UN Women

Published purpose

This project aims to improve the lives of Ukrainian women and girls through more inclusive and representative policymaking. It seeks to address individual barriers by training women candidates for elected office, organizing leadership training and mentorship opportunities, and encouraging women to advocate for change within their parties. The project aims to tackle socio-cultural barriers by launching a public relations effort targeting Ukrainian citizens. This campaign would support developing a consolidated platform to educate the public and encourage greater gender equality. It would also address the public and opinion makers through multiparty and cross-sectorial advocacy. The project works directly with political party leaders to help them better understand the concerns and priorities of women and other marginalized groups and to incorporate those concerns into the policymaking process. It does so while encouraging them to institutionalize gender equality mechanisms within individual parties. In response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, they adapted certain project activities address new immediate needs and protect previous development gains. Canada’s development partners in Ukraine pivoted project activities to respond to the evolving context in several ways, such as providing emergency supplies, equipment and services, mental health support, transportation, and accommodation. The beneficiaries, scope, expected results and geographic location of project activities may have changed from the original description.