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    The Right of the Child to Development and Protection: Stories of Support from Kamianske and Zaporizhzhia

    During the war, every childhood story is a separate path toward safety, development, and recovery.

    But there is something that unites all the families who turn to our specialists: the need for support that protects the child’s rights every day.

    Kamianske. Matvii’s family changed their place of residence many times after his father was injured during shelling in Sievierodonetsk. Due to constant relocations, the boy did not attend kindergarten, had almost no communication with peers, and faced difficulties at school.

    Specialists from NGO “Responsible Citizens” assessed the child’s psycho-emotional state, helped Matvii learn to recognize and regulate his emotions, and master self-stabilization techniques. A psychologist also worked with his mother to reduce her anxiety and provide practical tools to support her son.

    The teacher received recommendations on how to interact with the boy and organize a safe educational environment.

    The results came quickly: Matvii became more attentive and calm, better controlled his emotions, and relationships in the classroom noticeably improved. The family also received financial assistance, a clothing voucher, and a hygiene kit.

    Zaporizhzhia.
    When Khrystyna Tkachenko and her three-year-old daughter Alina left Velyka Bilozerka, they found themselves in a new city without support. Alina had difficulties with speech sounds, and her mother felt severe emotional exhaustion — something many single parents experience during forced internal displacement.

    In Zaporizhzhia, the family turned to the Child-Friendly Space operating within a UNICEF Ukraine project implemented by NGO “Responsible Citizens.” Here, Alina began sessions with a speech therapist, Khrystyna received psychological support, and joint art-therapy sessions helped them both regain a sense of safety. Thanks to the specialists’ comprehensive work, Alina became more confident, improved her pronunciation, and Khrystyna became calmer and less anxious. After another shelling, when the girl’s fears returned and stuttering appeared, the Child-Friendly Space team quickly provided additional support and helped stabilize her condition.

    “Here we found the belief that everything will be alright,” the mother says.

    Both of these stories are about different families, different challenges, and different paths to safety. But they share one thing: the protection of a child’s rights does not stop even during war. When specialists are nearby and ready to support a family, a child’s right to development, emotional resilience, education, and care becomes real — not merely declarative.

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