UNDP helps Ukrainian Ministry of Defence create new opportunities for women
As official sources say, women make almost 13% of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (18 000 persons). This number is close to the NATO armies statistics. Moreover, today, Ukraine shows better results in military gender equality than countries like Norway (7% of women in the Armed Forces), United Kingdom (9%) or Sweden (5%).
At the beginning of the conference, Petro Kostyuk, acting Head of the Department of Humanity Policy of the Ministry of Defenсe, stressed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine were always traditionally very conservative on gender and women questions, especially in the military service. However, today, the Ministry of Defence has a deeper understanding of gender issues and a will to support positive changes inside the Ministry.
Ilaria Carnevali, Head of Democratic Governance Unit, UNDP Ukraine, confirmed that representatives of the Ministry took the initiative to address UNDP with pertinent propositions for cooperation. The goal of this initiative was to start implementing gender approaches into the work of Ukrainian Armed Forces.
She also informed that today, in line with the reform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the number of women is increasing in the Ministry. The creation of a gender sensitive environment has now become an urgent matter. Gender issues in the army are not only linked directly to the military service per se. They also concern families, everyday life, education, employment, social infrastructures of military bases etc.
Carnevali expressed her hope for further successful cooperation and wished good luck to all participants.
Kostyuk also stressed that contractual military service counts for almost 44% of women. However, it is closely linked to the low salary of such positions: men refuse to serve in these conditions when women accept them. Besides, among high officers, the number of women is very low: only 1 202 women (2,9%).
He added that the Ministry has developed a Plan of actions for the implementation of gender policy in its activities. This Plan was approved by the Ministry and should be completed by the end of 2009.
This Plan of actions envisages a new decree by the Ministry of Defence that will expand the military positions and services available to women. A scientific research on theoretical and practical bases of gender policy in the Armed Forces is also planned.
Natalia Dubchak, Head Officer of the Department of Humanity Policy, announced a photo competition to be organized in July. The themes of the competition are “Love and Protection”, “We are different but we are equal” and “Mum, Dad and me – together we are family”.
The competition is aimed at breaking common stereotypes on women’s roles in society and in family, especially women in the military service.
This competition is also linked to the “Stop Violence!” national campaign on fighting and preventing domestic violence and violence against women and children.
The participants discussed the Plan of actions that contains not only organizational and educational events but also a normative and legal basis for implementing gender approaches in the activities of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
For more information, contact Mykola Yabchenko (Equal Opportunities and Women's Rights in Ukraine Programme): +38 067 290 55 01, +38 044 569 40 75, mykola.yabchenko AT undp.org.ua.
