Ivanna turned to the medical center for a pregnancy test. During the examination, after reviewing the patient’s data in the system, the gynecologist rudely informed her that they would not register her in their institution, because the girl has a positive HIV status, which would endanger the health of other patients. After that, the doctor suggested that the patient voluntarily go quietly to another state institution, not as popular as their center. When Ivanna left the office, the doctor peeked out from the door and shouted to the registrar to let the HIV-infected woman write a statement about voluntary refusal of the services of their institution. This was heard by all the other patients who were in the corridor and were waiting for their turn. Extremely depressed after this situation, the client decided to call the REActor.
The documentator provided the contact details of a friendly obstetrician-gynecologist at the maternity hospital and made an appointment for Ivanna on the nearest date. In addition, the coordinator of the REAct project called the chief physician of the medical center where the situation occurred and sent a letter of complaint with a request to prevent similar problems and to promote a friendly atmosphere and communication with patients of various vulnerable groups in the future.
Later, Ivanna visited a friendly obstetrician-gynecologist, who kindly registered her, and was satisfied with the quality of services and attitude. The client also underwent a series of consultations with a psychologist regarding work with her psycho-emotional state, where she received friendly support and motivation to take care of her own health in order to give birth to a healthy child.
When analyzing human rights violation incidents involving REAct project clients who are internally displaced persons (IDPs), it was established that clients from communities such as PLHIV, PLTB, PWID, and OST patients repeatedly faced violations of their rights to access medical care in their city of relocation. In this case, the perpetrators cited excuses such as lack of local registration, no general medical services contracts (Healthcare Services Declaration) entered into with family physicians, existing restrictions on services from specialized healthcare professionals, or came up with some other flimsy excuses.
Let’s look into what IDPs are actually entitled to in terms of health care rights, medical services, and assistance. Besides the Constitution, the primary regulatory framework here is established by the Law of Ukraine On Ensuring the Rights and Freedoms of Internally Displaced Persons of October 20, 2014 (No. 1706-VII). Article 9 guarantees that all internally displaced persons (IDPs) have the right to access medical care in state and municipal healthcare facilities, as well as to be provided with medication.
The law requires that local authorities organize the provision of medical care and services, implement comprehensive safety standards for public health and disease control as well as quarantine measures in the area where IDPs are actually residing. Local authorities are also obligated to ensure that healthcare facilities operate in a normal manner and provide the necessary assistance to IDPs, with due regard to the fact that they are residing in temporary accommodations in their respective areas. In state and municipal health care facilities, IDPs have the right to access diagnostic and treatment services for their health issues and concerns, basic testing and analysis procedures, palliative care, have their prescriptions filled under the Affordable Medicines program, and receive insulin, as well as undergo vaccinations in accordance with the vaccination schedule.
An internally displaced person residing within the relevant administrative-territorial unit has the right to contact the health care facility of their choice and file an application to its chief physician requesting that they be registered in the area where they are actually residing. For an internally displaced person, a certificate of registration as an IDP shall serve as documentary proof of their place of residence. If an IDP needs specialized medical care (oncologist, cardiologist, general practitioner, psychologist, pediatrician, etc.), then such a person may apply to the territorial health care facility situated in the city of relocation for referral to another medical facility that specializes in providing relevant services.
During the Martial Law period, internally displaced persons may receive medical care without entering into a general medical services contract (signing the Healthcare Services Declaration Form) with a family physician! In other words, the procedure for access to primary health care has been simplified and IDPs shall be treated by any hospital, even without presenting the Healthcare ServicesDeclaration Form. During the Martial Law period, IDPs can receive medical care free of charge in the area where they are actually residing after applying to any healthcare facility that has the capacity to provide appropriate treatment.
If an IDP wishes to sign a new Healthcare Services Declaration Form with a family doctor, they only need to contact the nearest outpatient care provider or primary health care center and present the following list of documents:
Original passport or another identity document of the patient and/or their legal representative;
Taxpayer Identification Number (original);
If the Healthcare Services Declaration Form is intended for a child, be sure to provide the child’s birth certificate.
If an IDP wishes to receive a referral for specialized medical care services, but they have not signed a Healthcare Services Declaration Form with a family doctor based in the area where they are actually residing, they have the right to claim the referral from a family doctor working at the nearest primary health care facility that has an agreement in place with the NHSU. No new Healthcare Services Declaration needs to be released in this case! All you need to do is book an appointment and provide your data and the details of the family doctor with whom you have signed your Healthcare Services Declaration Form.
