Olena Stryzhak is the Head of the Board of the NGO “Positive Women”, an activist and human rights advocate for women living with HIV in Ukraine. In 2000, when she was pregnant, Olena was diagnosed with HIV. But two years later, she became an activist and began helping other HIV-positive women go through this journey more easily.

The educational program “Dream and Achieve” announces the start of applications. The program is aimed at supporting Ukrainian women affected by the full-scale Russian invasion. Participation in the program provides an opportunity to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to create or develop an online business, as well as financial support in the amount of $1,000 upon completion of the program.

Women’s economic empowerment is essential to promoting women’s rights and gender equality. Central to this effort is employment, which not only fosters financial independence but also drives personal growth and achievement.

Lviv, 27 October 2023 – UN Women facilitated the Women’s Entrepreneurship Satellite Expo 2023 bringing together over 150 participants, particularly established women entrepreneurs from across Ukraine, who are seeking professional growth, as well as self-employed women and women employees seeking new opportunities and collaborations with private companies.

Yuliya Savynska is a 32-year-old confectioner and entrepreneur from eastern Ukraine who, like millions of other Ukrainians, was forced to leave her home and lost her business due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Julia Pysmenna is the founder of the online platform taker | maker, a web-service that brings together different professionals offering digital content creation on demand for small and medium-sized businesses. Based in Ukraine, the company helps its customers to create photos, videos, text and design for social media, blogs and websites through a database of over 120 high-quality content creators, as well as digital marketers, social media marketing managers and content producers. Pysmenna is one of the women entrepreneurs that have been selected to participate in the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO mentorship programme.

Anna Zavertaylo is co-owner of a bakery and a café volunteering to support local people in Kyiv during the Russian invasion.

Nataliia Novitska 36, is Project Manager at the NGO “Positive Women”, which provides assistance and information to women living with HIV across Ukraine, even amid the Russian invasion. It is among the organizations supported by UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).

From 21–22 November, a two-day Women’s Economic Empowerment Congress (WEE Congress) convened more than 100 Ukrainian businesswomen, representatives of the private and public sectors, as well as academics, both in-person in Lviv and broadcast online.

Natalia Tiuniahina is the Regional Coordinator of the charitable organization “Positive Women” and founder and Board member of the public organization “Positive Women Kherson” in southern Ukraine.