The war has significantly affected the psychological and physical condition of media workers: they face constant tension, emotional exhaustion, and burnout. These and other symptoms, as shown by a study conducted within the ReWell-UMedia project, have a systemic character. The needs of media professionals and ways to support them during wartime were discussed on March 25 at the roundtable “Resilience and Wellbeing of Ukrainian Media Professionals at Wartime,” organized by the NGO Social Perspective with the participation of the UNESCO Antenna in Ukraine, the National Commission of Ukraine for UNESCO, the National Council, and the Ombudsman’s Office.
Media professionals from all over Ukraine joined the roundtable in online format.
With a welcoming address to the participants, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, spoke. He emphasized that the protection of journalistic activity is a fundamental value of a democratic society. Under conditions of full-scale war, the role of journalists goes far beyond information work.
“They not only counter Russian propaganda, but most importantly, they meticulously document violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Russian Federation. It is thanks to the work of Ukrainian journalists that the whole world learned about the tragedies of Mariupol, Bucha, Irpin, Izium, and many other settlements in Ukraine.”
Serhii Dvornyk, Deputy Chair of the National Commission of Ukraine for UNESCO and Director of the Directorate General for International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, emphasized that the physical and psychological safety of journalists is a necessary condition for the independence and objectivity of the media. That is why Ukraine engages in dialogue with partners on various international platforms about protecting journalists’ rights and safety and ensuring access to information.
“The project supported by UNESCO is a response to the complex challenges of war and an important contribution to building a democratic society. It also promotes the implementation of global standards at the national level, combining psychosocial support with strengthening the professional capacity of media specialists.”
In her remarks, Olha Herasymiuk, Chair of the National Council, noted that before 2014 war journalism was a separate profession, but today for many media workers it has become a daily reality. Editorial offices operate under shelling, journalists broadcast during air raids, and media professionals are persecuted and attacked by drones to prevent them from conveying the truth to the world.
“In such circumstances, media workers need help to recover, regain emotional balance, and build resilience against burnout and fatigue.”
Physical danger, constant psychological pressure, and working with traumatic content, stress, and exhaustion create risks of losing people in the profession. That is why the ReWell-UMedia project was conceived precisely as practical support to overcome the challenges faced by the media in times of war.
“This is our opportunity to respond to the urgent need to support our colleagues, whose work today, without exaggeration, defines the state of society – its resilience, defense capability, and moral spirit,” said Olha Herasymiuk.
Hanna Davydenko, Head of the ReWell-UMedia project and Head of the Council of the NGO Social Perspective, presented the results of the study conducted within the project. It combined quantitative and qualitative methods – surveys, interviews, and focus groups. The project examined the level of safety, sources of stress, psychological condition of media workers, and editorial practices in order to assess the media sector’s ability to respond to prolonged crises.
The practical component of the project consisted of workshops and two three-day training sessions for media professionals, where qualified psychologists and coaches taught self-regulation techniques, helped develop individual stabilization protocols, and provided tools for daily self-support. More than 120 media workers from different regions of the country took part in these activities.
The participants of the roundtable – representatives of the media sector, international organizations, and state institutions – discussed the presented results and shared their views on the matter. Viktoriia Sydorenko, Director of Human Resources at Suspilne Ukraine, noted that the research data correlate with the results of a survey conducted among the broadcaster’s employees. In fact, 80% of them admitted that they are in a state of constant stress.
During the roundtable, journalist and photo correspondent Dmytro Khyliuk shared his own experience of resilience after spending several years in Russian captivity. He emphasized that raising awareness about imprisoned journalists and civilians is vitally important. Publicity often helps at least partially ease the conditions of their detention and restrain the cruelty of prison authorities, who fear excessive attention to their actions.
The main conclusion of the roundtable is that psychological support for media professionals must become a systematically implemented tool within the industry. The proposals voiced during the event will be taken into account in preparing a handbook and an online course, which are planned to be presented as early as April. These resources will help media workers better understand their own reactions and work with them more effectively. In addition, starting tomorrow, media professionals will have the opportunity to register for individual psychological consultations.
The roundtable also featured Viktoriia Sisetska, Advisor to the Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, and Alina Alieksieieva, Deputy Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. They focused on issues of international cooperation in the field of information security, support for veterans in the media space, and countering disinformation campaigns in wartime conditions.
Background:
The project “Resilience and Well-being of Ukrainian Media Professionals at Wartime” (ReWell-UMedia) will provide Ukrainian journalists, editors, and media teams with the necessary tools for psychosocial support and professional recovery under conditions of prolonged stress and constant threats. The project is implemented by the NGO Social Perspective with the support of UNESCO’s Participation Programme, as well as with the assistance of the National Commission of Ukraine for UNESCO and the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting
