Gender, Displacement, and Resilience in Wartime Ukraine

This exhibit examines the real-life stories of four Ukrainian women whose lives were drastically changed in February 2022 when the conflict between Russia and Ukraine broke out. Through the analysis of their experiences, the study sheds insight on how gender influences people's reactions to conflict, specifically with regard to cultural identity, emotional resilience, caregiving in times of crisis, and displacement. Recurring themes of trauma, maternal worry, bereavement, and the redefinition of belonging provide an intimate window into the emotional and societal effects of war.

From an elderly woman recalling the trauma of war in her latter years to a mother escaping occupation, these stories collectively examine common problems and distinct viewpoints. With its exploration of history, memory, language, and location, this exhibit paints a striking picture of how everyday lives are upended and reconstructed during emergencies. The voices of women who witness, carry, and survive war are honored, and it is based on feminist studies and testimony ethics.

Testimony 1220 – Zaporizhzhia, Age 32:
A civil servant and mother recounts her family’s escape through 28 checkpoints after Russian occupation. She reflects on fear, identity, and how language shaped her vulnerability as a displaced person.

Testimony 1363 – Zaporizhzhia, Age 38:
A young mother raising a newborn under siege reflects on caregiving without her mobilized husband. Her testimony highlights maternal anxiety, isolation, and emotional labour in wartime.

Testimony 1231 – Zaporizhzhia, Age 66:
A retired music teacher speaks of cultural loss and creative collapse as she flees occupation. She continues teaching online—preserving identity through art and memory.

Testimony 1377 – Mykolaiv, Age 66:
An elderly woman describes the trauma of seeing her city shelled and fleeing with her family. Her voice reveals generational grief and the pain of surviving war a second time.