The Regional Working Group “Gender in Humanitarian Action” (GiHA) has started its work in the Poltava region. It was created to coordinate the efforts of the organisations and institutions that are already members of the group and to expand its activities to new members involved in the humanitarian response in the region.
On 16 August, during the inaugural meeting within the framework of the working group’s activities, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed to join forces and coordinate efforts to integrate gender equality and women’s empowerment into humanitarian response, early recovery and development programmes.
It should be recalled that work on the exchange of knowledge and experience between humanitarian actors began in the region in 2023. Thanks to the support of UN Women Ukraine, a number of activities have been carried out to strengthen the coordination of all stakeholders providing services to the affected population and implementing humanitarian projects.
The meeting brought together 12 local civil society organisations and government agencies that have demonstrated their commitment to promoting gender issues in humanitarian action to address the needs of women and girls, people with disabilities and the LGBTIQ+ community affected by russia’s war against Ukraine, as well as to strengthen coordination of actors providing humanitarian assistance, implementing early recovery and development projects in the Poltava region.
At its first official meeting, the working group reviewed the draft action plan and elected co-heads. The working group will be headed by three co-heads, representing Poltava City Council, the Gender Centre of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” and the NGO “Bureau of Gender Strategies and Budgeting”. The secretary of the working group is a representative of the NGO “Power of Love”.
It is important to note that the vast majority of participants are members of the informal expert association “Coalition 1325 Poltava Region”, which confirms the systematic work in this area.
The GiHA Regional Working Group is open to cooperation, and representatives are included in the working group by joining the Memorandum. The activity of GiHA in Ukraine was made possible with the financial support of the Danish government.
It should be recalled that Poltava Polytechnic joined the “Coalition 1325 Poltava Region”, and the Gender Centre of Poltava Polytechnic presented its activities at the first scheduled meeting of the “Coalition 1325 Poltava Region”.
Earlier, a new project called “Security Ambassadors” was launched in the Poltava region, the second anniversary of the ratification of the Istanbul Convention was marked by discussions on legislative changes and combating violence, and the annual report of the Ukrainian Ombudsman for Human Rights was presented for the second time.
Media Center of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