Based on the Guarantee Terms and Conditions, with the referral in hand, you can seek services from a doctor based in any region or healthcare facility that has an agreement in place with the NHSU for access to the appropriate service package. You can find the right specialist in a new area by calling the NHSU contact center at 16-77.
Please take special note: IDPs are entitled to free medicines when they are hospitalized, and the Affordable Medicines program is available for IDPs in pharmacies. Under this program, all prescription drugs for patients who need ongoing treatment can be obtained at any pharmacy free of charge. If the cost of the medications needed exceeds the price established by government regulations, they will be available at a small extra cost. For example, IDPs who require outpatient treatment for cardiovascular diseases, type I/II diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, bronchial asthma, mental and behavioral disorders, or epilepsy can receive the medicines they need (that are included in the program) free of charge or at a small extra cost.
You can pick up your prescription in paper form from the doctor who provides primary health care, regardless of whether you have signed a Healthcare Services Declaration Form with them! IDPs living with HIV have the right to access ART free of charge in the area where they are actually residing. Similar regulatory guarantees are applicable to IDPs with TB in regard to accessing TB treatment. In order to receive their free medicines, an IDP is required to see the appropriate doctor (general practitioner, pediatrician, or family doctor), pick up their prescription, and then bring it to a pharmacy marked with the Affordable Medicines program participant’s logo.
If a doctor or a health care provider violates the rights of key populations with regard to access to medical care or refuses to provide medical assistance, a complaint should be filed with the head of the health care facility in question. It’s best to file a written complaint with the chief physician (medical director), i.e., the person in charge of the health care facility, about the unlawful actions of the medical practitioner or other medical staff involved (this is only the first step but it’s often sufficient and takes care of the issue at hand). However, if the violation has not been fully corrected or has been corrected only partially, the person concerned can also undertake the following steps:
File a complaint with the local Department of Health in the relevant city or region;
File a complaint via the Ministry of Health Hotline at 0800 60 20 19 or with the NHSU (National Health Service of Ukraine) at 16-77;
Call in your complaint via the Government Hotline of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine at 15-45.
Based on the experience of the REAct project, the above measures aimed at protecting IDPs’ rights to health care and medical assistance can be effective in eliminating human rights violations and ensuring access to proper medical care and treatment.
Nadiia was beaten and robbed near her home. The attackers took her purse with money and documents in it, including her domestic passport, pensioner card, and her ID document that verifies her group 2 disability status.
The client immediately contacted the police for help, they took her statement but didn’t offer to provide any first aid. The woman was in serious condition. Nadiia sustained nose and head injuries due to the beating.
After filing a police report, Nadiia decided to head for the emergency room of the city hospital on her own. While being examined by the doctor on duty, the woman disclosed her HIV status. Following this, the doctor immediately discontinued the examination process and told Nadiia in a condescending tone that she should have taken steps to stop the bleeding by herself and only then go to the hospital, because due to this exposure, all of this facility’s healthcare workers might be at risk for contracting HIV.
The woman had to spend a long time in the admissions area of the emergency room, but no healthcare worker stepped forward to give her medical attention and stop the bleeding. Later on, she decided to leave the hospital and return home.
Back at home, Nadiia’s condition took a turn for the worse and she called the REActor for advice on what to do in this situation, as she was no longer able to move around on her own. The REActor immediately called an ambulance to the client’s address and helped with the hospitalization process.
Once the necessary medical care was received, the REActor provided Nadiia with initial legal advice and explained the steps to follow if similar situations occur in the future. The client refused to have the situation further investigated or have the doctor on duty held to account for failing to provide adequate medical care.
Many people perceive their own emotional burnout as an absolutely negative phenomenon, unfairly blaming themselves for being lazy or disorganized. The truth of the matter, though, is that this state of “zero energy” is simply signaling the need for us to take a break and re-direct our attention elsewhere.
What should you do to quickly recharge your batteries and get back to feeling your best? Below are some useful tips to help you get back into the groove:
Daily rituals of joy.
Stress is not always apparent. Even when your life seems calm and stress-free, daily routine activities and responsibilities take up much of your energy. Thus, the rituals that help you ramp up your energy levels and recharge your batteries should also be practiced daily. A morning cup of coffee enjoyed and relished in complete silence or an hour spent alone listening to your favorite music. Even though we never seem to find the time for those little things, they go a long way to helping us rediscover our motivation and set ourselves up for a productive day.
Well-organized space and self-care.
When everything in life seems to be going wrong, it’s critical to regain a sense of control. Organizing your workplace or your home can be a crucial step in this process. It’s important to pay attention to self-care as well.
Physical activity and exercise.
