Gender equality and participation in political life are essential components of modern democratic governance. 16 years ago, at the Millennium Summit in New York, Ukraine signed the UN Millennium Declaration, which includes improving education and ensuring gender equality. By 2015, the number of women in the Ukrainian parliament should have increased to 30%. However, changes are taking place much more slowly — among the people's deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the ninth convocation, there are 318 men and 85 women. In conditions of full-scale war, gender representation in various spheres of activity can change, as well as social demands. So, let's take a closer look at the current situation in Ukrainian politics and its challenges and try to forecast the post-war period.
Сurrent affairs
Having joined the 189 countries of the world that signed the UN Millennium Declaration, Ukraine promised to work on a number of challenges, including improving the level of education and achieving gender balance. Statistics indicate that with each convocation, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine strives for more outstanding gender balance: in the VII convocations among people's deputies, 46 were women, in VIII – 56, and in IX – 87 (this is more than 20% of the entire representation).
Ukraine ranks 87th in the world regarding the level of women's political representation and empowerment. These are the data of the rating of the Global Gender Gap Report 2023, which evaluated the mentioned indicator among 149 countries. According to the same data, Ukraine made progress regarding women's participation in the country's political life — in last year's report, Ukraine ranked 100th. The tendency to growth can be determined by. In part, this trend may be due to the war, where women are a vulnerable social group, which means an additional request for representation and protection of their interests.
The main challenges of Ukrainian women in politics
There is a direct relationship between the growth of gender equality and poverty reduction. This is explained by the fact that women who can be self-sufficient invest much more effort and money in the well-being of their families and communities. The involvement of women in management and law-making initiatives leads to the fact that social policy begins to be actively formed in countries, which, in turn, leads to an increase in the standard of living. It is no coincidence that the highest standard of living in the world is recorded precisely in countries with parity in terms of gender opportunities: Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden.
There are no legal obstacles to women's participation in politics. Starting from the Constitution, Article 24 of which is dedicated to the equality of the rights of men and women in all spheres of life, and ending with all kinds of gender laws, state programs, and ratified international documents, Ukraine declares the equal status of women and men.
So what are the challenges? One of the problems lies in Ukraine's political background, which is similar to many post-Soviet countries. At first glance, progressive and democratic laws do not have really effective, fundamental mechanisms for their implementation — a declaration of rights without a real opportunity to use them. This led to the fact that after the collapse of the USSR, the percentage of women in the parliaments of young independent states fell sharply from 30% to 2%. Quotas have disappeared - the legally established number of women on the electoral rolls. Post-socialist countries immediately returned to their old values. That is why restoring both the qualitative and quantitative presence of women in politics is gradually taking place in Ukraine.
At the end of 2019, a new election code was signed in Ukraine, which provided for the implementation of gender quotas at the level of 40%. This means that at least 2 women and 2 men must be in each top five of the party list, and the last "vacant" place is up for grabs. The quota existed earlier, since 2015. But then it was smaller — 30%, and optional. Non-compliance was not punished in any way but was financially stimulated: if the quota was maintained, the party received additional funding from the budget. Currently, the quota is mandatory: parties that do not keep the quota are denied registration.
Another problem lies in vestiges of Soviet and post-Soviet upbringing. 26% of those who do not accept women leaders today are older people whose worldview was formed in Soviet times. It found a poll conducted in 2015 by the "Democratic Initiatives" foundation on the order of the International Center for Prospective Studies.
Currently, Ukraine is in a kind of buffer zone, in which the war has become an additional catalyst - old views have outlived their usefulness, and the introduction of new reforms, legislation and implementation mechanisms that could satisfy the needs of new generations are in the process of being created. Women in Ukrainian politics still face sexist remarks and prejudice. However, politics is a rather harsh competitive environment. Therefore, such behaviour may not be a manifestation of sexism but a method of inter-party struggle, where the discrediting of a political opponent comes to the fore. It is easiest to achieve this with the help of societal stereotypes. Therefore, the perception of women politicians is only partially positive. Still, the existing challenges should be considered as opportunities to improve the situation, which is why gender quotas and the creation of favourable social and financial conditions for involving women in politics can help at this time.
