Polina Gerelchuk

Available to hire

I’m Polina, a communications and advocacy professional with over 12 years of experience supporting international NGOs and human rights initiatives.

About

I’m Polina, a communications and advocacy professional with over 12 years of experience supporting international NGOs and human rights initiatives. I build and run cross-media campaigns that engage diverse audiences, drive social impact, and fuel sustainable change. I’m passionate about partnerships with EU institutions, civil society, and media, and I enjoy leading teams to deliver high-impact results in fast-paced environments.

My work spans multimedia content production, strategic communications, and event coordination. I excel at developing and executing campaigns, coordinating complex cross-platform workflows, and translating policy and human-rights priorities into accessible messaging for varied audiences.

  • Joined October 2025

Languages

  • RussianFluent
  • EnglishFluent
  • DutchAdvanced
  • FrenchIntermediate

Industry experience

  • Non-Profit Organization
  • Media & Entertainment
  • Education
  • Government
  • Professional Services

Projects · 1

Created videos and animations, and managed and supported the development of this account:

https://www.instagram.com/humanrightswatch/

- Maintaining and growing the presence in social media on Facebook , Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, VK and Telegram;
- Coordinating and host Twitter Spaces;
- Monitoring and distributing data reports on social media performance;
- Assisting with influencer and paid growth strategies to increase HRW’s audience;
- Pitching HRW stories to other successful Russian language social media accounts;
- Requesting translations for material outside of Russia and look for trends to see what resonates;
- Helping vet translations and improve the translation pipeline;
- Generating text, graphics, video, and other assets for social media, either directly or by working with the Digital Division’s graphic designer or contractors;
- Drafting and translating material specifically for social media that might appeal to a Russian-speaking audience, working with HRW’s Multimedia Division to translate photo essay captions and video subtitles in a timely manner, publishing to the HRW website, and sharing engaging content on HRW social media channels;
- Curating a dynamic Russian-language homepage and posting new articles to the site when necessary;
- Researching alternative platforms to explore possible new pathways to Russian-speaking audiences; 
- Assisting with advocacy tasks- Maintaining and growing the Russian language presence in social media on Facebook , Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, VK and Telegram; 
- Coordinating and host Twitter Spaces; - Monitoring and distributing data reports on social media performance; 
- Assisting with influencer and paid growth strategies to increase HRW’s audience; - Pitching HRW stories to other successful Russian language social media accounts; 
  • Requesting translations for material outside of Russia and look for trends to see what resonates; - Helping vet translations and improve the translation pipeline;
  • Generating text, graphics, video, and other assets for social media, either directly or by working with the Digital Division’s graphic designer or contractors;
  • Drafting and translating material specifically for social media that might appeal to a Russian-speaking audience, working with HRW’s Multimedia Division to translate photo essay captions and video subtitles in a timely manner, publishing to the HRW website, and sharing engaging content on HRW social media channels; - Curating a dynamic Russian-language homepage and posting new articles to the site when necessary; - Researching alternative platforms to explore possible new pathways to Russian-speaking audiences; - Assisting with advocacy tasks

Work experience· 11 roles

Strategic Communications Manager · Pax ChristiJun 2024 – Present · 2 yrs 6 mos

Developed and implemented cross-media communications strategies; increased community engagement by 200%; led advocacy on disarmament, youth in peace, and humanitarian law; built partnerships with EU institutions and civil society; created 26 newsletters for 12,500 subscribers; facilitated 50 events including lectures, film screenings, silent circles, actions, and debates.

Social Media/Web Manager · Human Rights Watch, Brussels, BelgiumFeb 2024 – Oct 2025 · 1 yr 9 mos

Expanded and managed the Russian-language presence across multiple social media platforms; grew followers by 200%; led strategic social media initiatives including coordinating and hosting 6 live digital events; assisted the European Media and Editorial Director in preparing and creating HRW Daily Briefs (65); translated, proofread, and published 35 articles on the website; supported the Voices for Justice fundraising gala.

Communications Officer, Membership and Outreach · Voices for Justice / EARSC, Brussels, BelgiumJan 2023 – Oct 2025 · 2 yrs 10 mos

Planned and implemented a complex communications strategy; monitored EU space and environmental policy and funding; provided regular policy updates to 150 members; built and managed partnerships with EU institutions and 145 members; coordinated high-level dialogues with institutional partners.

Advocacy Volunteer · Ukrainian Refugees Advocacy, Brussels, BelgiumJan 2022 – Present · 4 yrs 11 mos
Advocacy/Support Worker · Cherut BelgiumDec 2020 – Oct 2025 · 4 yrs 11 mos
Communications and Project Coordinator · EU Commission - Specially Unknown Oral History Project, Antwerp, BelgiumSep 2019 – Oct 2025 · 6 yrs 2 mos
Cultural Activities Project Coordinator · Taamaat Project, Antwerp, BelgiumJul 2019 – Oct 2025 · 6 yrs 4 mos
Communications Manager · Hotger Corp., Rostov-on-Don, RussiaJul 2017 – Oct 2025 · 8 yrs 4 mos

Education

Master of Science · Institute of Development Policy (IOB), University of Antwerp2019 – 2020
Master’s Degree in Business Administration and Management with specialization in Strategic Communications & Marketing · University of Antwerp2017 – 2019
Course: Diversity and Migration (EU Asylum and Migration Laws) · Antwerp Summer University, Europe2019
Master's Degree in International Journalism · Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia2007 – 2012

Certifications and awards

Workshop: Trauma-Informed Reporting on Migrants and Refugees2017
Migration History Course2017

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