These represent a traditional source of dopamine. This so-called “happy hormone”, in particular, has a significant impact on our concentration and motivation levels. Simple and regular physical activities can help you recover from emotional burnout.
Love.
This strategy also provides a powerful source of dopamine and opportunities to reduce stress levels.
Small talk.
When your energy hits an all-time low and you feel dead tired from your daily grind and the day-to-day routine, a little small talk about nothing in particular with a new person can provide the positive jolt you need to boost your mental health.
Dreams.
Yes, it’s not easy to pursue your dreams during wartime – making plans for your future and your life. But it’s this image of the future that often inspires people to keep fighting and win the fight even in the most desperate situations. Believe in yourself and your future.
Marina came to the laboratory on a doctor’s referral for tests. At the register, the woman presented her disability card to receive a discount during payment. To which the registry employee in a very sharp, loud, and rude manner demanded that Marina put her “HIV” ID card away.
There were many people in the clinic that day. As soon as they heard this conversation, they all, as if instinctively, retreated from the woman. After seeing this, Marina ran away in tears.
When the emotions subsided, the woman asked for help from the partner organization “BF Positive Women”. The REActor referred the client to a social worker, who accompanied her to the head of the laboratory to resolve the situation. The registrar initially did not admit her guilt, referring to the fact that Marina misunderstood everything. However, after holding an explanatory conversation with her, she apologized and performed all the necessary analyses considering the discount. After receiving the required service, the Organization’s psychologist provided the client with psychological help and conducted a series of consultations to stabilize Marina’s morale state.
Due to Russia’s criminal aggression against our country, a significant number of Ukrainian citizens were forced to leave their cities and homes, fleeing from danger. According to the legislation, such citizens are internally displaced persons (IDPs). During the analysis of cases of violations of the rights of clients of the REAct project who were in this state, it turned out that clients from the communities of PLHIV, PLTB, PWID, and OST patients, faced a violation of their rights and the emergence of a number of problematic issues. Above all, these were issues of housing, medical and social assistance, as well as access to employment and education.
One of the key needs that IDPs typically face is the need for housing. Without the provision of safe housing, the possibility of realizing rights to access treatment, social assistance, employment, and other legitimate needs is quite narrow in practice. Unfortunately, a significant factor in the negative impact on the observance of the rights of representatives of key communities, who were forced to move to safer areas, often turns out to be discriminatory attitudes. Thus, clients of the Project often complain that housing is either not provided to them at all, or is provided only on a residual basis.
Let’s start the analysis with the existing requirements of the legislation on providing IDPs with housing, which you need to know in order to be able to defend your rights.
The main one after the Constitution will be the Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring the Rights and Freedoms of Internally Displaced Persons” dated October 20, 2014 No. 1706-VII, which establishes equal guarantees for all internally displaced persons to respect the rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests, including on:
creation of appropriate conditions for permanent or temporary residence;creation of appropriate conditions for permanent or temporary residence;
payment of the cost of communal services, electricity, thermal energy, and natural gas in places of compact settlement of internally displaced persons (dormitories, health camps, rest houses, sanatoriums, boarding houses, hotels, etc.) at the appropriate tariffs established for such services and goods for the population;
provision by state executive authorities, local self-government bodies, and private law subjects of the possibility of free temporary residence (on the condition that the person pays the cost of communal services) within 6 months from the moment an internally displaced person is registered (for large families, persons with disabilities, elderly person age, this term can be additionally extended).
Local state administrations, within the limits of their powers, are obliged to ensure:
registration of an internally displaced person in accordance with the procedure established by the Law;
providing information to internally displaced persons about possible places and conditions for their temporary residence/stay, taking into account the proposals of local self-government bodies, public associations, volunteers, charitable organizations, other legal entities, and individuals, about the state of infrastructure, the environment in such places;
provision of temporary use of residential premises or social housing, suitable for living, to internally displaced persons, subject to payment by the specified persons in accordance with the legislation of the cost of housing and communal services.
Let us analyze such a document as “The procedure for the formation of housing funds intended for temporary residence, accounting and provision of such housing for the temporary residence of internally displaced persons”, approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “Some measures for the formation of housing funds intended for the temporary residence of internally displaced persons” dated April 29, 2022 No. 495.
According to it, an internally displaced person and his family members are provided free of charge housing from the fund at the place of actual residence within the territory of the relevant authorized bodies. At the same time, the need for residential premises from the fund is determined in the amount of at least 6 square meters. meters per person.
