Association of Mothers and Wives of Ukraine's Defenders

The Association of Mothers and Wives of Ukraine's Defenders (Ukrainian: «Об'єднання матерів і дружин Захисників України») is an all-Ukrainian civic association and non-governmental organization created by women from the families of military servicemen following the military events in Ilovaisk in August 2014. It was officially registered on 20 October 2014 under the name "Association of Wives and Mothers of ATO Soldiers" (Об'єднання дружин і матерів бійців учасників АТО), and in 2023 the organization changed its name to the Association of Mothers and Wives of Ukraine's Defenders. The organization brings together women from the families of servicemen and the families of fallen soldiers in order to solve common problems, protect their own rights, and develop an active, nationally conscious civil society capable of controlling the actions of the authorities and actively influencing the building of Ukraine as a peaceful, sovereign, democratic state. Its activities are also aimed at interaction and the formation of systematic and comprehensive support for women affected by the war in eastern Ukraine. The association has held all-Ukrainian status since 2016 and has 19 separate subdivisions across 14 regions. Between 2015 and 2020 it implemented around 20 large projects aimed at protecting the rights of women from military families, their rehabilitation, and their adaptation to new living conditions, including socio-economic adaptation. Since 2015 the organization has registered and published a print publication, "East and West Together" (Схід та Захід разом), which is distributed free of charge in the grey zone, among beneficiaries, and among representatives of local authorities and social protection bodies. On 8 May 2019, on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation and on the eve of Mother's Day, the association held a march along Khreshchatyk to draw attention to honoring the memory of soldiers killed in the war in eastern Ukraine; about 200 families of the fallen took part. The organization's projects entered the TOP 100 best social projects of Ukraine according to the Social Project Awards 2018; in 2019 its activity was recognized with an honorary commendation from the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine; and in 2020 it entered the register of records of Ukraine as the organization that did the most to honor the memory of fallen defenders. In 2018 the publication "East and West Together" received an award from the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine in the nomination "Frontiers of Feats and Immortality."

The Association of Mothers and Wives of Ukraine's Defenders was created by women from the families of military servicemen after the military events in Ilovaisk in August 2014. It was officially registered on 20 October 2014 under the name "Association of Wives and Mothers of ATO Soldiers" (Об'єднання дружин і матерів бійців учасників АТО). In 2023 the organization changed its name to the Association of Mothers and Wives of Ukraine's Defenders. The organization has held all-Ukrainian status since 2016 and has 19 separate subdivisions across 14 regions. Its purpose is to unite women from the families of servicemen and the families of fallen soldiers in order to solve common problems, protect their own rights, and develop an active, nationally conscious civil society capable of controlling the actions of the authorities and actively influencing the building of Ukraine as a peaceful, sovereign, democratic state. Its activities are also aimed at interaction and the formation of systematic and comprehensive support for women affected by the war in eastern Ukraine. Between 2015 and 2020 the association implemented around 20 large projects aimed at protecting the rights of women from military families, their rehabilitation, and their adaptation to new living conditions, including socio-economic adaptation. Since 2015 the organization has registered and published a print publication, "East and West Together" (Схід та Захід разом), which is distributed free of charge in the grey zone, among beneficiaries, and among representatives of local authorities and social protection bodies. On 8 May 2019, on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation and on the eve of Mother's Day, the association held a march along Khreshchatyk to draw attention to honoring the memory of soldiers killed in the war in eastern Ukraine; about 200 families of the fallen took part. The organization's projects entered the TOP 100 best social projects of Ukraine according to the Social Project Awards 2018; in 2019 its activity was recognized with an honorary commendation from the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine; and in 2020 it entered the register of records of Ukraine as the organization that did the most to honor the memory of fallen defenders. In 2018 the publication "East and West Together" received an award from the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine in the nomination "Frontiers of Feats and Immortality."

• Officially registered as "Association of Wives and Mothers of ATO Soldiers"

• Print publication "East and West Together" registered and launched

• Organization granted all-Ukrainian status

• Projects entered TOP 100 best social projects of Ukraine (Social Project Awards 2018)

• Publication "East and West Together" received award from National Union of Journalists of Ukraine

• March along Khreshchatyk with about 200 families of fallen soldiers

• Activity recognized with honorary commendation from Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

• Entered register of records of Ukraine as organization that did most to honor fallen defenders

• Organization renamed to "Association of Mothers and Wives of Ukraine's Defenders"

A grassroots, women-led civic association advocating for the rights and welfare of military families and honoring fallen defenders in Ukraine.

1. 1Об’єднання матерів і дружин Захисників Україниfamilyato.org
2. 2Association of Mothers and Wives of Ukraine's Defenderswikidata.org
3. 3Об'єднання матерів і дружин Захисників Україниuk.wikipedia.org