R.I.W.E. translates grassroots data and lived experiences into structured recommendations, policy briefs and stakeholder dialogues.
We work to ensure that refugee women’s voices inform coordination mechanisms, prevention strategies and protection responses at local, national and European levels.
Community-based support, safety planning, trusted guidance and navigation to services (through partners).
Awareness, risk identification, peer-to-peer outreach, and targeted prevention in refugee communities.
Building a clear, accessible map of services and referral guidance across cities (Varna/coast + expansion).
Collecting and analysing community insights (surveys, qualitative data), translating evidence into recommendations and policy briefs.
Round tables, working groups, and coordination with NGOs, institutions and international bodies to improve protection responses.
More about R.I.W.E. activities can be found at News
Art, Migration & the Price of Freedom
Art of Silence is a multidisciplinary initiative at the intersection of art, memory and human rights.
The project uses artistic expression as a tool to highlight migration-related vulnerability, social isolation and the silenced experiences of displaced communities, creating space for public dialogue and advocacy
Community Survey (Nov–Dec 2025)
From Nov–Dec 2025, R.I.W.E. conducted a survey of 454 displaced Ukrainians in Bulgaria regarding vulnerabilities to exploitation, human trafficking, gender-based violence, support access, and integration risks. Combining quantitative and qualitative insights, the research serves as an evidence base for advocacy and programme design.
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Oleksandra Alkhimovych is the co-founder of APT, a Ukrainian agency focused on investment in human capital, and a lecturer at international business schools. She has extensive experience at the intersection of IT, education, and public administration. In the corporate sector, she has held key leadership roles in HR and management, including Managing Director of Luxoft Ukraine and Vice President of Talent Management at Miratech.
Oleksandra has collaborated with the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and served as a Strategic Development Expert at the Office for Investment Attraction. She studied at Harvard Business School and holds professional HR certifications, including Assoc CIPD from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (London). She served as Academic Lead of the MA in Human Resources and Organization Development program at UCU Business School and currently teaches at the UCU Leadership Center.
She is recognized among the Top 30 Most Influential Women in Ukraine, mentors social projects encouraging girls in STEM, and serves as an expert for the Ukrainian Veteran Fund under the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.
Fedir Aleksandrovych is a visual artist, curator, and scenographer whose work operates at the intersection of contemporary art, civic engagement, and critical reflection on history and power. Working with film-based practices, mixed media, and spatial research, his projects address memory, post-Soviet space, architecture, and political narratives, with a strong focus on art as a tool for public dialogue and social responsibility.
Fedir’s artistic practice is deeply connected to questions of historical trauma, collective memory, and the long-term consequences of political and technological systems. His solo exhibitions include Shadow of Chernobyl at Hirvitalo / Pispala Contemporary Art Center (Finland, 2024), Three Years of February at Linavicius Art Foundation (Vilnius, 2025), Visit to Minotaur at the Institute of Contemporary Art Problems (Kyiv, 2021), and Singing Fields at Live Worms Gallery (San Francisco, 2016). Through exhibitions, installations, and film-based works, he seeks to create spaces for reflection, discussion, and civic awareness.
He is a co-author of the documentary The Russian Woodpecker (2015), which received the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. The film’s investigation of Chernobyl, Cold War technologies, and political mythologies remains central to his ongoing engagement with documentary cinema as a form of artistic research and social critique.
Alongside his artistic work, Fedir has extensive experience in curatorial and organizational leadership. As Curator and Director of Tadzio Gallery in Kyiv (2018–2022), he developed exhibition programs, public talks, and interdisciplinary initiatives that connected contemporary art with social issues, activism, and community engagement. He has also worked on scenography and visual installations for public festivals and civic cultural events in Europe.
Fedir holds an MA in Scenography and Film Scenography from the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture in Kyiv, where he also completed a PhD assistantship. In his current curatorial role within a civic organization, he focuses on building artistic programmes that support democratic values, critical thinking, and cultural resilience through contemporary art.
Julia Dorokhova is a Ukrainian human rights defender, lawyer, and public activist with many years of systemic experience in combating human trafficking and protecting the rights of women and vulnerable groups. For more than 20 years, she has been engaged in developing legal mechanisms for the protection of victims of sexual exploitation, violence, and modern forms of slavery.
Julia is a recognized expert in the field of counter-trafficking and the protection of the rights of women with experience in prostitution, as well as migrant and refugee women. Her work focuses on building sustainable models of cross-sectoral cooperation between civil society and state institutions.
A special place in her professional activity is occupied by strategic cooperation with law enforcement agencies. Yulia developed and implemented innovative mechanisms of cooperation between the police and non-governmental organizations in the field of harm reduction and protection of vulnerable communities, conducted training programs for officers of anti-trafficking units, and served as an expert on human rights compliance within the Ministry of Interior and the penitentiary system.
