First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in the 13th thematic meeting of the Commission for Coordination of Interaction of Executive Bodies to Ensure Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men.
Representatives of various ministries presented the results of their work to ensure equal rights for women and men.
“Sometimes you hear people say that gender equality is an issue for later. I disagree. War does not put life on hold. Women work, raise children, serve, and rebuild their communities every day. Whether they have decent opportunities must be decided not after the war, but today – in every law, every program, and every budget,” Olena Zelenska stressed.
The President’s wife emphasized the importance of a people-centered approach to every reform.
“In September, the government resubmitted a draft of the new Labor Code to the Verkhovna Rada. I am genuinely interested in what it will change for women. Will it become easier to balance work with caring for children or elderly parents? Will there be more flexible forms of employment? Will it help narrow the gender pay gap? Last year, a gender-responsive approach was enshrined in the Budget Code,” the First Lady said.
The meeting addressed progress on EU integration commitments, interagency coordination, and international cooperation. The final thematic session focused on combating sexual violence and the practical implementation of the Law of Ukraine "On Legal and Social Protection of Survivors of Sexual Violence Related to the Armed Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and Provision of Immediate Interim Reparations."
“We are a country that, even during wartime, acknowledges the problem of violence in our society and works to address it – both domestic and institutional violence. In March, the President signed a law amending the statutes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Commanders are now required to investigate every complaint of sexual harassment or discrimination. And anyone who reports a violation cannot be punished for doing so or transferred to a less favorable position. If we do not tolerate violence among our own people, then all the more so we will not let it go unpunished when it is committed by aggressors – Russia’s war criminals,” Olena Zelenska said.
The First Lady reported that, through a pilot project run by the Global Survivors Fund, more than 1,000 people who had suffered sexual violence at the hands of Russian occupiers had already received urgent interim reparations. This year, the government also adopted a resolution allowing other survivors to receive these payments.