Women's voices must be heard in the public and political life of Ukraine

Ukraine's full-scale invasion has transformed every aspect of public life. While both women and men have suffered the consequences of conflict, displacement, and economic hardship, the war has affected them in different ways. Women have assumed greater responsibilities in their families, regional and local leadership in their communities, humanitarian response efforts, and local governance, often becoming the backbone of social resilience in times of crisis.

At the same time, many of the gains achieved in women's political participation before the full-scale war are now at risk. As Ukraine prepares for recovery and eventual postwar reconstruction, ensuring women's equal and meaningful participation in political and public life is not simply a question of representation. It is a prerequisite for democratic governance, inclusive recovery, and sustainable peace.

Women Are Keeping Society Together During the War

War and displacement have created distinct challenges for women across Ukraine. Increased economic insecurity, expanded unpaid care responsibilities, and reduced participation in formal decision-making and negotiation processes have affected women's agency.

Women and children represent approximately 76 percent of the 5.9 million refugees globally who have fled Ukraine. Women also account for around 56 % of the country's 4 million internally displaced persons.

Yet despite these challenges, women have become central actors in sustaining communities during wartime. Across the country, they lead volunteer networks, civil society organizations, humanitarian initiatives, and local recovery efforts. Their contributions extend far beyond traditional social support roles. Women actively contribute to community security, economic resilience, humanitarian response, and social cohesion.

Women have also increased their participation in Ukraine's defense sector. According to the Ministry of Defence, more than 70,000 women currently serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including more than 5,500 on the front line.

However, despite this historic expansion of women's military participation, gender-sensitive reintegration measures remain insufficient. Female veterans continue to face challenges such as access to childcare, psychosocial support, reintegration pathways and access to employment after demobilization.

Advancement in Women's Political Participation Before the War

Before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine had made significant gains in women's political participation.

The adoption of mandatory gender quotas contributed to a substantial increase in women's representation in local government. Following the 2020 local elections, women accounted for approximately 36 percent of elected local council members, compared to around 15 percent in oblast councils in 2015.

Women's representation reached 28.4 percent in oblast councils and 33.8 percent in rayon councils. In community councils, women occupied between one-third and two-fifths of elected seats.

Important progress was also achieved through the adoption of Ukraine's Electoral Code in 2019. The reform introduced mandatory 40% of gender quotas for electoral party lists, requiring at least two candidates of each gender in every five positions.

These developments demonstrated that targeted special measures can gradually increase women's political representation and strengthen democratic governance.

Why These Gains Are Now at Risk

Despite previous achievements, many advances in women's political participation have stalled since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

Today, women represent 21 percent of members of parliament and 25 percent of the executive branch. Only four of Ukraine's sixteen ministers are women, including the Prime Minister.

At the regional level, representation remains even more limited. Although Military-Civil Administrations have become central governance structures during wartime, only two women currently lead regional administrations among Ukraine's twenty-four oblasts.

The war has also intensified traditional gender norms. As security concerns dominate public discourse and political decision-making, governance structures have become increasingly centralized and often more masculinized.

International experience demonstrates that women's political participation frequently declines after conflict, as priorities shift from inclusion toward reconstruction and security. Ukraine faces a similar risk unless deliberate action and special measures are implemented.

Invisible Barriers to Women's Political Participation

Women's political participation is constrained not only by formal institutional barriers but also by a range of less visible obstacles that have been intensified by the war.

Many women carry a disproportionate burden of unpaid care domestic work. They are caring for children, elderly relatives, displaced family members, and family members with disabilities while simultaneously contributing to community recovery efforts and searching for livelihoods.

Displacement, migration, psychological trauma, and economic insecurity further limit opportunities for political engagement.

Paradoxically, women who have become leaders on community level, in humanitarian response, volunteerism, and local resilience often struggle to translate this leadership into formal political representation.

Women's wartime leadership should be recognized not only as a humanitarian or social contribution but also as a foundation for post war governance, peaceful society and recovery process in Ukraine.

Refugee Women Must Not Be Left Out of Ukraine's Future

One of the most significant challenges for Ukraine's future post-war elections will be ensuring the political participation of refugee women, internally displaced women, and other vulnerable groups, including survivors of war crimes.

Because women and children make up the majority of refugees, political inclusion will play a central role in shaping Ukraine's post-war governance and its inclusivity.

Several risks could limit refugee women's equal and full political participation. Residency requirements, insufficient out-of-country voting mechanisms, and weak enforcement of gender quotas may reduce their ability to vote, run for office, and influence political decisions.

Guaranteeing political rights for refugee women is therefore not only a matter of equality. It is essential for sustainable return, recovery of human capital, and long-term national resilience and sustainable peace.

Building Gender-Responsive Governance

Ukraine has a unique opportunity to ensure that post-war recovery strengthens rather than weakens democratic inclusion.

Several priorities deserve urgent attention.

Women's leadership pipelines should be strengthened through training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.

Gender quotas must be fully implemented and enforced at all levels of governance. Institutional and financial support for women politicians should be expanded.

Political parties must take stronger action against sexism, harassment, online violence, and gender discrimination.

Gender-responsive budgeting should become a standard governance practice.

Future electoral processes should guarantee the full participation of refugee women and other displaced populations.

Most importantly, women must be systematically included in recovery planning, transitional governance structures, and peacebuilding processes.

Inclusion Cannot Wait Until After the War

Women have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and have been indispensable to Ukraine's resilience throughout the war. They have supported families, led and sustained communities, served on the front lines, led volunteer initiatives, and contributed to recovery efforts under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

Yet at precisely the moment when their experience and leadership are most needed, the political space available to women may risk narrowing.

Without targeted measures and a whole-of-society commitment to inclusion, post-war reconstruction could reinforce existing inequalities and exclude many of those who have carried Ukraine through its darkest years.

Women's full and equal participation is not an issue that can be postponed until after the war. It is fundamental to democratic governance, future post war elections, sustainable recovery, and lasting peace.

Ukraine's recovery will be stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive if women are fully represented in shaping the country's future.