Residential premises from the fund should be provided taking into account the needs of different social groups in order to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men. Families with many children have the primary right to provide housing from the fund; families with children; pregnant women; persons who have lost their ability to work; persons of retirement age from among those whose housing was destroyed or became uninhabitable as a result of Russia’s armed aggression.
In order to register citizens who need housing for temporary residence, IDPs must submit an application to the authorized body within the territory of which they are registered in the Unified Information Database on Internally Displaced Persons.
The following shall be attached to such a statement:
copies of documents certifying identity and confirming Ukrainian citizenship.
a copy of the certificate of the internally displaced person on registration in the Unified Information Database on Internally Displaced Persons and copies of the relevant certificates of family members (if available);
copies of documents issued by the civil registration authorities or the court confirming the family relationship of the applicant and all members of his family (birth certificate, marriage certificate, certificate of guardian or custodian, etc.);
a copy of the registration number of the taxpayer’s registration card (not provided by natural persons who, due to their religious beliefs, refuse to accept the registration number of the taxpayer’s registration card, have notified the relevant territorial body of the SFS and have a mark in the passport of a citizen of Ukraine);
copies of documents confirming the grounds for priority in providing internally displaced persons with residential premises from the fund. The fact of destruction or damage to housing, which led to the impossibility of its intended use, is confirmed by a personal statement of the applicant and his family members.
The person who submitted an application for registration of citizens in need of housing for temporary residence must be issued by the authorized body carrying out the registration, a description of the received documents, information about the date of submission and registration of the application, registration number of the application and a list of documents is indicated, attached to the application, signed by the official who accepted them.
The decision to include an internally displaced person in the register of citizens who need housing for temporary residence must be made within 1 working day after submitting the application.
Nadia came to the family doctor for a referral for a blood test. The laboratory was crowded, and the woman had to stand in a long line. When the client entered the blood collection room, the nurse saw the condition of Nadia’s veins and asked why they were in such a bad condition. The woman replied that she had been a user of injectable drugs in the past.
When the nurse heard this, she began to get nervous, raise her voice, and refuse to take blood for tests, arguing that she should not take blood from “AIDS patients”. The client left the laboratory in tears and could not pass the necessary analysis.
In a nervous state, Nadia called the REActor and told her about this terrible story that happened to her in the laboratory. The documentator immediately booked her for a consultation with a psychologist to improve and stabilize her psycho-emotional state. After that, the documentartor accompanied the client to the head doctor of the polyclinic where the incident occurred. After finding out the case’s circumstances, Nadia made the necessary analysis and received apologies for the situation.
Later, in the medical institution, a meeting was held with the medical staff on the topic of tolerance when communicating with patients and ways of transmitting HIV infection. The nurse who insulted the client was reprimanded.
Artem lived with his father, and they were both members of the Evangelical Church. Some anonymous person found out about the boy’s sexual orientation and informed the pastor of their community about it. As soon as the pastor heard this, he immediately offered Artem to renounce his boyfriend and change his orientation to “normal”. In the opposite case, he threatened to spread information about the “activities of the boy” to the whole community.
Artem did not agree to the ultimatum and therefore everyone learned about his preferences and tastes. When the client’s father heard about this, he kicked his son out of the house, humiliating and insulting him at the same time.
Having learned that the client is in such a difficult situation, the REActor provided Artem with psychological support and offered the boy to stay with him for a few nights while looking for options where he could be accommodated. A little later, he found the contacts of an LGBT shelter, which accepted the boy and allowed him to stay until he found separate housing.
Young woman showing her denial with NO on her hand. Focus on hand. Timid woman symbol of violence in the family
The problem of domestic violence is not new. However, many people do not see this as a problem due to social stereotypes. And most often, the offender is a loved one who is “sorry” and who once again “promises to change.” The more the victim remains silent, the more the rapist is convinced of his impunity.
Violence is not only when a person is beaten or raped. This includes deprivation of housing, food, prohibition to work, insults, blackmail, and unwanted touching of the body.
Violence is not the norm and cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.
Meet Myata, a client of the REAct project. Myata is both the nickname of our heroine and an adjective because the violent actions of her mother are not just words, but the reality of the child for the last three years.
On the first day of studies at the university, Myata reported that she had nowhere to live. She has been mistrusting acquaintances and friends for a long time. At 14, she already worked in a collection company until the police covered it up. At the same time, she was engaged in artistic tattooing. That’s how she survived because she didn’t receive a penny from her mother. On the contrary, the woman cheated the last hryvnias out of her to buy… new dolls, which she greedily collects, having and not raising her two living ones at the same time.
