By Dr. Olga Donets
The “Grassroots Institute” has officially launched a new project entitled “Path to Justice: Practical Support for War-Affected Persons in Documenting Damage and Accessing the Register of Damage for Ukraine.”
The initiative is being implemented within the framework of the project “Justice and Accountability for Ukraine: Strengthening the Role of Victim- and Civil Society-Led Initiatives”, implemented by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine has caused unprecedented human suffering, widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure, businesses, and property, as well as numerous violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. In response, the international community has established several accountability mechanisms, including the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U), designed to record claims related to damage, loss, and injury caused by the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine.
Although this mechanism represents an important step toward future accountability and compensation, many affected individuals continue to face significant challenges in understanding the application process, documenting damage properly, and preserving relevant evidence. Our project seeks to bridge this gap by making information about international accountability mechanisms more accessible, understandable, and practically useful for people affected by the war.
The project is being implemented by the Grassroots Institute in partnership with the Carpathian Human Rights Agency “VESTED.” By combining the expertise and experience of both organizations, the project aims to strengthen a people-centred approach to supporting individuals affected by Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine and to improve their access to international accountability mechanisms, particularly the Register of Damage for Ukraine.
The project team has already held its first working meeting, during which the implementation roadmap was discussed in detail, responsibilities were allocated among team members, and the first phase of activities was planned. Several months of intensive work now lie ahead, focusing on developing practical support tools for war-affected persons and strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations working in the field of international justice and accountability.
At the heart of the project are people affected by the war.
Our team will work to help individuals better understand how the Register of Damage for Ukraine functions, learn how to document damage correctly, preserve evidence safely, and prepare the information that may become important for future international compensation mechanisms. The project will include:
One of the project’s core principles is its people-centred approach.
Special attention will be devoted to the secure handling of personal data, the protection of confidential information, the prevention of re-traumatization during communication with victims, the use of clear and accessible language, and the consideration of the specific needs of vulnerable groups. We believe that support for war-affected persons should not only be legally sound but also ethical, accessible, trauma-informed, and respectful of every individual’s dignity.
It is important to emphasize that this project does not promise compensation and does not replace the official procedures of the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U). Instead, its purpose is to help individuals understand how the mechanism operates, identify which documents should be collected and preserved, learn how to describe the damage suffered, establish the causal link between the aggression and its consequences, and prepare themselves for possible future international compensation mechanisms.
One of the project’s key outputs will be the preparation of an analytical advocacy paper summarizing the most common barriers experienced by war-affected persons when attempting to access the Register of Damage for Ukraine. Drawing on practical experience gained through consultations with affected individuals, the project team will develop recommendations for public authorities, international partners, and other stakeholders aimed at improving access to international accountability mechanisms. In this way, the project combines direct support for individuals with evidence-based advocacy designed to strengthen the effectiveness, accessibility, and inclusiveness of international accountability processes.
We firmly believe that documenting damage, preserving evidence, and ensuring meaningful access to international justice mechanisms are essential components of achieving accountability and restoring justice for people affected by the war. Together with the Carpathian Human Rights Agency “VESTED”, TGI Ukraine is committed to making these international mechanisms more understandable, accessible, and responsive to the needs of people who have suffered as a result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
We invite you to follow our news and updates as the project progresses. In the coming months, we will share information about upcoming awareness events, educational resources, practical guidance materials, and new opportunities for supporting war-affected persons.
🕊️ Together, we are taking another important step towards justice, accountability, and the protection of the rights of people affected by the war.
For further information: mail@tgi.org.ua
