days in Lyceum No. 19, named after Olha Kobylianska, and Lyceum No. 12, named Yuvileinyi, in Chernivtsi.
This was the second meeting in a series of educational sessions organized by the Voices of Children Foundation for teenagers from the Kyiv and Chernivtsi regions.
Together with the Foundation's expert, ninth-grade students explored gender equality and inclusion. Since the beginning of the war, many families have been forced to relocate. This is an immense stress for children as they leave their familiar environment and friends behind. Getting used to living in a new place requires support, understanding, and patience from adults. For example, at Chernivtsi Lyceum No. 19, named after Olha Kobylianska, more than 140 children from internally displaced families are now studying.
The children shared stories about their first days in a new school, discussing their fears, insecurities, and the risk of feeling isolated. One girl shared how she overcame the anxiety of being the 'new kid' and made friends. She credited constant parental support, self-improvement, building friendships, and engaging in activities she enjoyed. Another common situation is when teenagers start their first relationships and face peer jealousy. A boy begins to befriend a girl, and his friends pressure him to choose between them or mock him with labels like 'henpecked.' We acted out different scenarios in a role-playing game and concluded that confidence, a clear understanding of one's desires, and setting personal boundaries help navigate such situations,
The session also addressed bullying and its typical signs, where it most often occurs, and who is involved. Usually, there are three roles: the bully, the victim, and the bystander. A significant focus was placed on the importance of standing up for others—whether a friend, classmate or even a stranger—when they are being bullied. As part of the training, students practiced calling a support hotline. Among the resources was the Voices of Children psychological support hotline: 0800 210 106.
We concluded that much harm happens simply because most people just watch and stay silent. The students realized the importance of taking responsibility and distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable actions,
Each team prepared a short play about bullying, showcasing their acting skills and creativity. Observing the participants for four and a half hours was truly inspiring,
Teenagers shared their impressions as well.
It was a great training. I really enjoyed it, learned a lot of new things, and understood certain terms much better,
I liked the training. I discovered a lot of useful information that could help me and my friends in the future,
Voices of Children plans to conduct a series of educational sessions, reaching out to students in both Kyiv and Chernivtsi regions. These areas have an exceptionally high demand for psychosocial support for children and families directly affected by the consequences of war.
Recently, a lecture on gender-based violence was also held at a lyceum in Irpin.
This project is part of a broader initiative to address the needs of the population victims of the conflict in Ukraine and neighboring regions (AID 012832). Led by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) with a €46.5 million budget, the initiative aims to provide multi-sectoral life-saving assistance in areas directly impacted by the war and regions with a high concentration of internally displaced persons. Through collaboration with 27 civil society organizations, the AICS program builds on the success of the first initiative in 2022–2023 (AID 012600), which supported over 20,000 people through 14 projects. Particular attention was given to emergency medical care, education, and child protection.
For more information, please contact: Barbara Taccone, Communications Specialist at the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Kyiv (AICS), [email protected]
This project is part of a broader initiative to address the needs of the population victims of the conflict in Ukraine and neighboring regions (AID 012832). Led by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) with a €46.5 million budget, the initiative aims to provide multi-sectoral life-saving assistance in areas directly impacted by the war and regions with a high concentration of internally displaced persons. Through collaboration with 27 civil society organizations, the AICS program builds on the success of the first initiative in 2022–2023 (AID 012600), which supported over 20,000 people through 14 projects. Particular attention was given to emergency medical care, education, and child protection.
For more information, please contact: Barbara Taccone, Communications Specialist at the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Kyiv (AICS), [email protected]
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