The district juvenile prevention and children’s service had to intervene, protect the girl’s rights, influence the mother, and deprive her of parental rights in the end. If only for one thing: already during the first report of a case of domestic violence, the institution’s administration said one and the same thing: “This is an unusual, problematic girl”, hinting at Myata’s transgenderism and the fact that “for some reason” she constantly cuts her hands and is on record in this regard.
The war brings its own unpleasant corrections to the work of services: numerous official letters may not be answered with impunity, and citizens’ appeals may be ignored and not recorded. Where there used to be a personal reception, it is currently absent. Phone numbers are not working. It is impossible to apply through the websites, because again, due to the martial law, the feedback function has disappeared, as well as the list of officials to whom to write an application. Centers for social and psychological rehabilitation for minors, which should also help, have been evacuated abroad.
Half a year of correspondence did not yield any positive results. On the contrary, thanks to the efforts of her mother, Myata was registered as a runaway child by juvenile prevention. And the truth is always on the side of the mother of the “problem child”.
With such a difficult case, the girl’s social pedagogue turned to REActor. The specialist asked for help to transfer Myata to full state support and help file a lawsuit to deprive her mother of parental rights.
From legal practice, such cases are the most difficult. Especially since the children’s affairs service flatly refused to file a lawsuit, suggesting that it be done by an educational institution or a minor.
During the meeting of all parties initiated by REActor in the district executive committee, Child protective services (CPS) summoned a conflict specialist who tried to “reconcile” mother and daughter.
The decisive dot above “i” in this meeting put the mother’s words: “What are you talking about?! I will send M. to a brothel, let her earn money on dolls!” and a representative-mediator of the free legal aid who happened to be present at the meeting and insisted on including these words in the protocol…
And then the CPS finally “heard” that it is necessary to act urgently because the child is really in difficult life circumstances. However, no one but the mother can represent the interests of the child and the state guardian has not been appointed for 6 months.
Next, a specific urgent plan of action was appointed: an inpatient hospital, an act on an abandoned child, and on March 1, 2023, a meeting of the district executive committee and a long-awaited decision on the appointment of a state guardian in the person of an educational institution and the transfer of M. to full state support.
This means that since March Myata can now live in the institution’s dormitory without fear that her mother will not take her away and abuse her, as before. The girl will receive a social stipend and food allowance guaranteed by the state.
And this means that there will be legal food and money for the most necessary. And… a lawyer from free secondary legal aid!
Thanks to the intervention of the REAct project, real changes took place: a lawsuit was filed, and at the end of April Myata received her first social benefits, on 06.08.23. the first court hearing is scheduled. All services agreed to help and cooperate.
Life goes on!
One says that victories heal the pain. In April, the regional coordinator of the REAct project, Mykola Krasulya, invited Myata to participate in the social advertising contest “We are free, equal, strong!”
A script was developed and a short film was shot by joint efforts. On April 28, the second face-to-face round of the “Zero Tolerance to Violence” project competition took place.
Before this significant, touching, and anticipated event for us, 17 (!) experts selected the 10 best works in each nomination, which, according to the professional jury’s assessment, scored the highest number of points in the 1st round.
Our main heroine of the film faced a difficult task: to present a creative work, reveal its purpose and idea, and overcome her anxiety. Both the first and the second, our smart girl managed to be “excellent”!
1st place in the nomination “Social video” and the general prize of audience sympathy is ours!!! “M/Mint” WON!
Myata, we are proud of you! Continue to grow strong and brave! Dream and strive to make your dreams come true!
And the REAct project continues to work, once again proving the truth: we can stop violence only together, forming zero tolerance of society towards it.
In connection with the beginning of a full-scale invasion, Konstantin was forced to leave his own home and search for a safe place to stay. However, due to a rather long period of risky behavior, the client had problems with blood vessels and skin. Because of this, a large number of shelters refused to accommodate him, referring to his inappropriate appearance and stigmatization due to belonging to the category of vulnerable groups. Therefore, it was extremely difficult for Konstantin to find a place for a temporary stay.
The man decided to turn to the REActor for help. Immediately after the application, the specialists of the partner NGO provided support for the client to the shelter, which was created on the base of the Organization in the first months of the full-scale invasion. Taking into account the fact that the shelter workers also had the experience of participating in various social projects, the client had the opportunity to receive not only accommodation and three meals a day but also appropriate psycho-emotional support, consultation on emerging issues (medical, registration of various types of aid for IDPs), information about other projects, possible participation in them, as well as highly specialized help of a psychologist and a lawyer.
In addition, Konstantin received the necessary basic hygiene kit, which is provided to all newly arrived residents in order to ensure their comfortable stay and the opportunity to focus on restoring their place in society or solving health-related issues.
