Equal Pay, Equal Power: Advancing Gender Equality in Ukraine’s Recovery

UN Women Ukraine Statement on International Equal Pay Day
Kyiv, 18 September 2025

On International Equal Pay Day, UN Women Ukraine joins women workers and gender equality champions across the country and the world in calling for urgent and coordinated action to close the gender pay gap and ensure equal pay for work of equal value.

Equal pay is not just a matter of fairness. It is a fundamental human right, enshrined in ILO Equal Remuneration Convention No. 100, formally adopted in 1951, and a cornerstone of gender equality and sustainable development. Yet, women globally in formal employment continue to earn on average 20% less than men, with even more significant gaps for women from marginalized groups. These persistent disparities are not merely numbers. They represent years of lost income, limited opportunities, structural discrimination, and entrenched inequality based solely on gender.

In Ukraine, efforts to reduce the gender pay gap have shown notable progress over the last decade. According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the gender pay gap decreased over the course of 6 years from 26% in 2015 to 18.6% in 2021. However, in 2023, women still earned 41.4% less than men on average. In real terms, Ukrainian women must work approximately 6.5 additional years over their lifetime to earn the same as men.

Ukraine leads the Europe and Central Asia region in the participation of women in professional and technical fields, as well as in girls' enrollment in secondary and higher education. Yet, this progress has not fully translated into equitable outcomes in the labor market. Women’s economic participation has been decreasing, and in 2023, women made up 72% of the registered unemployed, compared to 64.2% in 2021. In 2024, only 18.2% of companies in Ukraine are owned by women. Gender segregation persists in education and employment, particularly in sectors such as pedagogy, IT, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and certain technical fields.

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian women have faced intensified economic hardship. Many have become primary caregivers, sole breadwinners, or volunteers, balancing multiple roles with limited support systems. These burdens often result in a partial or total loss of income, job opportunities, and access to (re)skills training.

Even as Ukraine continues to face immense challenges due to wartime, advancing gender equality remains essential not only as a matter of rights but as a cornerstone of national resilience and inclusive and sustainable recovery. Closing the gender pay gap is central to this effort. When women receive equal pay for work of equal value, women are empowered and better positioned to contribute fully to rebuilding Ukraine’s economy and society. Through the “Of Course You Can!” campaign, UN Women is working to raise awareness and spark immediate action. This is a collective effort, so the government, private sector, and civil society must join forces. We are proud to partner with the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, and an expanding network of private sector and state sector companies that are championing gender equality by committing to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and joining the Alliance for Gender Responsive and Inclusive Recovery for Ukraine.

As the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly has already opened in New York, we reaffirm our commitment to the values of the UN Charter and the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

We call on all stakeholders, including Ukrainian and international businesses, trade unions, academia, and civil society, to enact and enforce robust equal pay legislation; implement gender-responsive workplace policies and promote collective bargaining and social dialogue.

It is time to turn commitments into action. Equal pay for work of equal value is not only a right. It is essential to rebuild a stronger, fairer, and more resilient Ukraine.