Gender balance and war
Ukrainian women in politics during times of war have shown immense resilience, determination, and an unwavering commitment to their country. As Ukraine faces the challenges and upheaval of conflict, women have emerged as significant players in shaping the political landscape and driving change.
One notable example is Hanna Hopko. Before Russia unleashed a full-scale war against Ukraine, Hanna was a public activist, the People's Deputy of Ukraine, head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Affairs, and an expert on international politics. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Hanna has focused on work in two civil society organizations: the Network for the Protection of National Interests "ANTS" and the International Center for Ukrainian Victory. Both of these organizations support Ukraine and Ukrainians at the individual, community, and even global levels. They help those communities that survived the occupation recover and rebuild their lives, support the Armed Forces, and help Ukraine establish and strengthen ties with international partners.
Ukrainian women are instrumental in advocating for peace and negotiations. They have actively participated in peace talks and negotiations, both domestically and internationally. Women politicians have been particularly influential in calling for dialogue, finding common ground, and pushing for peaceful resolutions to the conflict. They have emphasized the importance of inclusivity and the need for women's voices to be heard in shaping the peace process. In addition to their contributions to peacebuilding efforts, Ukrainian women have been at the forefront of defending human rights and addressing the needs of affected communities. Women politicians have prioritized issues such as humanitarian aid, protection of civilians, and support for internally displaced persons (IDPs). They have worked tirelessly to ensure that the rights and dignity of all individuals, especially women and children, are protected during times of war.
Moreover, they call for the inclusion of gender perspectives in policy development, recognizing women's unique experiences and needs during times of conflict. By actively participating in peace negotiations, defending human rights, and advocating for gender balance, Ukrainian women have made significant strides towards a more inclusive and equitable society, both during times of war and in its aftermath. Their leadership and dedication offer hope for a better future for Ukraine.
New female faces in times of rebuilding of Ukraine?
Given the country's needs and demographic situation, women will play a tremendous role in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. The low representation and marginal participation of women in political and decision-making processes is a serious challenge to democracy, as more than 50% of citizens are de facto eliminated from participation in public administration.
Taking into account the demographic disbalance caused by the war and the refugee crisis, this number is growing.
In August 2022, amid the full-scale Russian invasion, the Ukrainian government adopted the State Strategy to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men for the period until 2030. It approved the operational plan for its implementation for 2022-2024 (Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, 2022), reaffirming its commitment to promote gender equality in Ukraine, focusing on empowering women and eliminating gender-based discrimination in all areas of life. The Strategy follows a number of earlier legislative initiatives that had placed gender equality at the centre of Ukrainian public policy and included a comprehensive approach to the design of fiscal policy at the central and local government level, adopting the principles of gender-responsive budgeting (GRB). Given substantial gender gaps in numerous areas of life in Ukrainian society, these principles will have to be considered in the future reconstruction process to address such disparities.
Women's active participation in state decisions will positively affect the broader and better representation of the different layers of the Ukrainian population.
Ukraine needs to create an ecosystem with the support of the state and international partners, which will provide women with inclusive access to education, programs for advanced training or retraining, and the necessary conditions to promote the development of women's involvement in politics. Women of Ukraine have already demonstrated the power of the economy of social impact — since last February; we have seen more women in leadership positions actively engaged in helping displaced people, refugees and the army. In the country's recovery, the role of women in making management decisions will increase.
Ukraine is undergoing a transformation and, therefore, needs new faces to implement new processes and solutions. many competent women in Ukraine can be in power, but few are in the public space. It should be emphasized that although gender quotas will increase the number of women in management positions, specific faces can be named after the next parliamentary elections. Appointment of new officials will take place taking into account the party majority of one or another party.
