On December 5th, the opening of the photo exhibition “Women in war, on the paths of those who remain” took place in Paris, France. This exhibition, which was already on the display in Kyiv, showcases the stories of 30 women living in different regions of Ukraine, namely Chernivtsi, Dnipro, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Kharkiv.
The title “On the paths of those who remain” refers to the name of the consortium organizing the exhibition: Dorijka ; which stands for “path” in Ukrainian. For a year and a half, five French humanitarian organizations (Première Urgence International, Action contre la Faim, Triangle Génération Humanitaire, Humanity & Inclusion, and SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL) have been jointly following the paths of civilians in need of assistance in Ukraine.
Première Urgence Internationale’s Asia & Europe Desk Manager, Quentin Assaf, welcomed the guests of the exhibit vernissage and described how the Dorijka consortium provides assistance to more than 800,000 conflict-affected people in 14 regions of Ukraine.
“Dorijka was able to respond in a matter of hours to the dramatic consequences of the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in the south of the country, on the front line on June 6, delivering more than 50,000 liters of drinking water and 1,900 tons of humanitarian supplies to the affected population,” explained Quentin Assaf. “Over 21,000 people have benefited from psychosocial support activities in one year… Finally, the project is also helping to ensure the provision of certain basic services, particularly health care, in areas which were controlled by Russian forces, where the needs are immense”. 
Première Urgence Internationale’s Asia & Europe Desk Manager Quentin Assaf
Working with the affected population on a daily basis, representatives of the Dorijka consortium wanted to shed light on the challenges faced by people in Ukraine, specifically internally displaced women. Hanna Pieshkova, Dorijka’s Communications Manager, explained why the consortium decided to make a photo project about women.
“Due to the martial law in Ukraine, most men are unable to seek asylum abroad. At the same time, women face an important and difficult choice every day about where to build their lives. It is not easy to move abroad, but it is no less difficult to choose to stay in the war,” said Hanna.
Hanna Pieshkova, Dorijka Communications Manager (on the right)
For the most part, internally displaced women in Ukraine are more likely to find themselves in difficult situations than men. 60% of them had to save on basic needs such as food and clothing, while men in the same situation amount to approximately 40%. One in two displaced women has lost her job, and one in four among displaced men. Women’s access to healthcare in Ukraine has also been reduced.
The realities of women’s lives in western Ukraine were documented for the project by French photographer Myriam Renaud. In the east of the country, in particular in territories that were under the temporary control of the Russian Federation and have been returned to Ukrainian control, the situation was documented by Ukrainian photographer Katya Moskaliuk. At the opening of the exhibition, both photographers were present and shared what they had seen and heard during the project with the audience.
“I talked to women from the village of Vernypillia, which is located in the south of Izium in the Kharkiv region,” Kateryna said. “The frontline passed through the village, and there is not a single house left standing. Every fence has holes in it from shrapnel. There used to be more residents, until now almost a hundred have returned. People live there without water and electricity. However, they have light in their hearts. I was there in spring, and people were planting flowers. Imagine – everything around is destroyed and flowers are blooming!”
The photographer Katya Moskaliuk (on the right)
Myriam Renaud expressed her impression that, despite facing challenging experiences, Ukrainian women exhibit remarkable strength to start a new life and the will to support their country. 
The photographer Myriam Renaud
The vernissage was closed by Anne Garella, Action Contre La Faim’s Regional Director of Operations for the Middle East, Eastern Europe and North Africa. She emphasized that today there are two ways to show solidarity with the situation in Ukraine: to continue to be interested in what is happening and to contribute by donating to any organization that helps alleviate the suffering of Ukrainian people. 
Anne Garella, Action Contre La Faim’s Regional Director of Operations for the Middle East, Eastern Europe and North Africa
The opening of the exhibition in Paris was attended by more than 130 people, including representatives of the consortium’s partner organizations, distinguished guests from other humanitarian organizations and interested general public.
This exhibition was organized with the support of USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and is open at Point Éphémère in Paris until 22 December 2023. For those who cannot make it, the exhibition content is available online.
