ABOUT US

Our mission and values

Gender Stream is a feminist organization that implements practices of gender equality, inclusion and respect for diversity, promotes the strengthening and development of the LGBTQI+ community.

Our team unites Ukrainian and international activists and carries out its activities on the basis of honesty, transparency and responsiveness to the needs of the target audience.

Gender Stream works in partnership with national and international organizations, and also cooperates with the security sector (State Emergency Service, police, border guards), state institutions (mayors, regional administrations, universities), media and business to overcome the challenges faced by people excluded from state processes.

During its work, the organization has conducted more than 100 safe LGBTQI/feminist events and information campaigns in Ukraine.

100+ People were given medication. Half of them are t*persons

500+ People Provided Financial Support During Full-Scale Invasion

120+ People received free psychological support

Our team

OUR HISTORY

2025

In 2025, Gender Stream continued working to ensure that equality and non-discrimination become not only principles, but everyday practice — in legislation, the work of state institutions, humanitarian response, and human rights protection.

The full-scale war has increased the vulnerability of many groups, making the need for systematic protection of LGBTIQ+ rights even more urgent. We worked at both national and international levels: developing partnerships, supporting communities, strengthening advocacy, and creating mechanisms capable of delivering long-term change.

In 2025, Gender Stream:

Registered Draft Law No. 13597 together with MP Olena Shuliak and 34 other members of parliament. The draft law aims to strengthen liability for discrimination and hate-motivated crimes and bring Ukrainian legislation closer to European standards.
Established a coalition of organisations supporting Draft Law No. 13597, bringing together representatives of different vulnerable groups, including LGBTIQ+ people, national minorities, Roma communities, people with disabilities, veterans and veterans’ communities, internally displaced people, and others.
Strengthened international advocacy, representing the Ukrainian context at the Pride7 Summit in Canada, Folkemødet in Denmark, the IDAHOT+ Forum, ILGA-Europe, EL*C meetings, and other international platforms.
Continued developing VARTOVI, the national monitoring platform for hate crimes and discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people. In 2025, the team documented 124 cases of hate crimes.
Provided legal assistance to 12 survivors of hate crimes, including consultations, case management, and procedural support.
Trained 90 National Police of Ukraine officers on responding to hate crimes, as well as 53 representatives of the Ukrainian Association of Women in Law Enforcement.
Supported the development of LGBTIQ+ activism and new leaders through Human Rights Academy 2, the Government Relations Academy, and a sub-granting programme for Academy graduates.
Supported grassroots initiatives and organisations that implemented advocacy campaigns, podcasts, public events, and community projects in different cities across Ukraine.
Published the book “Tender Armour: The Experience of Ukrainian Women and Lesbian Women during the War” together with the Ukrainian Women’s Fund, highlighting the stories of women and lesbian women who serve, volunteer, provide medical care, advocate, and contribute to Ukraine’s resistance.
Strengthened the inclusion of LGBTIQ+ people in humanitarian response by participating in the National Forum on LGBTIQ+ Inclusion in Humanitarian Response and the thematic dialogue between Ukrainian LGBTIQ+-led organisations and UN agencies.
Worked directly with state institutions, contributing to expert councils and working groups focused on human rights, equality, non-discrimination, and Ukraine’s EU accession process.

2025 showed once again that systemic change requires not only laws, but also people who are ready to put them into practice. That is why we continued building bridges between civil society and the state, strengthening the capacity of the human rights movement, and creating space for dialogue.

We are grateful to our partners, donors, colleagues, activists, and everyone who helps move Ukraine towards equality, safety, and dignity for every person.