As a result of the assistance of specialists of the partner organization and the REActor, the client was not left without any means of livelihood and received all the necessary additional assistance.
Victoria, a drug-addicted woman with HIV status, turned to the local AIDS center with a request to recommend a gynecologist who would be able to examine her and provide advice on periodic pain. After going through a long procedure of getting a referral through a family doctor, the woman finally got an appointment with a gynecologist. However, as soon as the doctor heard about the woman’s status, she flatly refused to examine her and continue the consultation. In addition, the doctor began verbally insulting Victoria, insisted on isolating “such patients” and put the patient outside the door of the office with the words: “Go to your special facilities.” Victoria was shocked by this attitude. Devastated, she turned to the REActor.
After hearing that, the documentator immediately gave Victoria advice on protecting her rights and offered to write a complaint to the head doctor of the institution where medical services were denied. The woman agreed and, accompanied by a social worker, filed a complaint with the relevant medical institution. The chief doctor’s reaction was immediate: the doctors were reprimanded and had a corrective conversation to prevent similar cases in the future. After that, the doctor apologized to the victim, and the institution provided the necessary medical services with the help of another specialist. Today, Victoria is completely healthy and knows how to protect her rights in such situations.
Natalia, a client of the REAct project, turned to the documentator about the discrimination of her child in kindergarten. The woman’s youngest son recently started kindergarten on a week-by-week schedule. In this kindergarten, Natalia’s neighbor works as a nanny, with whom they used to be friends and who knew about the woman’s HIV-positive status. When this nanny-neighbor saw Natalia’s child in the group, she immediately started telling the other employees of the kindergarten that the child’s mother has AIDS and will soon die, and the child, most likely, will too.
Natalia’s son began to be separated from other children, and later the head of the kindergarten asked the woman to bring a certificate stating that the child does not have infectious diseases. When Natalia decided to clarify about the necessary certificate, the manager replied: “You know what infections you have, you should bring a certificate for these infections.” The woman immediately understood what the manager was talking about and directly asked if she meant HIV. The manager replied that “including HIV.” Later, Natalia learned about the disclosure of her HIV status as a kindergarten nanny from other parents.
After the application, the REActor of the partner organization immediately intervened in the situation. Natalia was provided with psychological help and legal advice and was offered a conversation with the head of the kindergarten about spreading rumors about the diagnoses of parents and children. The REActor also warned the kindergarten administration that their actions violate the right to the confidentiality of diagnoses, resulting in criminal liability if this issue is not resolved within the institution.
Natalia was assisted in drafting an official statement regarding the grounds for requesting a certificate of infection and consultation on the mechanisms for its submission. The manager apologized to the client and promised to help stop such conversations. Regarding the official response received from the management of the preschool, the offender was reprimanded with a warning of criminal liability for disclosing confidential information.
Yuriy is a young man who has just graduated from a vocational school and entered the labor market to build a career in his specialty. Having registered at the employment center, he began to monitor the list of suitable jobs. After some time, the guy found something that fully met his request and took a referral to this job from a career counselor.
However, when he turned to the employer, during the first interview he encountered homophobic remarks in his direction. The manager of the department, who conducted an interview with the boy, noticed the LGBT symbol on Yuri’s backpack, and after greeting him immediately asked the boy: “Listen, I see such interesting symbols on your clothes, tell me about their meaning!”. The guy answered. Next, there was a question about Yuriy’s orientation. He answered the truth because the manager insisted and pressured him. This answer was followed by the phrase: “Oh, we didn’t have enough fags at the mine.” In the future, the conversation did not go well, the manager continued to indulge in stigmatizing statements towards Yuri and asked incorrect questions like “Who is who?”.
The result of the interview was Yuri’s complete disappointment from visiting the company and from hidden threats regarding the boy’s sexual orientation and gender identity.
Yuriy was forced to resign from his position, as was stated in the referral. Since this was already the second refusal on the part of Yuriy, he was removed from the register at the employment center.
Desperate, he turned to REActor for legal help and a referral to a friendly psychologist. The reactor provided initial legal advice regarding the actions of the career counselor of the employment center, and helped to contact a friendly psychologist. The REActor also made a joint visit with Yuriy to the deputy head of the enterprise, where the interview took place. During the conversation, it was discovered that this specialist did not know about the results of the first interview and the discriminatory actions of his subordinate. He, seeing the boy’s initiative, invited him to another interview with him, which Yuriy successfully passed. The company was interested in specialists of the profile Yuriy had. In addition, the boy had the status of an IDP, so the company was interested in his employment since it would receive certain compensation from the state.