It is worth paying attention to the influential figures currently present in the public space. These women may move from work in the third sector or military positions to the political sector.
Among them may be the famous Ukrainian paramedic and human rights defender Yulia Paevska (also known as Taira). Since 2014, Yulia has participated as a paramedic in the Revolution of Dignity and the war in Eastern Ukraine. On March 16, 2022, during the siege of Mariupol, she was captured by the Russians and was released three months later on June 17, 2022. She was awarded the award of the President of Ukraine "For humanitarian participation in an anti-terrorist operation", the order "National Hero of Ukraine", medals "For assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine" and "Defender of the Motherland", badges "Badge of Honor" and "For services to the Armed Forces of Ukraine" and currently runs her own fund and continues rising awareness about the war in Ukraine.
Another brave woman who leads the defence of Ukraine is the head of the public organization "Women's Volunteer Movement", a sergeant of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine Adriana Arekhta. Together with like-minded female veterans who united in the NGO "Women's Veteran Movement", she achieved legislative changes so that women could hold combat positions in the Ukrainian army. Currently, the organization systematically protects women's rights in the Armed Forces. Arekhta took part in the liberation of Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson regions. On behalf of Valery Zaluzhnyi, as part of a women's delegation, she flew to Washington to speed up the delivery of Abrams tanks and other heavy weapons to Ukraine. In December 2022, Arekhta was blown up by an anti-tank mine, but she wants to return to the army as soon as possible after rehabilitation.
One of the youngest but most promising women in the Ukrainian modern political lide is the commander of the medical volunteer battalion "Hospitaliers" Yana Zinkevich. In 2014, 19-year-old Yana Zinkevich created the "Hospitaliers" medical battalion, which saved more than 3,000 lives during the hostilities in Donbas. Zinkevich has 200 rescued. "Hospitaliers" still exist. They are still at the front; about 100 volunteers serve there. Zinkevich does not have a higher medical education. She entered a specialized university in 2017. A few years ago, Zinkevich got into a car accident and ended up confined to a wheelchair. She did not give up. Having passed to the Verkhovna Rada ("European Solidarity"), she keeps submitting law drafts on the protection of the rights of participants in the hostilities in Donbas. She also fights to include military hospitals in the second stage of the medical reform.
Ukrainian women are speaking up for their voices and calling for peace. One of these women is Oleksandra Matviychuk, the head of the Center for Civil Liberties organization, which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Oleksandra Matviychuk's Nobel speech, together with the standard modern Ukrainian image of the speaker herself, became an event in both Ukrainian and world public intellectual life, breaking the pattern of stereotypical provinciality of Ukraine, with its focus on its own problems and pain. Oleksandra's speech is a testament to Ukraine's ability to shape a global agenda based on ethics.
Another influential woman in modern Ukraine is the head of the human rights organization Fight For Right Yuliya Sachuk. Founded in 2017, Fight For Right has been engaged in the evacuation of Ukrainians with disabilities from the first day of the invasion and provides humanitarian, psychological, and legal assistance. The second front is the struggle to ensure that the cities destroyed by the occupiers are immediately rebuilt in a convenient and accessible way.
The co-founder of the public organization Razom for Ukraine and the founder of the charity fund Dignitas Lyubov Shipovych is also helping Ukraine. Since February 24, the team under the leadership of Shipovych has collected more than $50 million to help the front. The lion's share of this money was spent on equipment for aerial reconnaissance, covering the critical need for drones, walkie-talkies, and tablets in the first months of a full-scale invasion.
Currently, Shipovych supports Ukrainian defenders through his own charity Dignitas Fund, which recently launched a new "Angry Birds" fundraiser to purchase 1,000+ Ukrainian FPV attack drones.
Of course, whether any of these women will emerge as true leaders in the post-war period remains to be seen. Ukraine's political landscape is notoriously complex and unpredictable, and the country will need robust and determined leadership from all quarters to successfully navigate the challenges ahead.