A two-day training session was provided to gender advisors from the Ukrainian MoD. It focuses on international humanitarian law and the role of the Ukrainian Defence Forces in its implementation.

Attendees from the Ground Forces, Special Operations Forces, and the State Special Transport Service participated in the training session, where the following topics were covered:
• Fundamentals of International Humanitarian Law;
• The provisions of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325;
• Conflict-related Sexual Violence (CRSV): varieties and consequences;
• Approaches to assisting individuals impacted by conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine;
• Strategies for addressing and preventing gender-based violence in service settings;
• The role of specialized professionals in these cases.

“We give our full focus to the issues raised by the military personnel. Working alongside gender advisors, we seek successful strategies to promote gender equality and eliminate discrimination in service settings. Service members perform combat missions more efficiently when they feel supported and respected in a team, so our mission is to ensure adequate service conditions for everyone, regardless of gender,” emphasized Major Diana Kopanytsia, Head of the Humanitarian Support Department of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.

Opening the training, UN Women in Ukraine Program Specialist Cornelius Nolen emphasized the importance of Ukraine's compliance with international humanitarian law and stressed that the organization will continue to support the Government of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defence in fulfilling their commitments to gender equality and women's empowerment in the Defence Sector.

The Ministry of Defence organized the training with the support of the “UN Women in Ukraine” Agency and in cooperation with the Ukrainian Women Lawyers Association “JurFem”. The Government of Norway financially supported it as part of the “Building Democratic, Peaceful, and Gender Equal Society in Ukraine – Phase II” project.