Blog
What Russian occupation really means for Ukrainians
When politicians discuss occupied territories during peace negotiations, they speak as if these are empty spaces. But millions of Ukrainians live there. These people are caught in a gray zone with no tools to defend their rights, freedom, property, lives, children, or loved ones.
Oleksandra Matviichuk
Ukrainian human rights lawyer and the head of the Center for Civil Liberties.
How do you survive winter in Kharkiv?
I am sitting in the passenger seat next to my friend Ivanka. Suddenly she says: “Don’t put on your seatbelt.” I laugh. “Is that a new law in Kharkiv?” She answers seriously: “It depends what you’re more afraid of – a car accident or not being able to get out of the car quickly enough during a Russian drone strike.” We laugh. But we don’t buckle up.
Kseniia Levadna
Public Relations Officer
The light disappears, the life goes on.
Russia is systematically attacking Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure. Attacks on power plants and substations are causing massive electricity, heating and water outages and are deliberately targeting the civilian population. Around 60,000 households in Kyiv alone are without electricity, with outside temperatures at -15 degrees.
Kseniia Levadna
Public Relations Officer
Prayers in the basement
The most recent attacks on residential buildings in Dnipro show how crucial it is to continue providing humanitarian aid to the affected civilian population.
Ira Ganzhorn
Humanitarian Aid Officer
In the Carpathians: our somatic summer program begins
Through deep rest, body-based practices, and honest conversations, we strengthened our team and supported frontline professionals working with veterans, returned POWs, and families of the missing. Self-care, safety, and connection were at the heart of it all.
Imke Hansen
Vice Executive Director & Program Manager MHPSS
A choice for Western multinationals: Corporate due diligence or co-finance a war?
From 10 to 13 June, Amsterdam hosted the Global Summit of the Consumer Goods Forum place. Inside, it focused on themes such as sustainability and ethics. Outside, there were protesters.
Emiel Bongaerts
Project Manager at the Dutch Foundation Max van der Stoel
Only the dog sleeps through it
Dariia Khlebnikova works as a project manager at our partner organisation WBWU. For us, she has written down her experiences of Russia's night-time attacks on her hometown of Kharkiv.
Dariia Khlebnikova
Project Manager at WBWU in Kharkiv