Helping Ukrainian Women Artisans

Each year, the global non-profit Women Forward International enables Sciences Po Master’s students to participate in organisations by partnering them with multilateral institutions, corporations and nonprofits on cutting edge research that advances women.

context

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022 has forced more than one-third of Ukrainians from
their homes. More than 6.5 million people fled the country, 90% of whom are women and children. Some 8
million people have been displaced internally within Ukraine (UNHCR, Flash Update #14). This is the largest
human displacement crisis in the world today. Immediately after the assault, EU member states simplified the
rules of entry for Ukrainian and Ukraine-residents refugees to facilitate the emergency mobility of people
looking for shelter.

To this day, Poland remains the main country of arrival for refugees from Ukraine, with more than 3.5 million
having entered the country since the start of the war (UNHCR). Research suggests that the pre-existence of
dense Ukrainian migration networks in Poland could be a major contributing factor (Torunczyk-Ruiz, 2014),
especially for migrant women whose economic integration relies predominantly on social capital due in part to
the non-convertible character of their cultural capital and to familial obligations (Kindler and Szulecka, 2014).
According to researchers, the ability to learn Polish is a precondition to establishing ties with Poles: thanks to
a cultural proximity between Ukrainian and Polish (both Slavic languages), this precondition appears
accessible for Ukrainian migrants. At the end of 2020, 601 200 Ukrainians held residence permits in the
European Union, 81% of them issued by Poland (Eurostat).

Goal

This action-research project, led in partnership with Nest, a nonprofit supporting the responsible growth and
creative engagement of the artisan and maker economy, will bring into focus the specific situation of displaced
Ukrainian women artisans. Looking at their migration patterns, listening to their first-hand testimonies, the
project will try and gain a better understanding of the following: what are their actual needs? How do they feel
in the host society? What gaps are identified in terms of women's rights and emancipation? What are the levers
to improve their well-being? What are their perspectives for the future?

More

• Read the full project description (PDF, 70 Ko)
• Registration will take place at the end of August. Teams are drawn up at the beginning of September and you will then receive an answer by email. Projects will be launched at the end of September. Learn more.
• Women Forward International’s Action Research Projects