The Ukrainian Women’s Congress presented a sociological study that showed that 68% of Ukrainian women living abroad intend to return to Ukraine.
“The study provides important data that allows us to state that Ukrainian women are ready to return and effectively contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine, but in this process they need support – an adequate level of security, fair economic opportunities and quality education for children,” said Svitlana Voitsekhovska, the co-founder of the Ukrainian Women's Congress during the presentation of the study.
Representatives of security, law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies noted that they have started conducting gender audits of their institutions and have recorded an increase in the number of women employees, including those in leadership positions.
Olena Kondratiuk, the co-founder of the Ukrainian Women's Congress and Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, reminded that this is exactly what the UWC’s task is: to form a vision of gender parity and implement it.
“I would like to highlight several significant changes in the area of gender equality. The list of more than 450 professions prohibited for women has been cancelled. A law on equal rights and opportunities for men and women in military service was adopted. Gender quotas in party election lists were set at 40%. The Strategy for Overcoming the Gender Pay Gap was adopted. These are achievements that we can and should be proud of! And we have no intention of stopping!” said Olena Kondratiuk.
Another achievement is the adoption of the law on ensuring the rights of war veterans to biological post-traumatic fatherhood and motherhood. Now, the military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be able to extract and store their reproductive cells free of charge, so that in case of injury at the front that affects sexual functions, men and women can have children later.
The issue of reproductive rights of defenders was the subject of a detailed discussion at the 7th Ukrainian Women’s Congress.
Mariia Ionova, the co-founder of the UWC, said that the Congress would push for the implementation of this law.
“Our way to implementation is not only the adoption of the law, but for us to witness how servicemen use this service and have children, and we congratulate them on this event,” said Mariia Ionova.
The issue of rehabilitation of female and male veterans was also discussed.
The role of women and gender stereotypes in culture were discussed by Radio Rocks host Sonia Sotnyk and musician and writer Serhii Zhadan. Zhadan criticised the state's attitude to culture based on the "residual principle".
"This clearly characterises the soviet and post-soviet model: here is culture, we won't steal anything from it, so let a woman sit there and sing in a choir. This is disrespectful to both women and culture. This is actually a big problem of cultural transformations in our country," said Serhii Zhadan.
The study "Prerequisites for returning to Ukraine to participate in the reconstruction of Ukrainian women who have found temporary refuge abroad" was conducted by Periscope Research in cooperation with the Educational Cluster "Dream.Action" (Poland) at the request of the Ukrainian Women's Congress with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe project on 1-12 November 2023. 800 Ukrainian women in 18 European countries were interviewed.