Currently, Yuriy has the job of his dreams and, if necessary, continues to receive help from the REAct project.
The war brought a lot of grief and pain to Ukrainians. Many of us have lost loved ones. Preparing for it is impossible, difficult to perceive, and even more challenging to experience. But even under such circumstances, you must not forget to care for yourself. This is important because it will help you cope more easily with the pain of loss and gradually return to life.
Do not neglect your physical health. If necessary, be sure to consult a doctor. If you played sports before the loss of a loved one, try to gradually resume physical exercises.
Take care of nutrition. Food is energy. By not neglecting nutrition, you will be able to regain strength and energy to continue living.
Talk about the deceased. It’s okay to talk about the person you’ve lost. Talk about your loss with anyone who will listen.
If you feel you need to retire, do so. Cry if needed. Feel sorry for yourself.
Say out loud “… died”. Don’t say “gone”, say “died”. Even if it is hard, pronounce. You have to hear yourself.
All emotions at the loss of loved ones are normal. Don’t be afraid of your emotions. Do not be afraid of strong emotions or tantrums – these are normal reactions and they will not harm you.
Stick to your regimen. Go outside, breathe. Do not calm yourself down with pills or alcohol.
Allow friends/acquaintances to support you. Many do not know what to say, but it does not matter. Their presence is important.
If you are a believer, you may find that it is difficult for you to pray. This is normal. It’s okay to be angry with God, too. Faith can still help you.
Allow yourself evil emotions. Don’t stop yourself from being angry, don’t block your anger.
Allow yourself to ask the forbidden question “why?”. It’s natural even if you know the answer.
Everyone has their own grieving process. It is individual. You can grieve as much as you need to. Only when it’s hard for you, you can’t stand it – ask for help. Contact the experts.
Lisa found out about her HIV-positive status during registration at a women’s consultation. After revealing her status to her husband, he attacked her, took all ARV drugs, and began verbally abusing the woman.
Since Lisa had already met the REActor while receiving counseling about taking antiretroviral drugs to reduce the risk of HIV infection, the woman contacted the documentator again, but already about the situation that happened between her and her husband. After the application, the documentator called the client’s husband and offered to meet at the regional public health center. Eventually, he agreed.
The REActor together with the psychologist of the medical institution provided a full consultation about the disease and offered to undergo an examination. A rapid test showed a positive result in the man. The experts explained how important it is to take treatment and support each other. Three days later, the client called the documentator with big thanks. After the consultation and examination, the husband completely changed his attitude towards her.
Previous publications have addressed the issues that some REAct clients have had regarding new situations of rights violations, given the circumstances of the state of war, that did not exist in peacetime.
There were cases of violations related to various stages of the mobilization process, ranging from illegal detention of clients by the military, coercion to receive subpoenas that were served improperly, to attempts to ignore the objective state of health of community representatives. As already mentioned, not all representatives of key communities can, due to their state of health, take part in hostilities, because there are cases when the state of health makes a person unfit for a significant load, including during military service, while there are persons who are not suitable for military service at all, and there are others who are not suitable for it in peacetime, but are only partially suitable in wartime.
In the previous publication, information was considered about typical health conditions that are relevant for such representatives of key communities as PLHIV, PLTB, PWID, OST patients who need regular treatment; it was analyzed how they affect the recognition of a person’s suitability for mobilization, according to the established regulatory and legal conditions.
Today we will analyze what one needs to know and how to act in order to ensure that the rights of a person who belongs to key communities and undergoes MMC are respected.
It should be noted right away that there is a significant number of community representatives who expressed a voluntary desire to defend the state in the ranks of the Armed Forces, regardless of the state of their health, taking personal participation in combat operations. This was especially applied to people living with HIV. Some of them, after a long stay in difficult conditions on the front line, unfortunately, ended up in military hospitals, due to significant deterioration of their health, where they were commissioned due to health conditions. Another part of the community representatives, understanding their condition and the need for regular treatment, hoped that their health condition would be taken into account by the MMC during mobilization activities.
But, unfortunately, different situations arise, for example, when representatives of local MMCs, especially those who have a narrow and conservative vision of the real needs of persons passing the commission, for access to treatment. So, for example, when a person with a drug addiction who has corresponding mental disorders is told that in the army he will be quickly cured of “this stupidity”, or a trans* woman that she is limited in her suitability for military service in wartime, and her condition is a partial mental disorder. Or at all, they refuse to accept supporting documents for consideration, calling them some kind of unimportant paper junk.
