On March 7 an impactful event took place at the Skautský Institute, where the documentary film “Women,” directed by Ukrainian refugee Laura Archipenko in the United Kingdom was screened. The documentary explores the experiences of Ukrainian women who have not only survived but continue to thrive two years after the outbreak of war. Their resilience and strength resonate with everyone.

The audience applauded the author's debut, especially appreciating her highlighting important topics of women's lives as refugees - education, work, integration, gender prejudices, children and their well-being, and their psychological trauma of the last 2 years - in a laconic and meaningful manner.

Heroine's resilience and strength resonated with everyone and sparked an engaged discussion about women refugees' experiences in Czechia. Women shared their stories of immense support from the hosting society but also raised the topic of vulnerability and exploitation of the refugees. 

The documentary followed a lively panel discussion about the Czech context. Our esteemed panellists included:

• Olha Cherepiuk: Head of the Svitlo Community Center, providing language courses, counselling, and workshops for children in central Prague. Her outstanding work has been recognized nationally, and she was honoured with an invitation to Prague Castle by President Petr Pavel on February 23, 2024.
• Masha Volynsky: An expert in communication and nonprofit management within the migration field. Masha focuses on innovative projects that offer crisis and long-term psychosocial support to Ukrainian refugees, fostering dialogue on migration-related issues.
• Lenka Kvasničková: Former lawyer at the Supreme Court, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of the Interior in the Czech Republic. She actively advocates for gender equality and fights against gender-based violence. Currently, Lenka is the Head of Migration Management and Gender Focal Point at IOM Czechia.

This event was organized by the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).