Speaker: Anna
Job title: President
Company: Kharkiv Pride, NGO WA Sphere (Ukraine)

About the spreaker
Anna Sharyhina, a Ukrainian feminist and LGBTIQ+ activist, President of the Women’s Association “Sphere”, co-founder of KharkivPride, co-founder and Chair of NGO KyivPride. Since 2006, She has dedicated her life to advancing human rights, gender equality, and LGBTIQ+ visibility in Ukraine. In 2008, WA Sphere was registered as a community organisation uniting socially active women and LGBTIQ+ people in Kharkiv and beyond, and she worked as Program Director until 2023 before becoming President. Under her leadership, WA Sphere organised the first feminist action in Kharkiv (2009), opened a community hub, and launched KharkivPride, including pioneering formats such as motor rally marches or Pride in the underground during wartime. In 2015-2017, she served as a lecturer on tolerance, non‑discrimination, and domestic violence prevention at the Police Academy of Ukraine, contributing directly to systemic human rights education. In 2016, she founded Queer Home Kharkiv, the city’s first LGBTIQ+ community centre, and in 2017 organised Kharkiv’s first action for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, laying groundwork for sustained Pride activism in the region. She has worked extensively with media, public advocacy, and international engagement to raise awareness of LGBTIQ+ issues during Ukraine’s full‑scale war, including spotlighting the challenges faced by LGBTIQ+ military personnel and advocating for legal recognition and equal rights at national and global events. Through educational events, community support initiatives, and international collaboration, she strives to create space for diverse LGBTIQ+ voices and amplify their stories on the world stage. In addition, she is convinced that Pride events with greater visibility or accessibility can create opportunities for those who lack them, fostering solidarity in a wide variety of contexts.