Solutions from Ukraine: Coordinators of POW and missing persons' families create working group for advocacy

04.09.2026, 17:02 rubryka.com

The meeting, "From family support to systemic change," took place as part of Amnesty International Ukraine's veteran project "Tribe," together with the Media Initiative for Human Rights, the Vesta Charitable Foundation, and the family association "MY 47."

Families of prisoners of war and missing persons face numerous challenges every day — from searching for information about their loved ones and going through identification procedures to interacting with state bodies and receiving the support they need.

At the same time, coordinators and representatives of family associations often help other families navigate complex procedures on their own, look for necessary information, communicate with specialists, and represent shared interests. To do this, they need access to up-to-date expertise, opportunities to exchange experience, and the ability to develop solutions jointly.

Participants in the meeting agreed to create a joint working group of coordinators and representatives of associations of families of prisoners of war and missing persons.

The group's goal is to ensure regular interaction between family representatives, exchange practical experience, and work together on issues that require systemic change.

During the first meeting of the working group, held on August 27 in Kyiv, participants discussed the current needs of families, support for coordinators, and practical issues related to the search for and identification of missing persons.

A separate section focused on coordinators' work as points of support for families. Natalia Lishchyshena, a veteran, specialist in veteran support, and leader of the veteran project "Tribe," spoke about the limits of coordinators' responsibilities, communication, trust-building, working with difficult emotional states, and preventing burnout.

Participants also discussed mechanisms for searching for and identifying missing persons with Halyna Krutiian, acting head of the Data Coordination Department at the International Commission on Missing Persons. The discussion covered the medical aspects of search and identification, DNA testing, work with genetic data, and the role and capabilities of the International Commission on Missing Persons.

During the meeting, organizers also presented a memo titled "On the actions of the family of a person missing under special circumstances during the search for and identification of the body (remains)." Olena Bieliachkova, a human rights defender, lawyer, and coordinator of groups of families of prisoners of war and missing persons at the Media Initiative for Human Rights, spoke about its structure and step-by-step guidance for families. Participants received printed copies of the memo for further use and distribution among families.

The participants plan to continue holding meetings in a similar format, exchange information and practical experience, involve specialists, and work jointly on issues important to the families of prisoners of war and missing persons.