Solutions from Ukraine: Prometheus launches gender equality course for military personnel

On March 26, the online platform Prometheus launched a free certified course titled "Equality of Women and Men in Ukraine's Armed Forces: Policy and Practice."

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reports this.

The purpose of the course is to provide students with knowledge and practical tools for implementing a policy of equality of women and men in the armed forces in accordance with international standards, in particular NATO, as well as the best practices of the UN and partner countries.

According to Deputy Minister of Defense Brigadier General of Justice Serhii Melnyk, one of the Ministry of Defense's main tasks is developing human capital in Ukraine's armed forces.

"This course will help ensure equal opportunities, increase the effectiveness of teamwork, and introduce an approach in the unit that considers each soldier's interests.

Online courses are a modern and convenient mechanism for deepening knowledge in human rights and obtaining a corresponding certificate," he noted.

The course comprises 10 modules covering Ukrainian and international human rights and gender legislation, communication, and approaches to preventing violence and discrimination.

The training materials include:

• video lectures,
• animated videos,
• tests for self-testing.

The course was implemented within the framework of the Canadian government's project PROTECT2, which is aimed at supporting reforms in Ukraine's security and defense sector.

Specialists from the Ministry of Defense and the National Defense University of Ukraine participated in its development.

The training is free and open to all interested parties. The primary target audience is:

• gender advisors,
• unit commanders of all levels,
• cadets of higher military educational institutions.

After successfully completing the course, participants will receive an electronic certificate from the National Defense University of Ukraine and the PROTECT2 project.

PROTECT2 is a Canadian government project to support institutional reforms in Ukraine's security and defense sector.

The project team works with Ukrainian state institutions to develop their capacity to act in accordance with international standards of management, efficiency, accountability, and NATO principles.

You can access the course through this link.

For reference:

It should be noted that Ukraine's armed forces appointed a gender advisor – a public figure, a former gender advisor to the Ground Forces Command of Ukraine's armed forces, Oksana Hryhorieva.

As reported, women have become an integral part of the Ukrainian army. They serve in various military specialties: medics, signallers, snipers, etc. As of January 1, 2025, more than 70,000 women serve in Ukraine's armed forces, 20% more than in 2022.

According to Deputy Minister of Defense Brigadier General of Justice Serhii Melnyk, more than 5,500 female service members are currently directly on the front lines. In total, 7.3% of the Ukrainian army's personnel are now women.

Since the start of the work of the Ukrainian army's recruiting centers, 36,760 citizens have received consultations on entering military service. 8,053 of them have already become candidates for the Defense Forces, 20% of whom are women.

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