On Thursday, February 24, 2022, we witnessed the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which was condemned by our entire political representation, including the President of the Slovak Republic, the Prime Minister, leaders of the EU, NATO, and other countries.
The war in Ukraine has affected us personally and professionally. War is always a source of human suffering, destruction, split families, and destroyed lives, and currently also more than 8 million people running away from their homes.
Since the beginning of the war, we have been working intensively to ensure that people who have been forced to leave their homes find a safe place and dignified acceptance in Slovakia. Together with other NGOs, we have participated in the call ‘Kto pomôže Ukrajine’, and we’re coordinated with state, international and civic actors. We established A partnerships with international organizations such as UNHCR, UNICEF, and IRC, which enabled us to expand our activities and strengthen our presence in several locations.
The situation is critical. From the beginning of the war – the Ukrainian and Slovak border crossed almost 400 000 people. The public infrastructure of services and support was not ready to respond to the needs of such a large number of people. Many are particularly vulnerable - children, single mothers, the elderly, and the disabled. In order to be able to intervene and effectively help people on the border or in Slovak cities, we urgently need your help.
As a result of the war, more than 930.000 people crossed the Ukrainian-Slovak border. At the same time, by the beginning of November 2022, more than 99.000 people applied for temporary asylum in Slovakia, of which 36 % are children under 18 years of age and 44% are women of working age. These people will be our neighbors, classmates, colleagues or clients. Their successful integration into schools, the labor market, and everyday life is currently a big challenge. The public infrastructure of services and support was initially not ready to respond to the needs of such a large number of people, many of whom are particularly vulnerable - children, single mothers, seniors, and the disabled. Systemic support solutions are only gradually being created, and there are still many challenges ahead of us that would be able to address the diverse needs associated with the protection and integration of refugees. Even Mareena, immediately after the start of the war, actively participates in the aid system for refugees coming to Slovakia.
We offer our experience with the integration of foreigners in Slovakia, we coordinate with relevant actors and propose specific solutions.
We’re present at the border crossing Vyšné Nemecké from the 26th of February, where we together with the Fire and Rescue Corps coordinate the border zone and provide first contact services to the people crossing.
- To people coming from Ukraine – no matter their origin or further direction - we provide information about their rights and obligations, orientation in the border zone, and practical aspects of residency and movement in Slovakia.
- We assist in the organization of transport, and we inform about the possibility to request a temporary refuge or other forms of protection.
- We cooperate with consulates and embassies that help their citizens upon arrival in Slovakia.
- We monitor security at the crossing border in order to prevent abuse and trafficking of vulnerable people, especially women and children.
- We monitor the situation with unaccompanied minors and assist when police and the labor office are needed.
- We assist in transport for people with health difficulties.
In Bratislava, Nitra, and Košice, we are strengthening our capacities and organizing community activities to help and integrate people who have decided to look for security and a new home in Slovakia due to the war in Ukraine.
- We organize free language courses in the Slovak language in Bratislava and Nitra.
- we provide tutoring in Slovak directly at schools in Nitra,
- in cooperation with the City of Bratislava we organize information seminars for people from Ukraine about the city services and state institutions, the possibilities of finding a job or enrolling children in schools,
- we organize a children's club and other leisure activities for young people,
- in Košice, we work in the Integration Center, where we provide job counseling to people from Ukraine,
- we train new volunteers who will provide individual assistance or prepare community activities,
- in Bratislava, Nitra, Trenčín, Banská Bystrica and Košice, we map local support services for people from Ukraine, we coordinate with local actors and look for ways to improve,
- we develop a program of community volunteering and support, in which we engage the potential of people from Ukraine to help their own community,
- we prepare community events with the aim of creating a pleasant environment for establishing new relationships with local communities,
- in the humanitarian center Gabčíkovo, we provide comprehensive services in the field of protection, development and education of children from Ukraine. For about 350 children, we organize leisure activities, language education, children's clubs and afternoon clubs. We assist with integration in schools and offer children opportunities for development and education outside the premises of the center.
- We regularly update the website www.ukraineslovakia.sk, which contains information for people coming from Ukraine, their rights and obligations when entering Slovakia. Information is available in Slovak, Ukrainian and English.
- We coordinate and cooperate with local and state institutions so that we can contribute as effectively as possible to solving the living situation of people coming from Ukraine, and with other Slovak non-governmental and civic organizations that provide humanitarian, legal, and integration assistance to Ukrainians at risk, whether in Ukraine or Slovakia.
- We prepare methodological materials, trainings, and consultations so that we can scale our activities and spread our knowledge and experience in the field of integration to other places.
- We are in favor of fair and solidarity-based treatment of people coming from Ukraine at a local and national level.
We have prepared a series of documents for helping organizations, local and regional governments and the general public, which analyze the first year of assistance to people from Ukraine in five Slovak cities, map the providing of services to Ukrainian emigrants and emigrants, and offer support in the form of a manual and the services we can provide.
At the Integration Forum organized by the League for Human Rights, we presented specific solutions for the integration of people from Ukraine, on which we worked together with the League for Human Rights, CVEK, NMŠ, and ‘Človek v ohrození’.
Whether the people from Ukraine stay in Slovakia for a shorter period of time or long term, it is important for us to provide them with a safe and dignified reception, basic life necessities, but also a sense of acceptance and belonging.
This requires a coordinated system of integration and effective cooperation between civic organizations, the state and local governments, as well as knowledge of the situation and needs of the people of Ukraine.
We are ready to provide the state with our experience and expertise in working with refugees and migrants. Several measures that we are proposing, for example, in the area of housing, material assistance, or education, have the potential to also improve the situation of other vulnerable groups in Slovakia.
Information website for people coming from Ukraine
We would not be able to do all this without your support, volunteers, and financial resources. Help us to continue our activities and let us show Slovakia in solidarity.
Proposals for integration solutions of the people from Ukraine
At the Integration Forum organized by the League for Human Rights, we presented specific solutions for the integration of people from Ukraine, on which we worked together with the League for Human Rights, CVEK, NMŠ, and ‘Človek v ohrození’.
Whether the people from Ukraine stay in Slovakia for a shorter period of time or long term, it is important for us to provide them with a safe and dignified reception, basic life necessities, but also a sense of acceptance and belonging.
This requires a coordinated system of integration and effective cooperation between civic organizations, the state and local governments, as well as knowledge of the situation and needs of the people of Ukraine.
We are ready to provide the state with our experience and expertise in working with refugees and migrants. Several measures that we are proposing, for example, in the area of housing, material assistance, or education, have the potential to also improve the situation of other vulnerable groups in Slovakia.
The policy brief in English can be found here.
