Ukraine Women Peace and Security Program

The Department of State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) aims to support a program to advance Women Peace and Security in Ukraine (WPS) by promoting women’s meaningful participation in Ukraine’s governance and decision-making on conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution. This program will be implemented in a manner that supports the priorities of Ukraine’s revised WPS National Action Plan (2022-2025), and achieves the vision laid out in Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) and the U.S. WPS Act of 2017. Furthermore, this program will help realize the vision of a national recovery for Ukraine that achieves gender equity and social inclusion.

Women in Ukraine have stepped into new leadership roles since Ukraine’s democracy-oriented Revolution of Dignity in 2013-2014 and Russia’s aggression. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, their participation has taken on increased urgency. In December 2022, Ukraine updated its National Action Plan for WPS to emphasize women as vital actors in the war effort and at the center of reconstruction. Under extraordinarily challenging circumstances, Ukraine must build its promising post-war future by taking steps that advance sustainable peace and inclusive recovery. This initiative will amplify the contributions women have made in Ukraine’s national political leadership and local communities for years while addressing a gap in women’s meaningful participation in governance during war-time administration, as identified by UN Women and others.

Program activities will be based on a solid foundation of evidence, grounded in knowledge and expertise from Ukraine itself. Applications should take an intersectional approach and include how members of ethnic and religious minorities, people with disabilities, IDPs and refugees, veterans, youth, and sexual and gender minorities and other relevant target groups will be incorporated into the program based on the research gaps identified.