Over 80% of all officially registered unemployed people in Ukraine are women: the second wave of the national campaign “Of Course You Can!” launches

UN Women in Ukraine, together with the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, announce the launch of the second wave of the national information campaign “Of Course You Can!”

While the first phase of the campaign in 2024–2025 focused on the gender pay gap, the goal of the new wave of “Of Course You Can!” is to encourage women’s employment across all sectors of the economy, including humanitarian mine action. The campaign also aims to demonstrate to employers the scale of the untapped potential of Ukrainian women and to show women the real opportunities that already exist.

The war has exacerbated barriers to women’s employment

Russia’s full-scale invasion has affected every sphere of life, including the economy, the labour market, and social progress. The achievements made in reducing economic inequality have come under threat. According to the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA5), the gender pay gap, which had been steadily narrowing before the full-scale invasion, has started to widen again since 2022.

The “Of Course You Can!” campaign aligns with the objectives of the Employment Strategy of Ukraine until 2030. The Strategy identifies women’s participation in the labour market as one of the priorities of state policy, as women account for more than 80% of registered unemployed people. Among the key barriers to women’s employment, it highlights occupational segregation, forced displacement, unpaid care work, the volume of which has significantly increased, as well as insufficient access to flexible work arrangements, training opportunities, and care infrastructure.

Youth is another area of concern. Among Ukrainians aged 15–29, one in five is not in education, employment, or training, and around 70% of this group are young women. The country risks losing the potential of an entire generation.

Therefore, the key objective of the second wave of the “Of Course You Can!” campaign is to show women real opportunities, support them, and help them choose a profession without limitations or stereotypes.

Reforms and reskilling: new opportunities during wartime

Real change is already underway. The state, business sector, and civil society have joined forces to create a wide range of support programmes for women who want to work, study, or develop their own businesses. However, not every woman is aware of these opportunities, and it can often be difficult to understand where to begin.

This is why the youcan.com.ua platform operates within the “Of Course You Can!” campaign. It serves as a single navigator that brings together all available programmes and tools in one place and offers each woman a practical pathway based on her situation and needs.

At the same time, new opportunities are opening up for education and reskilling in fields that, until recently, were considered exclusively “male”: women are becoming deminers, bus and heavy vehicle drivers, energy specialists, and machine operators, and are working in sectors with a real labour shortage and decent wages.

The “Of Course You Can!” campaign addresses the priorities outlined in the Employment Strategy, including access to information on in-demand professions, opportunities for training, career transitions, and returning to work after a career break.

“Today, Ukraine’s labour market urgently needs people, knowledge, and professional flexibility. Greater involvement of women across all sectors of the economy, including those traditionally considered male-dominated, is essential to overcoming labour shortages and supporting the economy during wartime. For the state, women must have access to quality reskilling, decent jobs, and professional fulfilment,” said Dariia Marchak, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine.

“Even in the most challenging times amidst Russia’s full-scale invasion, advancing gender equality and empowering women remains critically important. Equal opportunities in the professional sphere and equal pay are not only a matter of rights, but also the foundation for economic growth and gender-responsive recovery. Women play a leading role in Ukraine’s recovery, and only when they realize their full potential can we ensure sustainable development, economic strength, and true equality,” said Sabine Freizer Gunes, UN Women Representative in Ukraine.

The “Of Course You Can!” information campaign is implemented by UN Women in partnership with the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, with financial support from the governments of Denmark, Canada, Croatia, and Sweden.