«Women. Peace. Security»: a campaign on the importance of women in ensuring security and peace was launched in Mykolaiv

On Thursday, 18 September, a press conference was held in Mykolaiv to launch the information campaign «1325 Changes the Country». Its goal is to raise public awareness of the role of women in ensuring peace and security.

This was reported by the correspondent of NikVesti.

The campaign aims to show that women not only suffer from war, but also actively shape decisions that help restore and strengthen peace. UN Security Council Resolution 1325 «Women. Peace. Security», adopted in 2000, is of particular importance for Ukraine today. It emphasises that war affects women and men differently and calls for the equal participation of women in decision-making processes in the areas of security, peace and reconstruction.

The organisers note that for Mykolaiv region, which has experienced occupation and the daily challenges of war, women's involvement in local decision-making means stronger communities, more effective recovery programmes and a safer future.

Over the course of two months, the campaign will include public discussions, educational events, and the distribution of information materials on the principles of the Resolution and examples of their implementation in Ukraine. It will also feature stories of women who are already changing their communities. Key topics include women's participation in decision-making, protection from violence, community safety, economic recovery and accessibility.

Representative of the Coalition Secretariat «Mykolaiv Region 1325» Yulia Bronska said that Ukraine is unique in that it started implementing the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 during the war, while most countries do so after the end of hostilities.

«Ukraine signed this resolution and implemented it voluntarily. And in 2016, the first national action plan was approved. Although usually, all countries start referring to this resolution after the end of hostilities and begin «revival». Therefore, Ukraine is unique in this regard, because we started working on decision-making and developing mechanisms for implementing this resolution during the conflicts in 2014, and now the work is not stopping,» said Yuliia Bronska.

Thanks to the implementation of the Resolution, Ukraine has lifted restrictions that prohibited women from working in more than 450 professions, including the Armed Forces. Legislation was also amended to allow women to study at military institutions, quotas were introduced in the Verkhovna Rada, doubling the number of women in parliament, and free training programmes were created for specialities that were previously considered «male».

«Women are now an integral part of the security and defence sector. They take part in combat operations, serve in the State Emergency Service and the police. And I want to say that over the last period, while this coalition «Women. Peace. Security», there have been many improvements in the equality of women and men in the police,» said Kateryna Rudnytska, Senior Inspector of the Department of Commissioners for Monitoring Human Rights in Police Activities.

According to Oksana Yelchieva, Director of the Social Protection Department of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, Resolution 1325 is primarily aimed at ensuring women's right to participate in decision-making processes.

«These are not all the measures we take to support women, but they are the main ones where you can find a conditional entry point for information. And it is very important for us, for the authorities, that a coalition of NGOs hear about the measures that are in place and inform the population. But at the same time, this coalition is the voice not only of the measures that are being implemented in Mykolaiv region today, but also of the feedback from the categories of women they represent,» says Oksana Yelchieva.

In Mykolaiv region, there are currently three shelters, eight day centres and 17 mobile teams that help victims of domestic and gender-based violence. Specialised spaces have also been created — for women, children and veterans — where they can receive psychological, legal and social support. An example is the centre «Vilna», which helps women adapt to the war. In the first half of 2025 alone, more than 2,000 cases of domestic violence were recorded in the region, including 1,721 against women.

The campaign «1325 Changes the Country» is supported by the governments of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada in cooperation with the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy and the Ukrainian Women's Fund. It will last until 30 October.

At the end of August, the Voznesensk community opened a family space for women and girls «Porada». This place has become another important step towards creating a barrier-free, safe and supportive environment for the community.