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ABSTRACT
This study analyzes the role and readiness of women in the civil defense system of Ukraine and the possibilities of institutionally strengthening their contribution through the adaptation of international experience, in particular the Swedish model of comprehensive defense. The methodology combines quantitative data from a nationally representative survey and qualitative interviews, supplemented by an analysis of regulatory documents and data from open sources. The focus of the work is the interaction of state bodies and civil society, the development of volunteer initiatives and training programs, as well as gender-sensitive aspects of crisis preparedness. The study offers recommendations for integrating the practical experience of volunteer initiatives and training programs into systemic mechanisms for training citizens. The expected impact of these recommendations is also considered at four levels: individual, local, institutional and national. Practical implications relate to the formation of a systemic approach to training citizens and the development of resource mobilization mechanisms. The results emphasize the importance of integrating women into civil defense as a component of a sustainable and flexible security and defense system of Ukraine.
Keywords: women and security, civil defense, comprehensive defense, national resistance, Ukrainian-Swedish cooperation.
The research was conducted by the CSO "Expert Resource Gender in Detail" as part of the project “Gender Mainstreaming in the Context of Comprehensive Defence”, funded by the grant “Best Practices of the Swedish Gender Approach as a Tool for Empowering Ukrainian Women to Implement Sustainable Reforms and Promote Ukraine’s European Integration”, with financial support from the Swedish Institute and in partnership with the Swedish International Liberal Centre.
The project draws on gender mainstreaming practices within Sweden’s comprehensive defence system and represents the first attempt in the Ukrainian context to explore the possibilities of implementing a Swedish-style comprehensive defence strategy in Ukraine while simultaneously integrating a gender perspective across key sectors, including the economy, care work, the armed forces, civil defence, governance, information policy, and the volunteer movement.
The project’s concept author and project lead is Tamara Zlobina, PhD in Philosophy and Head of the CSO "Expert Resource Gender in Detail".
Project mentors and reviewers of the analytical reports:
Olena Strelnyk, Doctor of Sociological Sciences
Hanna Hrytsenko, Gender Expert
Project managers: Alyona Hruzina, Halyna Repetska
