On November 28, the She Leads Women forum was held in Kyiv, bringing together Ukrainian female leaders, experts, representatives of government bodies, diplomatic institutions and international partners to strengthen women's political participation in Ukraine, provide them with mutual support, motivation, mentorship and prepare them for the upcoming elections.
Among the participants were 19 representatives of Donetsk region who were trained under the She Leads Ukraine program. They received practical skills in political leadership, strategic communication and effective interaction with communities. After all, despite the war, Ukrainian women play a leading role in the country's reconstruction, humanitarian response, peacekeeping and strengthening democratic processes.
The She Leads Ukraine program demonstrates that women from frontline regions are ready and able to lead the processes of reconstruction and democratic change in their communities.
During the year of the program, 35 certified trainers prepared 600 women leaders to participate in elections and decision-making in their communities. The program is designed to strengthen women’s political participation in response to their low representation in government: currently, only 21.2% of women are in the Verkhovna Rada, and 4 of the 17 ministers are women.
“I am proud of every participant, every trainer, and every partner organization that invests every day in creating a Ukraine where women and men have equal opportunities to influence decisions and build a peaceful, just future,” says Liliya Kislitsyna, President of the NGO “Smarta” and Head of the Secretariat of the Coalition 1325 Donetsk Region. As a certified UN Women trainer under the She Leads Ukraine program, she has been able to inspire change in almost 130 women from Donetsk, Lviv, and other regions of Ukraine.
The She Leads Ukraine initiative is a unique program to build women's political participation and leadership, implemented by UN Women in Ukraine in partnership with the civil society organizations "Women's Consortium of Ukraine" and "Bureau of Gender Strategies and Budgeting" in cooperation with the Central Election Commission of Ukraine and the Inter-Faction Association "Equal Opportunities" in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine with financial support from the governments of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.