Annual Report 2025

The NGO “Chernihiv Committee for Human Rights Protection” strengthens its institutional capacity for sustainable response to wartime challenges.

When a country is living through war, assistance never stops, not even for a single day. Yet, behind every consultation, every field visit, and every story of support stands not just a dedicated team, but the organization’s overall capacity to endure this relentless pressure daily.

Our team has been working in the field of human rights protection for over 25 years. Throughout this time, we have successfully implemented more than 70 projects supported by international partners. Since 2022, the organization has not only maintained its operations but has significantly expanded them, adapting to the shifting challenges of the war.

Over the past three years, we have provided comprehensive assistance to thousands of people. This includes delivering over 4,000 legal consultations, drafting around 500 legal documents, and representing clients in more than 300 court cases. The organization systematically works with survivors of gender-based and conflict-related sexual violence, while also documenting war crimes and providing legal aid to victims.

At the same time, the NGO “Chernihiv Committee for Human Rights Protection” carries out direct fieldwork in frontline, war-affected, and de-occupied communities across the region, operating under high security risks. This makes it one of the few local NGOs capable of combining systemic human rights advocacy with practical, on-the-ground assistance.

Humanitarian support has also become a vital component of our work: in 2022–2023, more than 3,000 households received aid. We distributed 15 tons of food, 2 tons of baby food, 15 tons of clothing and medicine, as well as 850 water heaters for local educational institutions, totaling over 4.5 million UAH. Additionally, more than 800 children received crucial support.

Furthermore, the organization plays a key role in strengthening response systems against violence and human trafficking. During this period, we trained nearly 1,000 stakeholders involved in the National Referral Mechanism—ranging from police officers to social workers and educators. Our awareness-raising campaigns reached over 10,000 individuals, while 100 trained student leaders went on to pass their knowledge down to more than 1,500 of their peers.

Thanks to our systemic efforts, the organization has become one of the key non-governmental coordinators in the region for addressing gender-based and conflict-related sexual violence, as well as combating human trafficking. We also initiate and foster partnership networks; in particular, we are actively involved in coalitions and platforms that bring together dozens of NGOs and civil society activists.

In total, between 2022 and 2024, we successfully implemented more than 30 projects with the support of international partners, ensuring the continuity of our assistance even under the most challenging conditions.

At the same time, these results are being achieved in the face of significant challenges. The growing needs of the population are coupled with a reduction in available resources. For instance, in 2025, the organization’s budget decreased by approximately 35% due to the suspension of certain international funding streams. This has placed additional pressure on teams already operating in crisis conditions.

That is why today, our key objective is not only to sustain our core operations but also to systematically strengthen our institutional capacity.

Цей розділ містить перелік цілей та обов’язковий блок із дисклеймером (правовим застереженням) для донорів. В англомовній практиці такі списки роблять паралельними (усі пункти починаються з однакової граматичної форми, найчастіше — з герундія на -ing). Дикслеймер перекладено із використанням стандартних формулювань, які вимагають міжнародні фонди (Sida, уряди Норвегії тощо).

Ось переклад, що звучить природно та професійно:

As part of the new project, the organization will focus on:

• updating strategic planning and management processes;
• strengthening human resources capacity and supporting the team;
• enhancing physical and digital security;
• developing communication capacity;
• ensuring a more systemic and long-term impact within communities.

Institutional support is an investment in the organization’s ability to operate sustainably, safely, and strategically in times of war. This is precisely what allows us to provide continuous assistance to survivors and build community resilience in the long term.

This publication was produced by the NGO “Chernihiv Committee for Human Rights Protection” with the support of the Askold and Dir Fund, administered by ISAR Ednannia as part of the “Strong Civil Society of Ukraine – Driver of Reforms and Democracy” project, funded by Norway and Sweden. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the NGO “Chernihiv Committee for Human Rights Protection” and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governments of Norway, Sweden, or ISAR Ednannia.