UN Women Executive Director visits Ukraine

During her first official visit to Ukraine, from 8-10 June, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is meeting with government officials, parliamentarians, donors, women’s groups, internally displaced women and other women facing multiple forms of discrimination. Her visit comes at a crucial time for Ukraine when the country addresses the effects of the on-going armed conflict and implementing an ambitious national reform agenda. At her meetings, the Executive Director is highlighting the need to prominently feature gender equality in all reforms and recovery and peacebuilding processes.

On the first day of her visit, the Executive Director held a high-level meeting with Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Vice Prime Minister on EU and Euro-Atlantic Integration, to reiterate UN Women’s commitment to support Ukraine in advancing gender equality and women’s rights through institutional strengthening and reforms. Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka congratulated Ms. Klympush-Tsintsadze on recent achievements to promote gender equality in government policies. “Gender equality is our first priority for the coming years in Ukraine and in this context our partnership with UN Women is crucial,” said Ms. Klympush-Tsintsadze. In Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers endorsed a historic initiative this year placing gender equality as top priority.

Later that day, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka spoke at the opening of a workshop on women’s human rights in recovery and peacebuilding together with Vice Prime Minister Ms. Klympush-Tsintsadze, Vadym Chernysh, Minister of Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons, and Serhiy Kyslytsya, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. “Women are custodians of peace. Peace is more sustainable if more women are involved as decision-makers and leaders,” underlined Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka. – See more at: http://eca.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2017/06/coverage-un-women-executive-director-visits-ukraine#sthash.fZgGLtCn.dpuf

The opening ceremony included a captivating theater performance by internally displaced women about the challenges they faced during displacement and integration in new communities. UN Women in Ukraine, together with “Theatre for Dialogue,” a local non-profit organization, is working to empower internally displaced women by engaging them in interactive theater.

Following the workshop, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka held a lively discussion with internally displaced women from the conflict-affected territories in the east of Ukraine and Crimea. Women IDPs shared their strories of overcoming stigma and discrimination in host communities and challenges for social integration. “Internally displaced women have a huge potential for developing communities. We are eager to learn, work and contribute to the well-being of our country,” said Maryna Daniluyk, a displaced woman from Shastie community in the Lugansk region, in eastern Ukraine. “UN Women stands between the society in need and the government as an honest broker. We support your needs and concerns using available instruments at our disposal, such as the UN Security Council Resolultions on Women, Peace and Security,” reaffirmed Ms. Malbmo-Ngcuka.

Video HERE