The Ukrainian Women’s Congress 2025 was held in Kyiv under the main slogan “The Courage to Be Yourself!” The event was traditionally opened by Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and co-founder of the Congress.
In her opening remarks, Kondratiuk emphasized that this year’s Congress is dedicated to every woman’s courage — to be heard, to influence, to create change in society, and to remain true to herself despite the challenges of war.
“Ukrainian women are showing the world strength, leadership, and determination. Our task is to create conditions in which women’s potential becomes a driving force for the country’s recovery and development,”
— said Olena Kondratiuk.
In her welcoming address, First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska drew attention to the importance of visibility and support for women’s roles in all spheres of life — from security and defense to the economy, diplomacy, and education. She called for strengthening support for women who choose to serve the state and their communities under the most difficult conditions of wartime.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko highlighted the importance of women’s economic participation and their contribution to the resilience of the national economy amid full-scale war. She emphasized that supporting women’s entrepreneurship, expanding women’s access to economic opportunities, and removing barriers to career advancement are among the key priorities of the Government. Svyrydenko also noted the crucial role of women in Ukraine’s recovery process and called for the expansion of programs that foster professional fulfillment for Ukrainian women.
The Congress brought together female government officials, diplomats, representatives of international organizations, the security sector, business, media, education, civil society, and local communities. Within four thematic discussion platforms, participants explored key directions for developing women’s leadership, inclusion, and influence in public life.
The main discussion topics included:
• The Courage to Be the First — development of women’s and youth leadership, new forms of civic engagement, and the role of women in driving social change;
• The Courage to Be Visible — strengthening public recognition of women’s contributions, and the role of media, business, communities, and education in shaping a positive image of women leaders;
• The Courage to Be in Power — expanding women’s participation in politics, public administration, diplomacy, defense, and decision-making processes;
• The Courage to Be Different — promoting inclusion, ensuring equal access to opportunities, overcoming bias, and supporting women from diverse social groups and regions.
The delegation from Donetsk region took part in all key panel discussions, particularly those focusing on expanding women’s participation in decision-making, strengthening institutional capacity of communities during wartime, and implementing approaches consistent with the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.
The Ukrainian Women’s Congress is an annual public platform for shaping state policy on equal rights and opportunities for women and men. It was founded in 2017 by Olena Kondratiuk, Mariia Ionova, and Svitlana Voitsekhovska.