INVISIBLE BATTALION
Projects
The story of our war on the road to victory is happening right now
INVISIBLE BATTALION 1.0
«Invisible Battalion 1.0: Women's Participation in Military Actions during the Anti-Terrorist Operation»
Duration: 2015 — 2017
The «Invisible Battalion» global advocacy project began with documenting the participation of Ukrainian women in the war against the Russian army of occupants in Donbas. Within the framework of the project, sociological research was conducted, a photo exhibition was created, and the first documentary about women’s participation in the ATO, «Invisible Battalion», was filmed. The project made women in the Armed Forces and combat visible. Thanks to the research and the advocacy campaign, in particular, a number of orders issued by the Ministry of Defense, expanded the list of combat positions for women, which they actually held during the anti-terrorist operations. As a result of the «Invisible Battalion» advocacy campaign,in 2018, the Law of Ukraine «On Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men during Military Service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Other Military Formations» was passed.
To document the participation of Ukrainian women in combat, to draw attention to the problem of their legal status, the «Invisible Battalion» documentary was filmed (2017, directors: Iryna Tsilyk, Svitlana Lishchynska, and Alina Gorlova). It was presented in more than 100 cities of Ukraine, and in 10 countries around the world. Screenings are usually accompanied by discussions with team members and veterans. The documentary became part of the advocacy campaign and an instrument of international veteran diplomacy.
The project also helped to collect materials for another documentary about a woman veteran returning from war to peaceful life, — «No obvious signs.»
The advocacy project provided security and defense sector press officers with a series of training sessions, as well as research of media covering women’s participation in combat. As a result, recommendations for the media community have been developed.
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About the film
«Invisible Battalion»
Invisible Battalion consists of six stories of servicewomen told by three Ukrainian film directors: Iryna Tsilyk, Svitlana Lischynska та Alina Gorlova.
The film protagonists are different by their life experience, age, military, and civil professions, but all of them were united by this war, and their stories create a panoramic picture of the woman’s status in the Armed Forces. Maria Berlinska, the film producer, speaks about the project goal, «First, to document the history that’s happening here and now, to show how women fight. Second, to break down this wall for women. This cannot be about either gender or eye color, only education, only professionalism, and skill. Films are a good instrument that can be used to explain these things to society. And, finally, the third goal, which is very important for me. We are losing the informational war in the world. With this documentary, we want to show that it’s not a civil conflict that we have here, it’s Russian occupation, for the fourth year in a row. The world will see in our film how our women die and get injured, how they fight and win the battles with the Russian army. And we do not need their deep concerns, we need real support.»
Movie trailer
INVISIBLE BATTALION 2.0
«Invisible Battalion 2.0: the Return of Women Veterans to a Peaceful Life»
Duration: 2018 — 2020
The project focused on determining needs and problems in the rehabilitation, adaptation, and reintegration of women veterans. A sociological study «Invisible Battalion 2.0: the Return of Women Veterans to Peaceful Life» was conducted, a documentary «No obvious signs» was filmed, and the creation of the Ukrainian Women Veteran Movement was initiated.
«No obvious signs» (directed by Alina Gorlova, 2018) is a full-length documentary covering Oksana Yakubova’s return to normal life, emphasizing the problems of women veterans, councelling, highlights the struggle with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and panic attacks veterans experience after they return from combat. The documentary won a number of awards at the most prestigious film festivals, including 4 awards at the DocuDays International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, the The Outstanding East European Documentary MDR-Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk TV Channel Jury Prize at DOK Leipzig Documentary Festival (Germany), and others. The documentary became part of an informational campaign.
Within the framework of this project, Ukrainian Women Veteran Movement was created.
Movie trailer
About the film
«No obvious signs»
«No obvious signs» is a phrase that the military often hear in our district and regional hospitals, to where they come burdened with psychological traumas, in need of help. But as far as there are no physical injuries to their bodies, not only doctors but society, in general, does not notice the problem.
The film is a documentary story of a woman returning from the war in Eastern Ukraine. Talking to psychologists, struggling with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and panic attacks, she tries to return to normal life. The tape shows the path from the beginning of rehabilitation to the return to work, thus raising the topic of post-traumatic stress disorder in general. This is a continuation of the story of Oksana Yakubova, an anti-terrorist operation veteran, deputy battalion commander for personnel of the 54th separate mechanized brigade, the heroine of the documentary «Invisible Battalion»(which is a part of the human rights project against Russian aggression, created by Ukrainian women in the military).
