Women from different parts of Ukraine turn to the NGO Girls when they feel powerless at the face of the system because of destroyed homes, unlawful fines, refusals of social benefits or a medical status. They often feel fear, fatigue, and uncertainty about the future. But the support of professional lawyers helps them restore their rights and faith in the future even in difficult circumstances.
Sofiia from Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, is raising two children, one of whom has been disabled since birth. Her house was destroyed by the shelling, but she was not provided with the inspection report required to receive compensation. The woman was not able to file for compensation and protect her family's rights without that document. Feeling helpless and fearful for her children's future, Sofiia turned to the NGO Girls. The organization's lawyer became her support and advisor. Together, they recorded the damage using the “Diia” app and filed a police report regarding the war crimes. The specialist developed a clear action plan to obtain the inspection report and restore the necessary documents. When the appeal began to be considered, Sofiia felt for the first time that she was not powerless and could protect her children's future.
A pensioner from the Sumy Oblast found herself in a hopeless situation. The municipal water utility company “Miskvodokanal” fined her more than 30,000 hryvnias for allegedly deliberately damaging the seal on the meter in the premises where she ran her business. In reality, the seal was damaged by another elderly woman who accidentally hit it when she lost consciousness during shelling of the neighborhood. The program participant immediately informed the utility company about the circumstances of the incident, but the company representative recorded the damage as intentional. Due to health problems and irregular income, the woman was unable to pay this unfair fine. Calls to hotlines did not help and she was only offered to go to court. A lawyer from the NGO Girls chose a different strategy. She explained the pre-trial procedure for settling the dispute and taught her how to negotiate with the management of the municipal utility company “Miskvodokanal”. Thanks to the correct arguments and evidence, the debt was completely cancelled. The woman avoided the stress of court, saved money, and gained confidence in her legal rights.
69-year-old Nadiia and her husband from Kharkiv Oblast have experienced the worst tragedy imaginable, namely, the disappearance of their only son in the war zone. Both have serious health problems and can barely move around. For eight months, the couple had been trying to obtain the payments for families of missing servicemen according to the law, but the territorial centre for recruitment (TCR) did not respond to their appeals. The problem was compounded by the lack of funds for a lawyer, the disbandment of the military unit, and the physical impossibility of reaching the institutions. In a state of complete despair, Nadiia turned to the NGO Girls in September 2025. The organization's lawyer drafted requests to the TCR, the Ministry and the new military unit-successor, accompanying the family at every stage. In October 2025, the couple was awarded regular payments and paid all arrears for the previous eight months. Nadiia admitted, "These payments will not bring our son back, but they gave us a sense of justice and security. I did not believe that someone would fight for us for free, as if we were their close people. Thank you for not letting go of my hand when I needed it most.”
These stories prove that legal advice is not just about documents or court decisions. It is support, belief in justice, and the opportunity to feel that your rights are protected. Every small victory restores people's dignity and hope.
The assistance is provided within the project "Provision of protection to vulnerable internally displaced, returnee and host communities women and families in North and East Ukraine" implemented by the NGO Girls with the financial support of the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund in Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts.
Photo: Freepik
