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30 May 2026
U.S. Congressmen and Deputy Minister attend demographic forum in Odesa
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PHOTO: Intent/Natalia Dovbysh
The demographic forum "Family, Health, Future: How to Save the Nation in Times of War" was held in Odesa at Odrex Medical Hub.
Among the special guests of the Forum were Lyudmyla Shemelynets, First Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine; Tim Walberg, U.S. Congressman and Chairman of the Committee on Education and Workforce; Doug Burley, Coordinator of the Presidential Prayer Breakfasts in the United States, Doctor of Law, Professor, expert on education and science Yulia Gryshyna; and Oksana Rokunets-Sorochan, Director of the Health Department of the Odesa Regional Military Administration.
The first panel was devoted to the demographic situation in Ukraine during the war and the role of family policy in preserving the future of the state. Participants discussed why Ukrainian families are postponing childbearing, how war, migration and family separation affect demographic behavior, and what solutions are needed to bring Ukrainian families and children back from abroad.
The second panel focused on the health of the nation as the basis for demographic and societal recovery. Participants discussed the effects of the war on the physical and mental health of Ukrainians, rehabilitation of military and civilians, and support for mothers, children, veterans, people with disabilities, and families going through long-term recovery.
The third panel combined the medical, social, and value-based optics of the topic of childbirth in wartime. Participants discussed the reproductive health of women and men, the impact of stress, migration, loss and uncertainty on parenthood decisions, and support for pregnant women, mothers and young families.
The Demographic Forum has become a platform for dialogue between the state, medical community, civil society, international partners and local communities on how Ukraine can preserve human potential and shape a sustainable future after the war.
