Спілка жінок Херсонщини

About great victories of one small Union. Or vice versa? This year KWU celebrates 5th anniversary – an excellent occasion to set other high standards and look backwards – whether we moved ahead, or took the wrong turning?

Head of the Kherson Women Union Iryna Nikolayeva shared with us how thousands of Kherson women, who are ready to change their nowadays, have turned into focus of the Organization.

The idea of women’s union appeared in 2015; the Union’s founders became 5 active women of different age, status and occupation, but with the same inflamed eyes. We set ourselves goals of joining of women’s strivings, supporting the initiatives in enhancement of women’s role and status. For the period of 5 years around 1,000 Kherson women associate themselves with KWU, though we are open to male participation, and are very glad that they support our activity.

Mrs. Iryna, first of all, what strikes the eye when one gets acquainted with Kherson Women Union? Every day you set high standards and ambitious goals, and afterwards you reach them easily in a fairy way, as if with the help of a magic wand. What’s the secret of this “game for anything”?

Iryna Nikolayeva: Kherson Oblast women are very different, but all of them are united with one thing – a desire to fulfill themselves (in profession or in family), to live in peace and help those who need it within their powers. All of them, when they get acquainted with Kherson Women Union, find themselves in what is closer to them. They become a part of powerful force of likeminded people. I guess that is why more than 1,000 women associate themselves with the Union. More than 300 women per year become volunteers at the events held up by KWU, more than 200 became the gift-givers of the project “I am St. Nicholas” fulfilling the dream of the child, deprived of parental warmth… Thanks to their view and, surely, sincerity we learn “from inside” about the hot-buttons of Mothers, who find themselves in hard life circumstances, about complicated situation of women from the countryside or, in general, priorities of a contemporary woman, who wants to fulfill and advance herself and change public living principles. I think that is our secret – we focus on understandable to us issues and solve them together.

Is it about feminist spirits?

Mrs. Iryna: It is about self-actualization and defense of women’s rights. Have you given a thought about the fact that although there are less women of active working age in Kherson and Kherson Oblast, but, actually, the percentage of working women is 20% higher than working men. And every year their salaries are decreased by 6%. These are only official rates.

Kherson Women Union is open to men. We cooperate with men; find trusted partners, volunteers and friends for our projects among them. We are not against men; we are for equal rights and peace in the society.

By the way, about peace. The media space of Kherson and Kherson Oblast was stricken with the award of Peace Ambassador of IWPG and Regional Ambassador of WED UNO to you. How long have you been in peace-making?

Mrs. Iryna: We fulfilled a unique peace-making program for the South of Ukraine in 2016. Around 100 of internally displaced women, residing in Kherson, Genichesk, Skadovsk, became its participants. Also, in 2017 we declared aloud about our zero tolerance towards violence, having taken part in Civil Coalition. Then more than 50 active Union members became the participants of 16 days of Activity against Gender-Specific Violence. As the result necessity to open the Crisis Center for women was heard by the local authorities. We are proud that we were involved in it!

Now you actively support The Center for Mother and Child…

Mrs. Iryna: And do it with great pleasure! No matter how many necessities our charges would have, each time we manage to fulfill all of them. As Kherson community is non-indifferent and is always ready to help. Last year 80 women with children, who had suffered from family violence and stayed at the Center for Mother and Child, received legal aid from our volunteers. And also psychological and motivational support, believed in themselves and their attractiveness. It is very important to them.

A great part of your work is work with women from the countryside. Please, tell us about it in detail.

Mrs.Iryna: I would like to start with the result that we are very proud of. 573 women and children from non-urban area became the participants of social and medical program “Kherson and Kherson Oblast Choose health” within 2018 – 2019. It was truly a revolutionary program that has emphasized the importance of a proper medical care in the rural area that can save someone’s daughter, mother, granny. Also, in 2019 around 70 women from three Kherson regions became the participants of trainings – “Conference of Active Citizens” –during which professional speakers opened possibilities for them to attract funds to those spheres of activity, where they were occupied and pursue professional passions. This is that work, which reinforces potentials of these women and give them possibilities for development.

From practical issues to creative rise. How can it be that at this furious pace the Union manages to support the art projects?

Mrs. Iryna: It is always interesting to support the development of creative women. Especially, when the creativity reaches deep social senses. The photo exhibition of Natalia Timanova “The Fairy Colors of Childhood” was held with the Union’s support at the biggest mall “Fabrika” in 2016, in 2018 – “Kherson – Territory Free From Violence. I am FOR creation of the Crisis Center”. And last month – charity exhibition of Svitlana Iurieva “The Artist that Paints Dreams” (2020). They convey completely different artistic messages, but all of them are united with one – a deep goal.

That is why I can say for sure that we think and act in a strategic way. And three chief focus areas that have been set up recently by renewed Strategic Plan of KWU – women self-actualization, children safeguarding and the actualization of children’s and the youth’s potential – are always going to be in the epicenter of our attention.

Thank you for the sincerity. To your success!