National Action Plan: Ukraine

The Government of Ukraine launched its first National Action Plan (NAP) on February 24, 2016. The NAP was created to establish a framework as well as strategies and actions for coordinated implementation of UNSCR 1325. The NAP aims at contributing towards the elimination of cultural barriers that hinder the full participation of women in all aspects of negotiations and resolution of conflicts and/or matters of peace and security at the national level. The NAP is the result of joint efforts between different national institutions reporting to the Cabinet of Ministries of Ukraine. The Action Plan includes six pillars of action: Peacekeeping and peace-protecting activities; Women’s participation in peacebuilding; Prevention of conflicts and violence; Protection of women and girls affected by conflicts; Provision of assistance and rehabilitation of people affected by conflicts; and Monitoring of the National Action Plan for implementation of UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security until 2020. The National Action Plan has both internal and external elements. It aims at eliminating cultural barriers that prevent women from participating in all societal spheres.

Since 2014, Ukraine has experienced armed conflict, civil unrest and ethnic tension which was only intensified by the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. Women have been deeply affected by displacement in the wake of violence. Due to limited economic opportunities linked to austerity measures, women are forced to bear the burden of care for families with reduced resources, especially for internally displaced women. Despite numerous legislative protections, The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and women NGOs have reported an increase in cases of domestic violence, rape, prostitution and survival sex. Widespread cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) have been reported and efforts have been made by the UNFPA to raise awareness and give advice for those women affected.

The internal issues the NAP focuses on include prevention of domestic violence and human trafficking and awareness-raising for survivors of SGBV. The NAP recognises the lack of criminal investigation and prosecution of sexual offenders and aims to improve the mechanism for reporting sexual crimes. The NAP also aims to increase the number of women in military-civil administrations in Eastern Ukraine. The external issues the NAP focuses on include having more women in peacekeeping missions and training social service agencies and armed forces in assisting survivors of sexual violence in conflict areas.

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National Action Plan: Ukraine

Civil Society Actors

Development

The NAP does not note how civil society will be involved in the development of the NAP.

Implementation

The NAP notes that civil society, specifically scientific institutions, NGOs and international organizations, will be involved in the implementation of the NAP but only “upon consent”. However, it does not note how deeply civil society will be involved.

Monitoring

The NAP notes that civil society, specifically scientific institutions, NGOs and international organizations, will be involved in the monitoring of the NAP but, only with consent. However, it does not note how deeply civil society will be involved.

Government Actors

NAP Development

The government office in charge of developing the text was the Cabinet of Ministries of Ukraine.

NAP Implementation

The Ministry of Social Policy, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Youth and Sport, Ministry of Information Policy along with the Administration of State Border Guard Service, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine, the State Emergency Service, the Oblast (regional), and Kyiv state administrations are in charge of the implementation of the NAP. The Security Service and State Judicial Administration are also indicated as a part of implementation, but only "upon consent".

NAP Monitoring and Evaluation

The Ministry of Social Policy, the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the Administration of State Border Guard Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Education and Science, the State Emergency Service, the Oblast (regional) and Kyiv state administrations along with other unspecified national authorities will monitor and evaluate implementation of the NAP in coordination with government actors. The State Judicial Administration, Security Service, and the National Academy of Science are also indicated as a part of monitor and evaluation but only “upon consent”.

Objectives

The Ukrainian National Action Plan is organized by 10 objectives:

1) Assessment of impact of conflicts on national system of ensuring human rights, including protection, providing assistance and rehabilitation to victims of gender-based violence, participation of women in peacebuilding and prevention of conflicts;

2) Assessment of the impact of crisis on infrastructure, arrangement and functioning of the services provision system;

3) Coordination of agents of interaction for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325;

4) Organisation of trainings for specialists;

5) Increase in women’s participation in peacebuilding and peacekeeping processes, promoting a culture of peace;

6) Awareness raising on secure behavior in the ATO areas, settlements along demarcation line or in the temporarily occupied areas;

7) Preventing and combating violence against women;

8) Improvement of the system of protection of women and girls affected by conflicts (identification, referral mechanism for assistance);

9) Establishment of the system of comprehensive assistance to people affected by conflicts; and

10) Assessment of impact and effectiveness of NAP for implementation of UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security until 2020.

Action/Activities

Each goal has different actions assigned. For instance, the first goal, “Assessment of impact of conflicts on national system of ensuring human rights, including protection, providing assistance and rehabilitation to survivors of gender-based violence, participation of women in peacebuilding and prevention of conflicts”, includes four actions:

1) Conducting studies on root causes of conflicts and their impact on women and girls, including risks of GBV and access to justice;

2) Development of a regional monitoring card on the state of protection, provision of assistance and rehabilitation of victims of genderbased violence, participation of women in peacebuilding and prevention of conflicts;

3) Analysis of practices and conditions of women’s participation in international peacebuilding processes, negotiation groups, multilateral activities on dealing with internal and external challenges and threats; and

4) Analysis of use of international experience, existing training programmes on conflict-related issues, forced displacement, disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, access to justice.

Indicators

Each goal has a number of listed indicators. For example, the first goal, “Assessment of impact of conflicts on national system of ensuring human rights, including protection, providing assistance and rehabilitation to victims of gender-based violence, participation of women in peacebuilding and prevention of conflicts”, includes four actions and five indicators for them. The following are the five indicators:

1) Number of developed recommendations taking into account women’s needs in prevention of conflicts;

2) Number of recommendations implemented;

3) Number of developed oblast monitoring cards;

4) Number of prepared proposals to include women into peacebuilding processes; and

5) Number of developed proposals.

Monitoring & Evaluation

Pillar six focuses on monitoring and evaluating the NAP. The Ministry of Social Policy, the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the Administration of State Border Guard Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Education and Science, the State Emergency Service, the Oblast (regional) and Kyiv state administrations along with other unspecified national authorities will monitor and evaluate implementation of the NAP in coordination with government actors. The State Judicial Administration, Security Service, and the National Academy of Science are also indicated as a part of monitor and evaluation but only “upon consent”. All government and civil society actors will be in charge of preparing and publishing a national report on the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the NAP. The Oblast, Kviv state administration along with NGOs and international organizations will conduct surveys among women affected by conflict. The Ministry of Social Policy, National Academy, NGOs and international organizations will conduct surveys to track changes, trends and public impact of the NAP.