Guide on Gender Mainstreaming in Regional and Local Development Strategies for Recovery

The full-scale Russian invasion has profoundly altered Ukraine’s regional and local development priorities, reshaping demographics and creating significant socio-economic challenges. Women and girls, particularly those from vulnerable groups, have been disproportionately affected. State and local authorities face unprecedented difficulties across all areas of public life, highlighting the urgent need for gender-sensitive decision-making.

To support government bodies in addressing these challenges, UN Women Ukraine presents a new Guide on Gender Mainstreaming in Regional and Local Development Strategies for Recovery. This essential resource equips civil servants and officials with practical tools to integrate gender perspectives into strategic documents, ensuring equitable and inclusive development and recovery for all.

Despite the challenges imposed by Russia’s aggression and martial law constraints on data collection, the Government of Ukraine’s gender mainstreaming framework remains highly relevant and effective. The State Strategy for Regional Development (2021-2027) and the Instruction on Gender Mainstreaming in Regulatory and Legal Acts provide a robust legal and policy foundation for integrating gender considerations into planning and governance at all levels.

This guide aligns with key national strategies, including the updated State Strategy for Regional Development until 2027 and the Ukraine Facility Plan. It empowers policymakers to adopt gender-responsive approaches that foster resilience, inclusivity, and equal opportunities for women and men in Ukraine’s post-war recovery.

Developed with expert support from UN Women Ukraine and financial assistance from the Governments of Denmark and Sweden, this guide is a vital step toward ensuring that Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery leave no one behind.

Read the full guide to strengthen gender equality in regional and local development.

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