Dialogic sensitivity as the basis for sustainable solutions

When we talk about rebuilding communities, it's not just what we do that matters, but how we do it—how sensitively, attentively to the context, to people and their stories.

Recently, the Canadian Embassy in Kyiv hosted the official presentation of the Context Sensitivity Hub in Ukraine, an initiative aimed at developing a sensitive approach to humanitarian, stabilization, recovery, and reconstruction work in Ukraine.

This event was the starting point of a partnership between International Alert and the Government of Canada to support an inclusive and people-centered recovery in Ukraine.

During the event, experts from the Dialogue Community of Practitioners of Ukraine Tetiana Kalenychenko and Maksym Yeligulashvili made a presentation that presented the vision of the Ukrainian side regarding the formation of the Hub and the need to combine international, national and local experience in working with communities:

"What makes this attempt to rethink the context of sensitivity different from others? In that we combine the efforts of international, national and local specialists to test the methodology for work at the community level and later effectively integrate it into program projects. We hope that the idea itself and its sensitive implementation process will give exactly the result we would like." - Tetyana Kalenichenko noted

The event brought together representatives from the Canadian Embassy in Ukraine, international donors, recovery organizations, and Ukrainian experts on dialogue and social cohesion. The discussion focused on the practical application of contextual and gender-sensitive approaches in planning aid programs.

Over the next two years, the Hub will support Ukrainian and international organizations involved in recovery processes, helping them implement programs that take into account the local context, gender equality, and the principle of “do no harm.”

Special attention will be paid to community participation in making decisions that directly affect their lives.

Hub's approach is based on International Alert research, which shows that taking into account local context and community needs significantly increases the effectiveness of programs in the long term.

The initiative also draws on the experience of partners - the All-Ukrainian Association of United Territorial Communities, which unites 890 communities across the country.

We express our gratitude to the Embassy of Canada to Ukraine (Embassy of Canada to Ukraine / Ambassade du Canada en Ukraine) for supporting an open, meaningful, and inspiring conversation about a sustainable, sensitive, and people-centered path to Ukraine's recovery.

Tetiana Kalenychenko

Photo taken from International Alert