Solidarity&Justice. Grassroots justice defenders and volunteers together overcome the challenges of full-scale war in Ukraine

Publication date: April 14, 2022

In early March, the Legal Development Network (LDN) initiated the creation of the Solidarity&Justice coalition. It aims to solve a wide range of problems that have arisen due to russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. Most of the key areas of the coalition’s work identified by the partners are already being implemented. All this is thanks to the joint efforts of the LDN with civil society organizations Ukraine Alive 2022, LinGo, “Triangle” (Kolomyia), the Ukrainian Paralegals Association, and the Ukrainian educational platform.

One of the first to join the coalition was the Ukraine Alive 2022 volunteer association. Volunteers deliver humanitarian aid to the most affected cities and villages every day. They organize the purchase and delivery of protective equipment to the defenders of Ukraine. Thanks to the network of warehouses of the association, we have the opportunity to distribute the most necessary goods across Ukraine. We also carry out this work with the participation of the Ukrainian educational platform.

Together with LinGo and Paladin, we engage Pro Bono lawyers and advocates to provide legal assistance to as many IDPs as possible who are currently abroad. This chain of access to justice is about providing help through online communication tools, the necessary information will be translated. If needed, Ukrainians will be referred to receive other types of assistance (such as psychological or social ones).

Together with the organization “Triangle” from Kolomyia, which operates in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, and the local self-government, we are implementing the “Beehive of content” initiative. Its multi-vector nature is primarily aimed at helping IDPs obtain housing, legal aid, and work to recover and realize themselves in the host community.

The Ukrainian Paralrgals Association has the opportunity to assess the needs of vulnerable groups and IDPs in various areas. The collected requests were recently supported by the Legal Development Network and 40 tons of aid, including food and hygiene products, baby items, dairy products, blankets, and more for 16 communities in Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kyiv oblasts.

14 LDN member organizations were able to quickly reformat their work in order to continue providing people with legal and other advisory assistance in various regions of Ukraine. The Network’s organizations immediately began working in several areas and continue to provide assistance to people who are suffering as a result of russian aggression and whose rights are being violated. More than 3,000 people have already received such support in the offices of partner organizations, in humanitarian centers, and through online channels.

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