The IDP women have participated in the program for coping in crisis situations.

June 22, 2017 the meeting of the IDP women self-help group took place. The meeting took place in frames of the “Women against Violence – Odessa” project for the women 18-35 years old. The meeting took place in one of the centers of the “Way Home” Fund on Krasnaya street, 11 (The regional center for the social and psychological assistance).

The meeting of the group included the attendance of the police officials and the HR specialists – so that the members of the groups could ask questions and get the help. Also, the women discussed the projects “Business incubator” from “Karitas Ukraine”.

The deputy head of the police officers department for the preventive activities in Odessa region – Igor Volokitenko, spoke about the protective actions and the legal rights in situations of the gender and home violence. Also, he described the procedures of applying for help to the police in the violence situations for the women-the victims of the home violence. The women forwarded numerous of questions to the officials, most of them were about the behavior of the police officers that come to the call. The women reported that the police officers were quite often not nice with the women and not ethical in their behavior as well, banning the rights of women. Women in violence are most often the victims of the secondary violence situations, if they report the police – and this creates the non-ended violence circle, which involves children and other family and community members.

Angela Levitskaya, the head of the HR department of the city made a speech on the employment possibilities in Odessa region, active vacancies, free professional courses and the possibility of having a second university education, as well as about the services of the establishment for the IDPs.

The representatives of the “Karitas Germany” Rodion Reshetnikov and Marina Makar described the possibilities of opening and developing one’s own business in frames of the “Business Incubator” project.  The speakers described the program, emphasizing the importance of the self-realization for the woman and her role in recovering from the economical crisis of the family.  They presented the ways to apply for the grants on opening the small businesses as well as about the technical support of the process.

At the final stage of the meeting, the psychologist of the project leaded an exercise on self-regulation and relaxation. According to the feedback from the group, the meeting was very useful and informative, women could get use of the project. There is also a request to meet IDP women who already succeeded in getting a grant and opened their own business.