The Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Olena Kondratiuk took part in a meeting of the Women’s Leadership Academy at the Kyiv City State Administration, organised on the initiative of Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration Maryna Honda.
The main topics of the meeting were women’s leadership, steadfastness and solidarity in the conditions of a full-scale war, new challenges and women’s contribution to the Victory.
According to Olena Kondratiuk, in the context of russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian women had to discover new strengths and rethink their values.
“98% of women working in the social sphere of the capital – all of them stayed in Kyiv, working with people who needed constant attention, care and hope in the face of the russian offensive.
I am proud of the fact that everywhere in the country, women from local self-government continued to do their job despite all the horrors of war. Women like Olena Shvydka, the Head of the Ivankivska community in Chernihiv Oblast. I also want to mention Olga Suhenko, the Head of the village of Motyzhyn, who was tortured by the occupiers. Together with her, all the women who were killed in this war. We don’t even have exact figures on how many of them, our sisters, were killed,” the Vice Speaker said in her lecture to the participants.
She also noted that the war has revealed a new superpower of women’s leadership – in the army, as today there are almost 60,000 women in the Armed Forces, the highest number among NATO armies. About 5,000 women are taking part in the fighting, of whom about 10 per cent have joined the ATO forces. Since February, 101 women defenders have been killed, and there are missing and wounded. More than 350 women have received state awards, two of them posthumously.
“We all know the medic Tyra, Birdie from Azovstal, sniper Evgeniya Emerald, our Joan of Arc. Their actions, steadfastness and heroism inspired and inspire us and lead us.
We are grateful to the 70% of women who volunteer. We are grateful to those who hold the economy on their shoulders, because 48% of new small businesses were started by women during the war, and we have 10% of female veteran entrepreneurs in our country,” said Olena Kondratiuk.
In addition, she reminded that the war forced almost 8 million people to leave their homes, 87% of them were women with children. 40% of women have already found jobs in Europe so that they are not dependent on aid and are actively involved in economic processes, demonstrating leadership qualities.
“As Vice-Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, I have visited dozens of centres providing assistance to our refugees in the EU, talked to our women and, believe me, it is very difficult: to be in a foreign country, learn the language, enrol children in schools, learn to live in other traditions, draw up the necessary documents, find a job, and also help the Armed Forces, collect and send humanitarian aid to the homeland,” said Olena Kondratiuk.
In conclusion, the Vice Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament called on Ukrainian women to continue to unite around the main task – our future Victory – and to actively join the reconstruction of our country, which requires more than $750 billion. She emphasised that women’s role in decision-making and fair distribution of resources should be key.
“72% of the Ukrainian population wants to see women in key leadership positions when it comes to rebuilding and reforms after the victory in this war. I am confident that women will cope and become very energetic generators of these processes!” said the Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine during the meeting.