ISAR Ednannia presented the results of the third wave of the study on Civil Society in Ukraine During Wartime, 2022–2025, conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology with the support of the Askold and Dir Fund. This is the most extensive study to date on the state of the Ukrainian civil society sector, showing how the war has turned it into a key driver of the country’s recovery. Following the presentation, participants discussed the findings with civic leader, human rights defender, and dissident Yosyf Zisels.
The full-scale invasion became a catalyst for profound transformation. While in 2022 CSOs focused on evacuation, humanitarian aid, and military support, by 2024-2025, they had become co-authors of public policies and national strategies. Civil society has evolved from being ‘volunteers of wartime’ into the architects of the country’s recovery.
The sector continues to grow steadily: between 2022 and 2025, the number of charitable organizations increased by 57%, civil society organizations by 10%, and registered volunteers by 33 times. A typical Ukrainian CSO today is a team of up to 10 people, mostly volunteers, that operates locally and addresses specific community needs.
At the same time, organizations increasingly take on functions traditionally performed by the state: they restore schools, hospitals, and social services; support veterans, displaced persons, and people with disabilities; document war crimes; and develop transparency tools. This forms the phenomenon of an ‘armed democracy’, a model where trust and resilience are built through collective action.
Yet challenges persist: financial instability, staff burnout, and fragmented cooperation with authorities. Despite this, civil society remains the main bearer of public trust. As Yosyf Zisels emphasized during the public interview: “Civil society organizations are the moral backbone of the nation — they hold the country together in its hardest times.”
Today, Ukrainian civil society is not merely a sector but a space of mature responsibility that safeguards the state, culture, and humanity even amid war.
Full report.
Video presentation
The event was organized with the support of the Askold and Dir Fund as a part of the Strong Civil Society of Ukraine - a Driver towards Reforms and Democracy project, implemented by ISAR Ednannia, funded by Norway and Sweden.