INVISIBLE BATTALION 3.0
«Invisible Battalion 3.0: Sexual Harassment In The Military Sphere In Ukraine»
Duration: august 2020 – this time
In August 2020, supported by the Democracy Fund of the US Embassy in Ukraine, the national advocacy campaign «Invisible Battalion 3.0» started, called to prevent sexual harassment in the Ukrainian military. This campaign is a logical continuation of the previous two, «Invisible Battalion 1.0: Women’s Participation in combat during the Anti-Terrorist Operation» (2015) and «Invisible Battalion 2.0: the Return of Women Veterans to Peaceful Life» (2018-2019).
«Invisible Battalion 3.0» was set up to conduct research on the issue of sexual harassment and to propose effective solutions to improve the military situation, based on Western standards and NATO practices, to help the Ukrainian military implement global security and sexual harassment prevention standards. Thus, we strive to make military service in Ukraine more professional, prestigious, and safer for both men and women. This campaign is relevant in the framework of Ukraine’s international obligations, in particular, the implementation of UN’s «Women, Peace, and Security» agenda.
During the completion of the project, the following has been achieved:
A sociological survey on sexual harassment in the military sphere in Ukraine has been conducted among the military, veterans/cadets.
An analysis of current legislation was conducted, several recommendations for legislative changes and a mechanism to combat sexual harassment have been created.
The online course «Gender Equality and Counteraction to Sexual Harassment in the Military Sphere» has been created on the largest online educational platform in Ukraine «Prometheus».
Informational materials on prevention and counteraction to sexual harassment in the military sphere in Ukraine have been developed.
A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Representatives of the team are currently involved in a working group to address the issue of responding to, preventing, and combating discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace among military personnel.
INVISIBLE BATTALION 4.0
«Invisible Battalion 4.0: Access to Military Education for Women in Ukraine»
Duration: 2021 — 2022
The study was conducted as part of the NAKO project “Promotion of Gender Equality in the Armed Forces of Ukraine”
The study aimed to identify achievements and challenges related to women’s access to higher military education institutions and military vocational schools in Ukraine.
To achieve the objective, the following tasks were set:
- determine the relevant ideas ensuring equal rights and opportunities for expanding women’s access to the military education system in Ukraine;
- identify legal aspects of women’s access to military education in Ukraine;
- learn about public opinion on women’s access to military education;
- find out the level of women’s involvement as students in higher military education institutions and military vocational schools in Ukraine;
- examine women’s positive and negative experiences with admissions and training in higher military education institutions and military vocational schools in Ukraine;
- make recommendations to improve women’s access to higher military education institutions and military vocational schools in Ukraine and ensure gender equality in Ukraine’s higher education system.
INVISIBLE BATTALION 5.0
«Invisible Battalion 5.0: Monitoring of Recommendations and Research Results from the “Invisible Battalion” Cycle»
Duration: 2022 – 2023
The study was conducted as part of the NAKO project “Promotion of Gender Equality in the Armed Forces of Ukraine”
The study purpose is to find the successes and challenges of establishing gender equality in the military sphere, as well as monitoring results and recommendations from the “Invisible Battalion” cycle. In particular, we are referring to the three studies: “Invisible Battalion: Women Participation in ATO Military Operations”(2015), “Invisible Battalion: Women Veterans Returning to Peaceful Life (2019), and “Invisible Battalion 3.0: Sexual Harassment in the Military Sphere in Ukraine” (2021).
The study considered such topics as:
1) women’s status and gender equality in the military sector;
2) female veterans’ status in Ukrainian society and the gender sensitivity of veteran policy;
3) sexual harassment in Ukraine’s military sector.
The study includes an analysis of changes in these issues from 2014-2015 to the present, as well as recommendations for key stakeholders.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine ensure safety for every Ukrainian citizen. We understand how important it is to have a strong army, especially during a war. Many of our brothers and sisters joined the army as volunteers to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty.We can’t have them fight on two fronts — against the aggressor on the outside and against violence on the inside. Our efforts are aimed at strengthening the human rights protection system in the military and promoting gender equality. Above all, we seek to convey and instill in society the idea that a strong and professional army exists only if personal boundaries and human dignity are respected. We respect our army, so it is very important for each of us to keep our army professional and safe for everyone, regardless of gender, age or rank!
