She Leads Ukraine | Women's Leadership in Kyiv: Experiences of War and Participation in Recovery
Every morning, Kyiv wakes up after air raid alerts and continues to move forward. Behind the resilience of Ukraine's capital are the people who work every day to keep the city running. Among them are women making decisions, coordinating municipal services, supporting communities, and helping Kyiv recover.
This video was produced following the She Leads Ukraine forum, "Women's Leadership in Kyiv: Experiences of War and Participation in Recovery," which brought together representatives of the Kyiv City State Administration, Kyiv City Council, district state administrations, public institutions, international organizations, and civil society.
During the forum, participants discussed the role of women in local governance, their contribution to ensuring the continuity of essential city services during the war, their participation in recovery efforts, and the importance of advancing women's leadership, mentorship, and professional peer support. The forum served as a platform for exchanging experiences, building partnerships, and identifying joint solutions to promote a more inclusive and gender-responsive recovery of the capital.
Featured speakers include:
- Sabine Freizer Gunes, UN Women Representative in Ukraine;
- Maryna Khonda, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration;
- Nataliia Berikashvili, Member of the Kyiv City Council;
- Mariia Aleksandrova, Deputy Head of the Solomianskyi District State Administration in Kyiv;
- Lesia Zubrytska, Member of the Kyiv City Council;
- Hanna Starostenko, Member of the Kyiv City Council and Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration.
The forum provided a space for participants to exchange experiences, strengthen professional networks, and identify joint solutions to advance women's participation in local governance and Ukraine's recovery.
The She Leads Ukraine initiative is implemented under the UN Women Ukraine Strategic Note 2025–2029, with financial support from the Governments of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland, and Sweden, in cooperation with the Central Election Commission of Ukraine and the Inter-Factional Parliamentary Equal Opportunities Caucus.