2024

In 2024, Gender Stream:
- Launched the VARTOVI monitoring platform — a national mechanism for documenting hate crimes and discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people, creating an evidence base for advocacy and institutional change.
- Coordinated the National Working Group on Countering Hate Crimes, bringing together civil society organisations and experts to develop a coordinated response to hate-motivated violence.
- Advocated for Draft Law No. 5488, aimed at criminalising hate crimes and strengthening protection against discrimination. More than 35 national and international human rights organisations joined the coalition supporting the draft law.
- Provided legal support to more than 20 survivors of hate-motivated attacks, helping them navigate legal procedures and access justice.
- Conducted six intensive trainings for police officers, equipping 76 representatives of the National Police of Ukraine with practical tools for responding to hate crimes and working with marginalised communities.
- Developed the Tolerance Glossary — a practical tool designed to reduce misunderstanding, stereotypes, and bias in communication between law enforcement and vulnerable communities.
- Signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Department of Internal Oversight of the National Police of Ukraine, strengthening institutional cooperation on equality and non-discrimination.
- Organised 17 educational events in Dnipro for young people and parents on gender equality, online safety, tolerance, and positive police-community relations.
- Strengthened VARTOVI as a tool for data-driven advocacy, using documented cases and emerging trends to inform policy recommendations and draw attention to violations that too often remain invisible.
- Raised Ukraine’s voice internationally, engaging with the European Parliament, Council of Europe, EU institutions, and international human rights partners to advocate for inclusive legislation, stronger protection against discrimination, and recognition of same-sex partnerships.
- Advocated for LGBTIQ+ rights in the context of Ukraine’s European integration, bringing evidence and recommendations from Ukraine to international policy discussions and decision-makers.
- Strengthened dialogue between LGBTIQ+ communities, veterans, police, and international partners, highlighting the specific risks faced by LGBTIQ+ Ukrainians during the war.
- Continued building an inclusive and resilient human rights movement, bringing together activists, civil society organisations, state institutions, and international partners around a shared vision of equality and justice.

2023

The Gender Stream research Lab: the study was conducted on the status of LGBTQI+ refugees from Ukraine.
Launch the “Restart” program.
Creation of a map of LGBTQI+ organizations that provide assistance to Ukrainians.

2022

The full-scale invasion of russia in 2022 increased inequality in Ukrainian society, and socially vulnerable groups found themselves in even more vulnerable conditions. We faced numerous challenges, high levels of public homo-, bi- and transphobia, lack of legislation that would protect us from marriage discrimination and provide equal opportunities in work, health care, housing and other areas of life. Ukrainian authorities still do not have LGBTQI+ friendly programs, and during the invasion this group of people is left out of the attention of state authorities.

In 2022 Gender Stream:

Now part of our team remains in Ukraine, the other part has relocated and works abroad. But despite the distance, we continue to stick together, because this is our superpower!

Developed instructions on legal border crossing for trans*people during martial law.
Helped 320 LGBTQI+ people and their relatives to evacuate/move abroad (90 of them are trans* people).
Opened shelters for LGBTQI+ displaced persons in Uzhhorod, Košice and Bratislava.
Opened a hub Sister’s HUB in Uzhhorod for IDP women and girls.
Provided psychological assistance to 120 LGBTQI+ people.
Provided financial assistance to more than 500 LGBTQI+ people.
Provided 90 LGBTQI+ people with medicines and hormonal drugs.

2021

Start of the “YUPI” project in cooperation with juvenile prevention.
Launch of the informational project “Female Defenders”.
The Island of Tolerance and the Feminist Residence in Dnipro were held.

2020

Launch of the “Fight Like a Girl” information campaign, an educational initiative that includes legal, sexual education and self-defense tips.
Launch of a psychological and emotional support hotline for women.
With the support of Gender Stream, the Coalition of female veterans and volunteers of the Dnipropetrovsk region was created.

2019

The start of the Gender Stream Research Lab: the study was conducted within the framework of the project “Gender problems of the security sector”. The goal is to contribute to the solution of the problem of gender inequality in the ranks of the Head office of the National Police, Patrol Police department and State Emergency Service of Dnipropetrovsk region.
Creation of an informative support platform “POBACH” for people who have suffered from violence. The goal of the project is to spread information about organizations that provide legal, psychological, and advisory assistance to people affected by violence.
The project “Fight like a girl” went beyond the borders of Ukraine – the successful Ukrainian experience was adapted by ტრენინგების, განათლებისა და განვითარების ცენტრი – TED centre.

2018

Start of the project “Fight like a girl”. The self-defense club is designed to provide women and girls with the necessary skills to combat domestic and gender-based violence.
Holding the forum “Development of female leadership” in Dnipro. The event brought together about 50 women and girls who gained important knowledge and skills about decision-making processes, learned the art of oratory and had the opportunity to act in local self-government bodies.

2017

Training of police units within the framework of the “POLINA” project: identification and countermeasures against domestic violence.

2016

Створення організації Gender Stream у Дніпрі.
Початок співпраці з поліцією на засадах Community Policing.
Запуск Школи толерантності для поліцейських, учителів та журналістів.

We continue to work on initiatives aimed at supporting LGBTQI+ Ukrainian men and women, combating domestic and gender-based violence, building an inclusive society where democracy, freedom and diversity are valued. In the near future, we will announce the DniProPride human rights event.