Women play diverse and complex roles in armed conflicts – whether as combatants, peacebuilders, community organizers, or as those directly impacted by war, including through gender-based violence. Yet, international law has long struggled to fully acknowledge their agency and provide meaningful protections.
In this episode, Polina Kulish and Rishiti Choudaha sit down with Kateryna Demerza and Vladyslava Vorobiova from Vitsche e.V., a Berlin-based NGO that amplifies Ukrainian voices in Europe. Together, they discuss the realities of women’s resistance in wartime contexts, feminist activism’s role in challenging silences of international law, and the broader struggles against disinformation.
Before the interview, Céline Chausse introduces the discussion by reflecting on the ‘Women in International Law’ symposium and the importance of centering women’s voices in conversations about conflict and justice. Sissy Katsoni then provides a legal overview, setting the stage with key facts and frameworks on how international humanitarian and human rights law seek to protect women in conflict – and where these frameworks continue to fall short.
With armed conflicts around the world continuing to impact millions of women, this discussion provides a timely reflection on solidarity, activism, and the future of feminist engagement in international law.
This special episode is part of the ‘Women in International Law’ symposium and was therefore produced in English.
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Background information (all Open Access):
- Völkerrechtsblog, Women in International Law Vol. 4 (2025)
- Ruta Association for Central, South-Eastern, and Eastern European, Baltic, Caucasus, Central and Northern Asian Studies in Global Conversation
- Bohachevsky-Chomiak M, Feminists Despite Themselves: Women in Ukrainian Community Life, 1884-1939 (Canadian institute of Ukrainian studies, University of Alberta 1988)
- Yuliia Mieriemova, How Ukrainian servicewomen’s stories of war matter (2025).
- Maryna Shevtsova (ed.), Feminist Perspective on Russia’s War in Ukraine: Hear Our Voices (2024)
- UN Women, Gender alert: Scarcity and fear: A gender analysis of the impact of the war in Gaza on vital services essential to women’s and girls’ health, safety, and dignity – Water, sanitation, and hygiene (2024).
Moderation: Céline Chausse
Interview: Polina Kulish, Rishiti Choudaha, and Sissy Katsoni
Background information: Sissy Katsoni
Cut: Daniela Rau
Credits:
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace & Security, “A Message from Oleksandra Matviichuk“ on YouTube (1:00-1:36)