She actively works with migrants and refugees, providing legal assistance to Ukrainian women abroad, including in the United Kingdom, Georgia, and Egypt. In humanitarian crisis contexts, Yulia consistently raises the issue of the lack of access to legal, social, and medical assistance for Ukrainian migrant and refugee women in Egypt, as well as the absence of support programs for Ukrainian refugee women.
In October 2023, Julia Dorokhova spoke as a speaker at an OSCE Conference, where she presented an expert position on the protection of refugee women’s rights and combating trafficking in human beings in the context of armed conflict. She has also repeatedly spoken at platforms of the European Parliament and the European Commission, representing the interests of Ukrainian communities at the international level.
Julia is the director of the charitable organization “All-Ukrainian League ‘Legalife'” — the first self-organization in Ukraine of people with experience in prostitution — and the author of methodological manuals on human rights and cooperation with law enforcement agencies.
Her professional mission is to strengthen legal guarantees, promote humane public policy, and create a safe environment for women and vulnerable communities, regardless of their social status or life circumstances.
Tatiana Kotlyarenko is an international expert and speaker on violence against women and girls and human trafficking. She currently serves as a member of the G20 IF20 Human Trafficking Working Group. She was the Advisor on Anti-Trafficking Issues at OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights from 2016-2023. She worked on the 2nd edition of the National Referral Mechanisms – Joining Efforts to Protect the Rights of Trafficked Persons: A Practical Handbook and Addressing Emerging Human Trafficking Trends and Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as providing technical support and capacity building to combat trafficking in human beings to OSCE participating states. In response to the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine, which especially impacts women and children, Tatiana conducted rapid assessment missions and provided recommendations to countries on how to prevent and address trafficking of Ukrainian women and children. In addition, Tatiana works on issues related to sexual violence in conflict. She has been the recipient of the Last Girl Awards in 2022 and is a member of BMW Responsible Leaders.
Alla Myrna is an international fundraising, partnerships, and communications expert with 9 years of fundraising experience and 15 years in communications and journalism.
She has coordinated nationwide charitable campaigns in Ukraine and led corporate, individual, and institutional fundraising for Tabletochki Charity Foundation, Caritas Ukraine, and Ukraine Aid International, working with over 500 corporate partners.
Her campaigns have received Effie Award nominations (2019–2021), won 1st place at the SABRE Awards (2021), and were repeatedly recognized by the “Charitable Ukraine” awards (2019–2025).
Alla was an active member of the Caritas Europa Fundraising Working Group, selected through a competitive process among candidates from 50 countries.
As a member of the Advisory Council, she contributes expertise in international fundraising and strategic partnerships to advance the R.I.W.E. Foundation’s mission.
All-Ukrainian Association of Management Consultants, Member of the Commission on Professional Ethics.
USP (Ukrainian Union of Psychologists). Field: art therapy.
National Association of Facilitators of Ukraine. Member.
Founder of the School of Engagement Technologies (facilitation tools)
Author of the programme ‘People’s Psychologist’ (mental health leadership)
Main position:
Director of the NGO ‘TRAINERS’ ASSOCIATION OF UKRAINE
Psychologist, coach, supervisor.
Management consultant (SMS, ICMCI).
PhD, President of the Flexible Packaging Association of Ukraine and representative of the SAVE FOOD initiative UN in Ukraine, Member of the Supervisory Board of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, Board Member of the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, included in the list of 100 Business Ambassadors of Ukraine, 100 most influential women of Ukraine and is in the top 100 most successful women of Ukraine.
Further links:
Strategy Council – https://strategy-council.com/en/speakers/220
Global FDI Reports –http://ukraine.globalfdireports.com/interview/irina-mirochnik
Iryna Kopanytsia is a women’s rights advocate, humanitarian leader, and Government Relations and advocacy specialist. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, she has been fully engaged in war-related initiatives, including cyber volunteering, international advocacy, protection of women’s rights, and psychological rehabilitation of displaced persons and war-affected communities.
Until 2023, she served as CEO of White Ribbon Ukraine, part of a global movement active in more than 96 countries. She has been a member of the campaign’s Advisory Board since 2017. She contributed to national advocacy efforts that led to the criminalization of domestic violence in Ukraine and to the development of cooperation with members of the European Parliament and the U.S. Senate. Under her leadership, White Ribbon Ukraine launched the first mobile application in Ukraine for survivors of domestic violence, supported by the U.S. Embassy and the State Democracy Fund.
Iryna holds a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management and completed MBA training at ESSEC Business School (Singapore). Since 2013, she has worked in Government Relations and lobbying in Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Her experience includes political campaign management and international communications at Bell Pottinger (London). As part of the International Government Affairs Professionals Association (IGAPA), she initiated and participated in international GR and advocacy forums and conferences in Washington, Brussels, Dubai, Istanbul, and Kyiv.
