Social advocacy in working with families of military servants in Ukraine

The relevance of the study is due to the increase in the number of military families who are in a vulnerable state due to the numerous problems they face during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the need to characterize the forms of social advocacy to solve them. The purpose of the article is to identify the problems of military families and characterize the forms of social advocacy in working with military families. To achieve the goal, the following tasks were set: to reveal the features of military families as a vulnerable category of the population and to identify their problems caused by the participation of a family member in hostilities; to characterize the forms of social advocacy to solve the problems of military families in Ukraine. The following methods were used: analysis, synthesis and systematization of scientific sources to determine the basic concepts of the study, characterization of military families and identification of their problems; a method of comparison and analysis of the regulatory and legal framework to determine the legal foundations of social advocacy with vulnerable groups of the population and identify the forms and content of social advocacy in working with families of military personnel in Ukraine. 7 groups of problems of military families in Ukraine were identified (psychological, family and interpersonal problems, problems with the upbringing and development of children, social, financial, household, legal and administrative). The following forms of social advocacy to solve the problems of military families in Ukraine were identified: individual advocacy; research and policy development; lobbying and direct dialogue with government representatives; organization of intersectoral interaction and dialogue platforms; educational advocacy and community mobilization; development of leadership potential and agency of military families; cooperation with the media; coalition advocacy and network interaction; support for civil society organizations; change of social norms and behavior; legal (juridical) advocacy; monitoring and accountability. It has been established that social advocacy in working with families of military personnel requires a comprehensive approach, which involves combining various forms of social advocacy, coordinating the efforts of state bodies and public organizations, professional training of social workers, and developing the advocacy potential of the families of military personnel themselves.