A five-day training session for gender advisors from local communities and districts in Donetsk Oblast has concluded in Dnipro. The training marked an important step in strengthening the professional capacity of these specialists to implement state policies ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men, as well as to advance the “Women, Peace, and Security” agenda.
The event was organized by the “Slavic Heart” Charitable Foundation with technical support from UN Women in Ukraine and funding from the UN Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), with support from the Department of Family, Youth, and Mass Events for National-Patriotic Education of the Donetsk Regional State Administration.
Oleksandr Shevchenko, Deputy Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration, addressed the training participants with a welcoming speech: “Today, gender advisors are not merely individuals responsible for a specific area of work. They are experts who help communities develop more effective, responsive, and equitable governance decisions. Under current conditions, this is of particular importance for the Donetsk region, because even despite all the challenges of war, communities continue to work, support people, and seek effective response mechanisms. That is why the knowledge gained during this training must be put into practice so that the implementation of state policy is as effective as possible.”
Twenty gender advisors from local communities and districts in Donetsk Oblast participated in the training. Upon completion of the five-day training, they received certificates of successful completion.
Over the course of five days, the participants explored topics such as gender equality, gender-based violence, a trauma-informed approach, nonviolent communication, gender analysis, gender-responsive budgeting, interagency cooperation, and practical mechanisms for responding to contemporary challenges in communities.
Natalia Kirkach, Advisor to the Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration on ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men, and on preventing and countering gender-based violence, emphasized: “It is important not only to know the principles of gender equality, but also to be able to apply them in local programs, budgets, service systems, and daily interactions with the public. This is precisely how policies are formed that take into account the individual, their needs, and vulnerabilities.”
For the Donetsk region, which continues to operate amid constant security challenges, the relocation of institutions, and the forced displacement of the population, such work is of great importance. The issue of developing policies that are responsive to people’s needs is becoming particularly relevant.
The event served as a platform for exchanging experiences, strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration, and building a professional support network among women representatives of Donetsk Oblast communities. The knowledge and practical skills gained will help these professionals respond more effectively to the challenges of wartime.