The role of women in peacekeeping is on a rapid rise in Ukraine - Iryna Herashchenko
Yesterday, on September 26, 2017, there took place the opening of the OSCE-ODIHR conference “Human Dimension of Security in Ukraine”, attended by the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Iryna Herashchenko. The event was dedicated to the pressing issues on reinforcement of the human dimension of security.
In her speech, the First Vice-Speaker expressed her sincere thanks to the OSCE representatives, and Melanne Verveer, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office on Gender Issues, in particular, for their sustained cooperation and support of many years aimed at introduction of gender equality.
Under the war, the women’s peacekeeping role was said to be of the greatest importance as they are doing their utmost to get peace back to the Donbas, and make the Crimea de-occupied.
In the course of the discussion, the politicians have talked over the increasing role of women in peacekeeping processes in Ukraine; a towering figure of women enrolled in the Armed Forces of Ukraine (some 24 000 persons as of September 5, 2017); introduction of a gender equality context in the law enforcement authorities, inclusive dialogue, efforts taken by politicians, public activists, volunteers to achieve peace; tackling humanitarian problems in the Donbas, and liberation of the hostages.
Particular attention was paid to the security and humanitarian situation in the Donbas, protection of the internally displaced persons’ rights, most of which are women and children. There was also scrutinized a complicated process of the hostages liberation, which has for a year been pending. “It's outrageous that even the Ukrainian ombudswoman has been deprived of access to the seized Ukrainians throughout the territory occupied,” stressed Iryna Herashchenko, the Presidential envoy for the peaceful settlement of the Donetsk-Luhansk clash.
With focus on the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the so called Istanbul Convention), there also were discussed the gender issues, which, as I.Herashchenko said, are extremely vital for the Parliament under the galloping rise of social aggression.
In turn, Melanne
Verveer, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office on
Gender Issues, has pointed out the grand changes in Ukraine’s political life
through the increased female role and, thereby, the influence over the
high-level management activities. The de-centralization reform has also offered
broader political powers for even local-level lady deputies, which would surely
contribute to a swifter establishment of Ukraine’s gender culture vastly.
The OSCE-ODIHR conference was also attended by Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir (Iceland), the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Austria to Ukraine Hermine Poppeller, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Valeriia Lutkovska, the Acting Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Directorate General for International Organizations Andrii Pravednyk, PhD in Political Science, Professor President of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Andrii Meleshevych.