2025/05/16
The Economic Recovery Program for Women in Kharkiv Region
This year, we took a comprehensive approach to address the economic challenges and barriers local women face.
To better understand the challenges women face in the labour market, we conducted the study “Gender Stereotypes and Discrimination of Women in the Labour Market.” The results showed that half of the respondents felt the impact of their family status and domestic roles on their professional achievements and overall work life. Seventy per cent struggle to find a balance between work and personal life, and 20% have faced employment rejections due to gender. For more details on the study, read here.
On March 15, a job fair was held in Kharkiv, gathering motivated women, career lecturers, and local businesses like YAPICO, EVA, PrivatBank, CHUDO, Military+1, and the Employment Centre.
Participants received professional photos for their resumes, career consultations, and had the opportunity to meet with employers.
“There hasn't been much work in my life. People around me pressure me with feelings of guilt: When will I finally find something? At the job fair, I got a professional photo, attended a lecture about military experience, and spoke with employers. I haven't found a job yet, but my motivation to move forward has increased. Don't be afraid to try, and don't think you're 'unqualified.' Perhaps the employers themselves don't fully know what they're looking for.”
“Since February 2022, I have lost my job due to the relocation of the company. I faced unofficial employment, lack of social benefits, and violations of labour laws. At the job fair, the atmosphere was very relaxed. Everyone interacted equally. There were various women, but each came to change her life for the better. Proud to be among them ❤️.”
“I have a degree in design, but I faced prejudices in freelancing where men were favoured due to 'technical reasons.' At the job fair, I spoke with representatives from PrivatBank, got a photo, and updated my resume, which helped me find a part-time job in sales. I now better understand my strengths and am learning to apply them.”
We organized a series of personal career consultations to help women overcome employment barriers. Here's how this changed the participants' lives.
Olena makes shoes in her own workshop. Due to the war, the demand for her products dropped. After five consultations with marketing expert Maria Svyzhaya, demand increased tenfold.
“After one post, I received 50 orders! I'm so grateful for the support during these difficult times,” says Olena.
Olena's mentor, Maria, emphasizes: “Women often find it difficult to advocate for themselves. But if you open doors and push, you can achieve great results.”
Ksenia works at a book factory but dreamed of having a professional photography career. After consultations with professional photographer Kristina Pashkina, she learned reportage shooting and received support.
“Now I know what I need to work on, and I plan to make photography my main job. I feel like I have all the tools to improve my life,” says Kseniia.
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We also launched the information campaign “Drop the Stereotypes” to draw attention to gender biases that prevent women from realizing their full potential.
Together with Palay Production, we created a video telling the story of fighting stereotypes and shared it from the streets of Kharkiv to TikTok and Instagram, gathering over 500,000 views. Learn more about the campaign here.
This project is produced by the Women's Association Sphere, funded by the United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) with technical support of UN Women Ukraine. The United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) mobilises critical support for local and grassroots civil society organisations working on women, peace and security and humanitarian action. WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism supporting quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities.
The views and opinions expressed in this text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the organisations supporting the campaign.
