Project profile — Women’s Voice and Leadership - Ukraine

• Ukraine (100.00%)

• Government And Civil Society, General: Women's rights organisations and movements, and government institutions (15170) (100.00%)

• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (principal objective)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)

This project aims to increase the enjoyment of human rights by women and girls and advance gender equality in Ukraine. Project activities include: (1) building institutional capacity of women’s rights organizations; (2) delivering leadership skills trainings for women activists; (3) providing community mobilization, fundraising and communication trainings for women’s rights organizations; (4) providing grants to women’s organizations on a wide variety of advocacy issues; and (5) delivering skills training on coalition building and outreach. The Ukrainian Women’s Fund implements this project. It is a local women’s rights organization that has helped over 300 grassroots women’s rights and feminist organizations in Ukraine. The Fund provides seed funding and capacity development assistance, enabling organizations to better represent and advocate for the interests of Ukrainian women. The project aims to support up to 190 women’s rights organizations, representing a broad spectrum of women and girls, including those affected and displaced by the conflict and women living with disabilities. It also includes women with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, Roma women, women representing other national minorities, rural women, low-income women, and vulnerable women, including young and older women. In response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukrainian Women’s Fund adapted certain project activities to address new and immediate needs and protect previous development gains. Some project activities pivoted to respond to the evolving context in various ways, such as providing emergency supplies, equipment and services, and support for mental health and accommodation.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) improved management and sustainability of local women’s rights organizations in Ukraine; (2) enhanced performance of women’s rights organizations’ programming and advocacy to advance gender equality and empower women and girls; and (3) increased effectiveness of sub-national and national or regional women’s rights platforms, networks, and alliances to affect Ukraine’s policy, legal, and social change.

Results achieved as of March 2023 include: (1) provided program support such as grants, training, and mentorship to 240 Ukrainian women’s rights organizations (WROs). 52 out of 54 WROs (96%) that received grants reported an increase in capacity to deliver quality programming; (2) delivered 21 training sessions to 498 participants on 4 themes, including combatting gender-based violence, advocacy work, coalition building, and feminist organization capacity; (3) successfully piloted the Academy of Women’s Leadership for new activists. 24 out of 26 academy graduates (92%) reported increased ties with the feminist movement of Ukraine, knowledge of how to achieve their full leadership potential to unite women, and influence on decision-making at the local level; (4) trained 219 women participants on coalition-building, provided specific tools on strategic planning, building effective partnerships, efficient accumulation of resources, and promotion of organizational sustainability; and (5) led 2 successful national advocacy campaigns aimed at preventing gender-based violence and the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, and promoting and protecting the rights (including reproductive rights) of disabled women. In particular, the “Diversity, Equality, Unity” campaign increased accessibility of gynecological services for women in 7 communities of 5 regions of Ukraine.

• Proactive disclosure