Together with her mother, a psychologist, she runs rehabilitation groups for internally displaced persons and victims of war crimes from Mariupol, Bakhmut, and Enerhodar. Her team prepared a large-scale OSINT report for the U.S. Congress on the abduction of Ukrainian children and initiated international platforms on veteran policy, rehabilitation, and social reintegration.
She is co-owner of the NGO “Ukrainian Coaches Association,” co-founder of HYNTEGRA ODV (Italy), and co-founder of LLC “Wolves Defense” (Ukraine). She also serves on the Advisory Board of Valicor (USA), an AI-based military mental health technology company.
Expertise: women’s rights, anti-violence policy, advocacy and lobbying, international cooperation, humanitarian response, psychological rehabilitation.
Veronica Zeitlin is a lawyer and international human rights expert with over 20 years of experience preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence and forced labor, bringing perpetrators to justice, and supporting survivors through trauma-informed approaches.
She currently works as a consultant and formerly served as Chief of Research and Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking. There, she engaged with diverse global stakeholders to protect vulnerable populations from exploitation and led the development of the Department’s flagship reports: Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor and the List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor.
Previously, Ms. Zeitlin was a Senior Advisor on Counter-Trafficking in Persons (C-TIP), Gender, and Migration at USAID, where she coordinated sex trafficking and forced labor programs across five global regions, ensuring application of global best practices. She also led the development and implementation of USAID’s first agency-wide C-TIP Policy, strengthening Agency alignment and impact.
She also served as a Political Affairs Analyst at the U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, where she conducted human trafficking assessments and contributed over 100 country narratives to the annual Trafficking in Persons Report.
Ms. Zeitlin holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.A. in Anthropology and Spanish Literature from Columbia University.
Treasurer, R.I.W.E.
Over the past several years, Doreen Beatrice has worked with various non-governmental organizations to promote human rights. Her efforts have focused on combatting gender-based violence, child abuse, and human trafficking.
Doreen’s academic journey began as a young student studying abroad in Japan for two years. During her studies, she completed an internship with the Washington Center at the U.S. Information Agency Far East division. She then graduated with honors from Seton Hall University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies with a focus on Asia.
In 2025, Doreen attended the summer program at American University’s College of Law, where she studied International Human Rights Law. She earned certifications in four courses: International Justice for Human Rights Violations, Women & International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law, and United Nations Human Rights Systems. Additionally, Doreen holds certifications from organizations such as Human Trafficking of Ohio, Stewards of Children, and Trucker’s Against Trafficking.
Doreen is an active member of several organizations, including Women Graduates – USA and International, Women Wage Peace, and Kentucky Colonels. She serves on the board of the Robert G. Laughlin Trust for The Nature Conservancy Atlantic Rain Forest in Brazil. She is also a donor to Vital Voices, Shared Hope International, and Holly Hill Child and Family Solutions.
Currently, Doreen works as Trustee of The Robert S Brown Trust. She has over thirty years of experience owning and operating businesses. In addition to her professional endeavors, she was a Professional International Ballroom Dance Competitor and continues to work as a Professional Ballroom Dance Coach. shape policies that affect their lives.
Founder and Executive Director, R.I.W.E.
Ivanna Shkolnytska is a Ukrainian human-rights expert specialising in refugee rights, gender equality, mental health, and the prevention of trafficking in human beings (THB).
After her displacement to Bulgaria in 2023 with her three children, she became deeply involved in advancing the rights and protection of Ukrainian refugees across the country, working at the intersection of civil society, government, and international institutions.
With more than 15 years of experience, her professional background includes senior roles within the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, where she collaborated extensively with UN Women Ukraine, the Council of Europe, OSCE, EUAM, UNODC, La Strada and other international partners on gender policy, access to justice, and violence-prevention reforms.
Ivanna is the Founder and Executive Director of R.I.W.E. – Refugees International Women Empowerment, a refugee-women-led organisation based in Varna, Bulgaria. R.I.W.E. provides legal assistance, GBV prevention and response, harm-reduction support, peer-to-peer community engagement, and advocacy for meaningful refugee participation in decision-making processes at national and EU levels.
In 2025, Ivanna served as an Ambassador of the New Women Connectors (NWC), leading a cross-border initiative on THB and GBV prevention, and strengthening refugee-led advocacy within European platforms. She is also an advisor to the Representative of the Ukrainian Ombudsman (Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights) on the rights and protection of Ukrainian refugees abroad, contributing expertise on legal safeguards, exploitation risks, and community-based protection models.
Ivanna is trained in refugee leadership and international protection frameworks through the Geneva Advocacy Training for Refugee Leaders (ExCom-specific) and has completed specialised professional programs on GBV, THB, and victim-centred approaches, including Sida ITP GBV, Kvinna till Kvinna, the Swedish Police Authority, OSCE, and others. Her current work focuses on building evidence-based advocacy, strengthening cooperation in Europe on anti-trafficking and GBV measures, and ensuring that the voices and experiences of refugee women shape policies that affect their lives.
