"War steals their childhood." Ukrainian teenagers forced to take on adult responsibilities

This was reported by EuroNewsWeek about the data of a Ukrainian activist and participant in a study on the situation of Ukrainian women during the war.

As indicated, teenagers, especially girls, take care of younger siblings and help with household chores. But their own emotional state is often ignored.

War steals their childhood, forcing them to grow up too quickly, without proper attention to their own personal feelings, the researcher notes.

She notes that a situation where the burden of caring responsibilities is placed solely on the families themselves, who are mostly in a vulnerable state, has its own consequences.

The trauma of loss is also not discussed – when loved ones are killed, disappear, or leave. Women are left alone with their children, elderly parents, and the burden of heavy responsibility. Amid all this, women continue to serve as support pillars, but often at the cost of their own health, she notes.

The unspoken losses, trauma and burnout, psychological and physical exhaustion of women eventually culminates in domestic violence, especially in families left without a home and a steady income.

To ease the burden on women and acknowledge the impact of reproductive labour during and after war, the activist believes that fundamental needs must be addressed, including "a funded support system to ensure access to psychologists, social workers and compensation for caregivers."

It is also important to recognise 'care work' as vital to overall national renewal.

The wartime reproductive labor of the Ukrainian women is not only about caring for others — it is a struggle to preserve the very meaning of life. It is a quiet, but steadfast revolution that demands attention, recognition, and support. Not because women ‘can handle it,’ but because they should not have to bear it all alone, says the Ukrainian activist.