Today, the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea hosted a working meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian Women’s Fund (UWF). Acting Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko and Permanent Representative (2022–2024) Tamila Tasheva attended the meeting. Also, the Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy, Kateryna Levchenko, the Head of the Secretariat of the Government Commissioner, Nadiia Zosym, and UWF Directors Natalkа Karbovska and Olesia Bondar joined the meeting.

The Ukrainian Women’s Fund is a nonprofit organization that fosters the development of women’s and feminist organizations and supports the feminist movement in Ukraine. It aims to protect women’s rights and promote gender equality across all spheres.

The discussion focused on ways to protect the rights of women living under conditions of temporary occupation, supporting initiatives that promote gender equality in Ukraine, and organizing joint activities within the framework of Coalition 1325—a regional initiative under the National Action Plan “Women, Peace, and Security.” This initiative aims to enhance women’s roles in peace and security processes, specifically focusing on the context of temporarily occupied Crimea.

У рамках зустрічі також було обговорено проведення майбутнього експертного дослідження стану забезпечення прав жінок у Криму, визначення ключових гравців серед жіночих громадських організацій і локалізацію ґендерного порядку денного.

Olha Kuryshko emphasized the unique challenges faced by women in the context of Crimea’s temporary occupation. She highlighted that following the arrests and imprisonment of political prisoners, women are often left to raise children alone while also facing prosecution under articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, just as men do. Simultaneously, the resistance movement led by women plays a critical role, with groups such as “Zla Mavka” being particularly notable.

“Women play a significant role in the resistance Ukraine has maintained against Russian occupiers for almost 11 years. These are courageous women who, unfortunately, face persecution by the Russian occupation administration. Some of them are currently held in Russian prisons. Halyna Dovhopola, Iryna Danylovych, Leniie Umerova are just a few of the dozens and hundreds of examples of women who represent the true female face of resistance,” Kuryshko emphasized.

As a result of the meeting, Olha Kuryshko, Tamila Tasheva, representatives of the UWF, and the Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy, Kateryna Levchenko, agreed to collaborate on the fund’s current initiatives, including involving the Mission in activities under the framework of the UN Human Rights Council.