Who are we?
«Bilkis» is a queer feminist civil society organization that began in 2019 as a grassroots initiative of women students in Kharkiv and has since grown into a fully established organization with a team, partners, projects, printed publications, and a community.
Our mission is to raise awareness about feminism, women’s rights, and LBTQIA+ rights, and to engage young people in activism to counter patriarchal and homo-/transphobic narratives in Ukrainian society, working together to make it more inclusive, safe, and welcoming of diversity.
Our values
Queer feminism
A feminist lens shapes everything we do, from educational materials and events to interpersonal communication within the team. We stand against patriarchy and other systemic inequalities, acknowledge our own privileges, and strive to remain open to the voices of other feminists.
Horizontal organizing
We foster an egalitarian organizational structure in which power, resources, and responsibility are shared equally. Every member can participate in any process, and all decisions are made collectively, transparently, and based on trust.
Intersectionality
We take into account how different forms of discrimination, based on gender identity, sexual orientation, economic class, ethnicity, health status, age, and skin color, intersect and reinforce one another. We advocate for inclusion and continuously reflect on our own privileges and vulnerabilities.
Decoloniality
We stand for the full development of Ukrainian culture, language, and society, free from Russian expansion and any colonial influence. We are consistently opposed to all forms of imperialism and do not cooperate with the Russian Federation or with those who tolerate it.
Socio-economic equality
We support the right of every person to meet their basic needs and oppose a capitalist system that exploits people and creates and deepens economic inequality. We implement mutual aid projects and seek alternative ways to engage in material interaction and support.
Why did we create this website?
Activism against gender-based violence is where the Bilkis initiative began. For many years, we have taken part in the international campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence,” collecting and publishing survivors’ stories and engaging in educational work on this issue.
We aim to challenge the stigma surrounding gender-based violence, raise public awareness, and create space for the voices of those who have experienced it. We want survivors to feel less alone and for their stories to be told and heard. Over the years, we have accumulated a wealth of materials, like personal stories and analytical and educational articles. That is why we decided to create this website as a convenient, accessible, and living archive that can be read and shared.
This archive remains open and will continue to grow until society finally listens to women and queer people and begins to hold perpetrators accountable.
