The “Econet” team participated in the 17th LGBTQI+ conference of Ukraine

06.12.2024

On December 5-6, members of the “Econet” team, Andrii Bogoslavets and Leonid Polishchuk, participated in the 17th National LGBTQI+ Conference! This year, the team members took an inside look at the largest event of the Ukrainian queer movement.

Conference participants discussed important issues for LGBTQI+ people – from legislation and visibility to mental and physical health. At the end of the event, they created a work plan for 2025.

The First Day of the 17th National LGBTQI+ Conference

During the conference, the Ukrainian LGBTQI+ community was supported and greeted by distinguished guests – Martin Harris, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Ukraine (British Embassy Kyiv); Tetiana Shulha, Head of the Culture, Human Rights, National Minorities, and Gender Affairs Sector at the European Union Delegation to Ukraine; Tetiana Pechonchyk, Chair of the Board at ZMINA Human Rights Center; Valeriya Rachynska, Director of Human Rights, Gender, and Community Development at the Global Fund, and a member of the Communities Delegation; Denys Kratt, Outright International’s LGBTQI+ Advocacy Coordinator in Ukraine; and Eamon Murphy, Regional Director of UNAIDS for Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Asia-Pacific Region.

On the six sessions of the first day, discussions covered a wide range of topics – from the state of the community in 2024 to mental health and regional initiatives. Yana Brenzei, Anna Sharyhina, Bohdan Zhuk, Viktor Pylypenko, and Svyatoslav Sheremet outlined the development of the LGBTQI+ movement and society.

Iryna Yuzik, Anastasia Hudyma (Suspilne), Ana More (Hromadske Radio), and Yana Honcharenko (Starlight Media) discussed the representation of LGBTQI+ people in the media.

Lyudmyla Yankina held a closed session on protecting activists from homophobic and transphobic attacks, where important legal cases and cooperation with the police were discussed. Journalist Khrystyna Petryk, practicing psychologists Taras Zhvaniia and Kateryna Pavlova, together with the project assistant from Mentalk Anastasia Hrushetska, shared principles and stories of improving the mental health of LGBTQI+ people. Anna Sharyhina, along with regional activists Anastasia-Lyubov Pankevych (FemmWorkshop Lviv), Olena Hryhoryak (Insight Chernivtsi), Vasyl Malikov (Spectrum Kharkiv), and Kateryna Tymofeyeva (Poltava), talked about the situation in the regions, identifying many common issues and solutions. Olena Luhova discussed the institutional development of civil society organizations. All conclusions and plans will be presented in the Roadmap, which will be the result of the collaborative efforts at the Conference.

The Second Day of the Conference: New Horizons and Important Topics

The second day of the National LGBTQI+ Conference of Ukraine impressed with the depth of discussions, practical ideas, and inspiration for further action. Key highlights included humanitarian support, innovative solutions for preserving health, and equality on the path to EU integration.

What was discussed:

Humanitarian Support in Wartime

How to provide aid to the LGBTQI+ community in difficult conditions.
Expanding access to funding for organizations.
Valuable insights from representatives of Mercy Corps, UNAIDS, and others.

Experience in Responding to the Community’s Needs

Successes and challenges in implementing humanitarian programs.
Best practices from Ukrainian NGOs.
Coordinated cooperation between international organizations and LGBTQI+ groups.

Innovative Solutions in Health

Comprehensive online services like Help24 TeleHealth and the digital assistant TWIIN.
The DRUGSTORE project: combining online and offline tools for harm reduction.
Presentation of new approaches to HIV prevention.

Trans and Non-Binary People in Ukraine*