UN Women in Ukraine has trained 35 trainers in women's political leadership and election candidate preparation

Participants of the training for trainers on women's political leadership. Photo: UN Women/Valentyna Naumenko

35 participants from 16 regions of Ukraine were trained in preparing women for running as candidates in the elections, effective communication, voter engagement, fundraising, financial planning, and managing election campaigns.

They discussed practical issues regarding electoral law and process, public speaking, and mental health with invited politicians and experts. An essential part of the training included practical participants-led sessions that tailored training materials to the local context, utilized various techniques and tools, allowed participants to share their experiences and receive feedback from invited international trainers. The training was led by international experts in political leadership and women's participation, Ajla van Heel Merdanovic and Liliana Palihovici.

Sabine Freizer Gunes, UN Women Representative in Ukraine.  Photo: UN Women/Valentyna Naumenko

“Women in Ukraine have been stepping into remarkable leadership roles, especially since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. We see women volunteering, actively participating in local communities, and serving on city councils as they respond to and resist Russian aggression. While women are very engaged at the community and regional levels, there is still a significant gender gap in political representation. Currently, there is only one female head of an oblast, and only two women serve as active mayors—in Poltava and Zaporizhzhia. At the national level, Ukraine is lagging behind the global average in terms of women's political participation. Women make up only 22% of parliament and there are only five women in the Cabinet of Ministers. This is surprising given the strong presence of women in civil society and community leadership. We remain hopeful that more women will take part in decision making, and when elections are held, run for office and secure their rightful places in elected positions,” said Sabine Freizer Gunes, UN Women Representative in Ukraine. 

Certified trainers will engage in leading a series of training sessions to prepare female candidates for both the first and subsequent post-war local elections. In the coming years, UN Women, in collaboration with partners, plans to prepare hundreds of female leaders to actively engage in the political life of their communities.

Representatives of Inter-Faction Parliamentary Association "Equal Opportunities". Photo: UN Women/Valentyna Naumenko

UN Women in Ukraine is grateful to the Central Election Commission of Ukraine and the Inter-Faction Parliamentary Association "Equal Opportunities" for their partnership in implementing this initiative, as well as to the governments of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden for their financial support in holding this training.

The initiative is implemented by UN Women in Ukraine within the framework of the projects “Transformational Approaches to Achieving Gender Equality in Ukraine”, funded by the Government of Sweden, “Strengthening Women's Leadership for Resilient and Peaceful Societies”, funded by the Government of Denmark, and “Building a Democratic, Peaceful and Gender-Equal Society in Ukraine”, funded by the Government of Norway.