A gender-inclusive recovery project backed by the Norwegian government has been launched in Ukraine

A new recovery project supported by the Norwegian government has been launched in Ukraine to ensure that recovery efforts are gender-inclusive. A consortium led by the Norwegian organization FOKUS, in partnership with the Ukrainian Women’s Fund and La Strada Ukraine, is implementing the initiative. The project aims to strengthen women’s rights organizations, promote gender equality, and incorporate gender-sensitive approaches into the national recovery process. The initiative was presented at the Media Center Ukraine.

Kateryna Levchenko, the Ukrainian government commissioner for gender equality policy, emphasized that gender equality must be integrated into every sphere of public administration. She stated that, because recovery is a vast and complex process, it can only be effective if it considers gender-sensitive aspects.

“Gender sensitivity considers the interests, needs, and participation of different groups of women and men. The project we are launching now is crucial and must be structured effectively, as it encompasses many areas. In implementing the National Action Plan for UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the government has prioritized the gender component. For the first time, the plan includes a separate chapter aimed at ensuring women’s participation at all levels of recovery and making it gender-sensitive,” she stated.

Levchenko noted that the project’s implementation will build upon previous research, materials, and methodologies. The primary goal is to ensure that community development plans and regional recovery strategies continue to incorporate a gender component.

Mildrid Mikkelsen, Program Director at FOKUS Forum for Women and Development, stressed that the mission of the joint Ukrainian-Norwegian project is to engage international gender equality organizations in supporting Ukraine.

“This project gives us the possibility to show active support to Ukraine, and it enables us to support women and women’s organizations in Ukraine. One of our main priorities is women peace and security, and recovery is a key component of this agenda. Over the years FOKUS have been supporting women’s involvement in peace processes in different countries. We are very proud that this project addresses violence against women and human trafficking. This is another key priority for us because violence against women and human trafficking prevents women from taking an active part in society. So, addressing those issues is vital for recovery, and this will benefit everyone,” she emphasized.

Natalia Karbowska, the Ukrainian Women’s Fund’s Director of Strategic Development, explained that the project will operate in nine regions grouped into three clusters: South, North, and West.

“For state processes and policies at any level to be effective and work for the people, the people must be part of these processes. Through this project, we will create models and tools that can be used in other countries as well. We will cover 18 communities in the Poltava, Kherson, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Zakarpattia, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts,” she noted.

Maryna Lehenka, president of the La Strada Ukraine NGO, emphasized that the war negatively affects the well-being of the population as a whole. Human rights organizations have reported an increase in domestic violence and a heightened risk of human trafficking.

“We are seeing positive momentum as domestic and gender-based violence become less taboo topics. Currently, women have more opportunities to seek and receive help. However, it is crucial to further develop this initiative. This experience is precisely what we have incorporated into the project’s components to develop systemic solutions at all levels,” Lehenka emphasized.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news