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“Women’s Rights in the Ukrainian War”

A crucial element in achieving lasting peace

By Assad MatarPublished 10 months ago Updated 10 months ago 3 min read
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The ongoing war in Ukraine has brought great suffering upon civilians, with hundreds displaced and forced into refugees. Despite the popular focus on military operations, little attention has been paid to how vulnerable groups like women are faring amidst this crisis. Women face a significant amount of insecurity, violence, and displacement because of this armed conflict, coupled with the poor distribution of resources, which exacerbates prevailing social injustices such as gender inequality.

If left unchecked, this hierarchical arrangement between men and women could worsen conflict even further, with any coercion or punishment directed toward men leading to retaliation against those who cannot fight back, i.e., non-combatant females. This potentially harmful misogynistic environment thus highlights why it is necessary to utilize means that cater to equality across society, especially during crises, ensuring that no one's well-being is overlooked. Furthermore, ensuring gender equality during and after conflict enhances women's well-being, safety, and economic empowerment. This, in turn, contributes to a more comprehensive and sustainable solution for society.

Moreover, Russian and Ukrainian women's unity is crucial for achieving peace as they share experiences of conflict-induced displacement in their lives, families, and communities. Unfortunately, the adverse effects of the Ukraine conflict disproportionately affect women who endure the loss of loved ones, displacement, trauma, and economic adversity. A powerful alliance between Ukrainian and Russian women can be forged by bridging national and cultural divides through cross-border dialogues, cultural exchanges, joint advocacy campaigns, and economic collaboration. The shared goal is a peaceful future that challenges conflict narratives by creating an inclusive collaboration-centered society.

Women-led grassroots peace-building initiatives can promote gender-sensitive methods prioritizing marginalized groups' needs over traditional totalitarian systems to achieve a peaceful resolution. In addition, creating safe spaces where participants with diverse backgrounds come together will enable all parties to listen actively while learning from each other.

Addressing gender-based violence is critical in ensuring justice beyond the peace agreement and securing long-lasting peace in Ukraine. Since the onset of continuous strife, cases of domestic violence have risen significantly, depriving women of their right to security even in temporary accommodation settings where they flee for refuge; thus, its imperative Gender Based Violence cases get addressed as a matter of fact.

Lastly: several legislative reforms attempting to promote gender quality have witnessed progress in Ukraine, including laws against violence occasioned by gender-based discrimination, specifically those affecting Women’s rights, such as equal representation at the workplace level. No doubt, Women activists, too, deserve a seat at negotiating tables or decision-making platforms besides maturing networks following grassroots-led initiatives that foster peace within nations or trans-border peacemaking efforts requiring governments' endorsement or relevant stakeholders within societies. Ukraine has made admirable efforts towards encouraging women to join its military and police forces; however, further steps must be taken towards attaining effective gender equality during its ongoing peace process. As it stands today - Women confront limitations while trying to participate in negotiations concerning where their specific interests receive far too little attention.

It should be noted that transitioning laws into reality does not necessarily ensure equal support for those impacted by gender-based violence nor guarantee true gender equality across all domains. Sustainable long-term stability can only be achieved through comprehensive inclusivity measures that promote an equal standing between men & women while addressing crimes driven by sexual disparities.

To achieve lasting peaceful outcomes post-conflict resolution, undeterred commitments must exist from Ukraine and her global community partners while ensuring that all concerned parties consider expressly how female voices are incorporated into decision-making processes related to sustainable, peaceful transitions. Progressive economic opportunities associated with promoting gender equality and safer communities will demonstrate that truly sustainable peace is genuinely achievable for Ukraine.

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About the Creator

Assad Matar

Long-time hospitality professional, avid reader, out-of-the-box thinker, fascinated by history, and a new writer with unsolved ideas.

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