Gender policy in the armed forces: NATO experience for Ukraine
Authors:   Mariupol State University, Konstantуnova Yuliіa , Rozumovska Yuliia ,   Mariupol State University
Published: December 2022

The occupation of the Crimean peninsula, conduction an anti-terrorist operation and the Joint Forces Operation in the East of Ukraine, the functioning of government authorities, institutions, enterprises and organizations in a special period have significantly affected to the distribution of social roles. For almost eight years of the bilateral conflict in Donbass women’s contribution in warfare hasn’t become the exception but the norm for society. Women are represented in all areas of direct contribution in warfare, providing the settle differences of the conflict and establishing peace in Ukraine, namely: political, volunteer and military. At the beginning of the conflict in East of Ukraine, a woman in the Armed Forces had no guarantees from the country and has no access to so-called “combat” positions and career opportunities. The aim of the article is to investigate the changes that have taken place in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the direction of gender policy and the affect of the experience of the North Atlantic Alliance on this process. Gender issues are included in the process of restructuring the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Whereas the Ukraine’s direction towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration it’s clear that NATO has chosen as a model for implementing a gender approach. This is a boon to co-operate partnership Ukraine-NATO G00013 “Gender issues” in the Armed Forces of Ukraine – the impound of resources for the effective performance of assigned tasks in accordance with NATO standards. Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 “Women, Peace, Security” changes and additions to the legal framework to provide and guarantee gender equality. As well as control and adjustment the problems that exist in the Ukrainian army on the way to achieving real progress in gender issues. According to the activity in the past of eight years, Ukrainian legislation on gender issues in the field of security and defense has been significantly improved. The list of positions that servicewoman can hold has significantly expanded. Resolved the issue of equal opportunities for career advancement of men and women but also the responsibility for one’s own activity or inactivity. It were given the opportunity for servicewomen to perform contract military service as officers with the exception of positions where they have to work with explosives and diving. The legal framework for the implementation of the policy of equal rights and opportunities in the Armed Forces of Ukraine is constantly updated and supplemented, that proves immediacy of the problem of gender issue. An educational component is another area of implementation of strategy of the gender equality. Gender issues must be included in all curricula of all courses, according to NATO requirements. There are some problems with training servicewomen, in particular, they are shortly insufficiently in the courses of science, technology, engineering and mathematics at the university level, but now we have some steps to negotiation them. Thus, to dealing with a problem with education of girls in “male” specialties, the government input additional quotas. Girls received the right to be admitted into the military lyceums. The introduction of positions of gender advisers in the structural units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is an important element in the implementation of gender equality. Thus, NATO’s experience identifies key directions for reform and improvement of gender approach in Armed Forces of Ukaine.