Many people know the experience of seeking help and finding that it becomes not a relief, but a new trial. In theory, there are procedures, institutions, and professionals. In practice, however, a person runs into barriers that drain their energy, undermine their dignity, and make them wonder: “Do I even have the right to this support?”
These barriers can take many forms. Sometimes it’s bureaucracy. Sometimes it’s a lack of information. Sometimes it’s the human factor: low awareness, bias, or an unwillingness to engage with a person’s situation. And sometimes it’s all of the above.
Barriers that are hard to see from the outside
The problem of access rarely looks like a direct ban. Much more often, it consists of “blurred” obstacles that are difficult to name with a single word:
On paper, everything may look “correct.” But the person is still left without an answer to the main question: what do I do next?
Why this is dangerous
When there is no clarity and no transparent procedure, a person can get trapped. They don’t know which steps are right, where they can turn, or how to protect their rights. Anxiety grows, trust erodes, and a sense of powerlessness sets in.
This is especially painful for people who are already in a vulnerable situation—because of war, loss of home, experiences of violence, stigma, or discrimination. For them, another “no without explanation” can mean not just a delay in the process, but retraumatization.
A story many will recognize
Someone reached out to our organization after spending a long time trying to access necessary medical care and complete the formal steps required for further life decisions. They visited medical facilities several times and underwent examinations, but again and again they were left without a clear written response.
The hardest part was not the “no” itself, but the lack of a reasoned explanation. Without a written decision, it is impossible to understand the situation, to appeal it properly, or to move forward with confidence.
When the pressure became too high and their strength was at its limit, the person began searching for support in a place where they would be heard—and where the process could be broken down into clear steps.
What support looks like when the system is confusing
In cases like this, our work is not a “magic button” that instantly solves everything. It is steady, step-by-step support where both legal precision and humanity matter.
We help to:
In complex cases, we collaborate with partner organizations that provide legal and advocacy support. This makes it possible to act systematically, consistently, and more safely for the person involved.
When an answer appears, stability returns
In this case, the process took time and required resilience. But the most important thing is that the person was able to reach an outcome: obtain the necessary conclusions and move on to the next life steps without further retraumatization. Today, they are rebuilding stability, planning for the future, and returning to ordinary things that seem simple—but in reality require safety, steadiness, and support: work, documents, respectful communication, and the ability to be oneself.
Results like this become possible thanks to the shared work of the Convictus Ukraine team—psychologists, case managers, and other specialists who supported the person step by step. In stories like these, it is not only legal consistency that matters, but also humanity: staying close, helping a person hold on to stability, explaining, supporting, and not leaving them alone with bureaucracy and uncertainty.
Why we talk about this
Because this problem is not isolated. People in very different life circumstances can face a “system” that feels unclear and closed. And then they need not only a service, but also a guide—someone who helps them understand the process, restore clarity, and regain a sense of control.
We believe that access to support is not a privilege, and not a matter of “luck.” It is a right. And a right works when procedures are transparent, institutions are accountable, and support is delivered with dignity and care.
This material was created within the project “Equality Kyiv: Rights and Health for Vulnerable Groups in Times of War,” implemented with the support of Medicus Mundi Mediterrània and funded by Ajuntament de Barcelona. Ajuntament de Barcelona does not necessarily share the views expressed in this material.