Ukraine

Women�s leadership and participation in decision making on the UN�s humanitarian response increased during the second year of the full-fledged war in Ukraine. The result contributes to effective implementation of the UN in Ukraine Transitional Framework�s priority �Saving Lives� with more women and girls receiving services that are better designed to meet their needs. It also contributes to achieving the SDG 5, SDG 8. Women and LGBTIQ+ organizations had a more receptive environment in which to exercise their voice and leadership in the humanitarian response. GE advocates and CSOs accessed a number of dialogues and platforms created by the CO. This includes a dialogue mechanism with the UNCT and the RC/HC for women activists representing front line communities, Roma and disabled people to express their needs for goods, services, and protection from security risks and discrimination. This increased awareness among UN agencies and strengthened aid targeting. In 2023, key recommendations and inputs from women�s CSOs and technical gender experts were incorporated, in a dedicated chapter in the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan on �Intersectionality, Gender, and Disability� and gender and age disaggregated data and analysis was in the 2023 Multi-Sector Needs Assessment.The UN system improved it�s capacity to include GE issues in the humanitarian response through the CO�s coordination efforts. For example, the Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) working group (co-chaired by UN Women) successfully integrated gender dimensions into the HCT clusters� work and cross-sector joint actions including through the provision of strategic and practical guidance via the introduction of UN Women�s gender-tip sheets. GiHA published a gender brief �Closing Gender Gap in Humanitarian Action in Ukraine� which recommended ways forward. After UN Women�s full-fledged membership in the Inter Agency Standing Committee, the CO transitioned from an observer to a full member of the HCT. UN Women�s co-chairing of the GiHA Working Group played a critical role in ensuring that women' needs and priorities were covered by humanitarian strategies and action plans. More than 45,000 women and girls received aid from UN Women and over 100,000 dependents were indirectly supported. Out of these 672 women received psychological and social support services through 4 UN Women�s multi-purpose centres (�Safe Spaces�). Over 39,091 women and girls received food, hygiene kits, medication, legal aid, and information on humanitarian assistance and emergency protection referral pathways through the availability of more flexible and dedicated funding to women�s rights organizations to meet the specific needs of diverse categories of war affected communities. Serving as the Secretariat of the Women, Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) in Ukraine, the CO oversaw the availability of these funds, with 34 CSOs sharing USD 8.5 million in grants, making WPHF the biggest feminist fund in Ukraine.