What should community representatives do to ensure their rights and interests during the MMC? It is necessary to contact medical institutions or doctors, according to the relevant type of illness, in a timely manner, even before passing the MMC, and obtain current certificates confirming the state of health, indicating established diagnoses and medical conclusions. Be sure to make copies of them for yourself as well.
Before coming to the territorial recruitment and social support center (TRC and SS) on the basis of which the person will undergo the MMC, it is advisable to prepare a statement addressed to the head of the relevant recruitment center, in which it should be noted that such a person has the following diseases (describe and list each one with an indication of the established diagnosis and the corresponding supporting document (conclusion, references), which are submitted for consideration at the MMC). This should be done both to confirm the person’s state of health and the very fact of the person’s submission of such supporting documents to the MMC on the day of the application, in order to exclude possible conflicting issues in the future. A short text of the application is written, and below it must be given a list of supporting documents provided by the person, the name of each of which must be described separately, as a corresponding appendix to the application. The application itself must be prepared in 2 copies (one is submitted, and the other remains with the person with the appropriate mark of TRC and SS about acceptance).
If the doctors of the MMC ignore the medical documents submitted by the person, one can declare disagreement with the actions and conclusion of the local MMC, and demand a referral for passing the MMC of a higher level (regional) – i.e. commission If this is refused, the person can write a complaint independently to the higher-level MMC within 10 days. As a result of consideration of such an application, the higher-level MMC must make a decision either to review the conclusion of the previous MMC or to finally accept the conclusion of the local MMC, which the mobilizing person passed. In any case, a person has the right to challenge the conclusion of the MMC by applying it to the court. At the moment, there are already cases of successfully challenging violations of one’s right to health during a medical examination, with recognition of the person’s special needs for treatment and cancellation of the contested medical examination conclusion.
Oksana is an internally displaced person who, after moving, registered with the local trust office, where her ART scheme was changed without reason. Every time after taking the medicine, the woman felt sick. She repeatedly reported this to the doctor, to which she replied that all “visitors” are constantly in trouble and she does not want to waste her time on such patients, as this is a simple adaptation of the body to the medication.
After taking another medication and feeling worse, Oksana began to think about completely refusing therapy and called the REAct documentator to report her psychological and physical condition. The client explained that the symptoms of health deterioration have continued for about five months, and the attending physician ignores any complaints. The documentator tried to contact the doctor personally, but she flatly refused to talk to him.
After that, the documentator suggested that Oksana be transferred to the regional public health center, where he agreed to provide advice on the side effects of ART. The client was transferred to the regional Center on the same day, and the ART scheme was changed. Currently, Oksana’s condition has stabilized.
During life, each of us encounters completely different people. Some of them arouse our sympathy, and some – do not. Constant communication with toxic people can:
negatively affect your emotional state;
destroy faith in yourself, your beliefs, goals;
cause a feeling of desolation and inability to do anything;
contribute to the emergence of conflicts between you and your environment.
In this case, the ideal option is to stop all interaction with this person completely. And this is true, but it is far from always possible to do so because your colleagues, boss, teammate, or relative can often be toxic.
The following recommendations can make your life easier if, for one reason or another, you are unable to avoid toxic communication:
Do not expect changes from such a person.
It is much easier to build a dialogue when you clearly understand that the toxic interlocutor is unlikely to ever behave differently.
Draw clear boundaries, because a toxic person’s favorite pastime is to press with their emotions and violate the personal space of others. Discard politeness and mark the limits of what is acceptable.
Take control of the conversation.
Toxic people are skilled manipulators, so understanding this, follow the direction of the conversation so as not to fall into a “trap”. It is not as difficult as it seems. For example, you can cleverly change the topic of conversation to cool down the interlocutor.
Do not give clear answers to uncomfortable questions.
Be discreet.
Toxic people love to trap others in a “funnel of negative emotions.” If you fall into it, you will become a victim of provocations and you will respond with negativity for negativity. And therefore – you will lose your balance.
Be straightforward.
A clear formulation of one’s position very often scares toxic people. Openly say that you are not satisfied.
Filter information about yourself.
Toxic people are often “excessively open”. This is one of the ways to gain trust. And it’s perfectly normal to want to be frank in return.
Remember that the personal information you provide can later be used against you.
Reduce the duration of communication if you cannot completely give it up.
Try to empathize with toxic people, because they were not born that way, but they did not learn to meet their needs ecologically for one reason or another.
By understanding this, you will first of all help yourself not to become a victim of provocations and to distance yourself from such a person with a feeling of compassion, not anger, hatred, or irritation.
