Ukrainians from all sectors are working to secure a future for their country where people from all walks of life can make their voices heard, where all people have a genuine opportunity to shape the political and civic future, and where the government listens to the voices and needs of the public. In the context of Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine, this means ensuring that discussions and policies on reconstruction and recovery for Ukraine include the voices and interests of every Ukrainian and that principles of gender equality and inclusion are highlighted as vital components of recovery and reconstruction. A recent event – Equality in Politics and Inclusive Recovery Media Marathon, initiated by the NDI – highlighted and furthered this work.

More than 100 Ukrainians from across the country, including political leaders at the local and national levels, civil servants, representatives of vulnerable groups, civil society organizations and others, traveled to Kyiv to participate in the Media Marathon, a multi-day event featuring a dense schedule of panel discussions, film screenings, workshops, and other relevant sessions on a central topic. Topics of practical solutions to strengthen existing achievements in gender equality, including in politics and decision-making, as well as efficient approaches to ensure the inclusive recovery of Ukraine at the national and local levels, were at the forefront of the Marathon’s featured discussions.

Almost two years of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine have brought many tragic changes to the lives of Ukrainians. Throughout the event, NDI and marathon participants highlighted the interests of vulnerable groups in Ukrainian society, whose number has been growing due to the war. 

"Today, it is absolutely unfair to talk about equality without thinking about those people who have lost their health, lost their limbs, lost the opportunities they had before the full-scale invasion," emphasized Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy of Ukraine.

Ensuring an inclusive environment for everyone who stood up to defend the country or suffered from Russian aggression in Ukraine is a serious challenge for both the Ukrainian government and communities, highlighted by several participants during the Marathon. "During the war, we need to offer programs for return, integration, rehabilitation, and resocialization of female and male veterans," emphasized Hanna Hopko, Head of the NGO ANTS. Starting to think about and plan for this return is critical for the Ukrainian government at all levels to think about now so that the soldiers who fought for their country are not left out of the political and social life after the war. 

Gender and how women have become the driving force supporting and developing the state economy since the start of the full-scale invasion were also pressing topics for participants at the Media Marathon. "Over the past year, we have developed programs of gender-sensitive response to the humanitarian crisis, integration of gender approach into local policies, budgets, and plans, and have studied the needs of different groups of men and women in policy making," explained  Yulia Lykhach, Director of the High School of Public Governance. In addition to the discussions, NDI screened the short films “Yes, I am a Woman” and "Visible," created with the support of NDI, which tell the stories of women soldiers and the challenges for LGBTQ+ Ukrainians in wartime. 

Over the two days, representatives from political parties, local and national government, CSOs, the media, and other vital components of Ukraine’s civic life put to words what is needed for successful recovery and reconstruction in Ukraine, outlined the challenges Ukraine will face in the process, and detailed their visions of Ukraine’s inclusive and prosperous future. The Marathon brought public awareness of inclusive recovery and the vision of what that means for the country. As Ukraine begins recovery planning in the midst of the immense challenges of the ongoing full-scale war, ensuring gender equality and the inclusion of marginalized groups, including veterans and the LGBTQ+ community, in recovery planning is essential. Through the Equality in Politics and Inclusive Recovery Media Marathon, NDI facilitated dialogue between government, civil society, business, media, and other stakeholders to highlight these important issues. As all of Ukraine fights for its democracy, it is crucial that after the war, all of Ukraine can participate in the system they fought for. 

Author: Iryna Petkun, NDI consultant

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NDI is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works in partnership around the world to strengthen and safeguard democratic institutions, processes, norms and values to secure a better quality of life for all. NDI envisions a world where democracy and freedom prevail, with dignity for all.