Working Towards Gender Equality in Ukraine's Defense Sector

We are sharing news about an important panel discussion moderated by Larysa Latypova, a member of Women on Boards Ukraine and an advocate for responsible women's leadership for more than 15 years. The discussion took place at the recent "Protection and Respect: The Role of Women in Achieving Peace" forum on January 31, 2024.

The panel, titled "From Policy to Practice: Making Changes for Women in Security and Defense," dove into the ongoing efforts to promote gender equality and create more opportunities for women in Ukraine, especially within the defense sector. It's a work in progress, with challenges like limited funding for state gender programs and the persistence of old-fashioned views and stereotypes in Ukrainian society.

During this engaging discussion, key participants included:

Nataliia Halibarenko, Head of the Mission of Ukraine to NATO (online) Nataliia Kalmykova, Deputy Minister at Ministry of Defence of Ukraine Lyudmila Buymister, Member of Parliament and an active military servicewoman Major Linda Johansson, Officer in Command at the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations (NCGM) Ms. Paula Iwanowska at the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations (NCGM) Matthew Johnson, the Stabilization Advisor at the US Embassy in Kyiv

They talked about what's been done to promote gender equality in their organizations and what's planned for the future. Questions centered around how ministries and civil sectors can work together to support women's rights in environments that have traditionally been male-dominated. The panelists explored strategies to challenge stereotypes and discussed how Ukraine can quickly learn from the experiences of NATO member countries to improve gender issues in the defense sector.

These important discussions laid the groundwork for a diverse conversation on advancing gender equality in Ukraine's defense sector. We are pleased that Larysa Latypova, a member of Women on Boards Ukraine, played a crucial role in moderating and steering the discourse. Panel discussions like this one align with our commitment to collaboration and partnership, contributing to the creation of a more inclusive future for all.