The International Women’s Rights Center La Strada, which helps victims of domestic abuse, says the conflict in eastern Ukraine has led to a dramatic upsurge in violence against women across the country.

Education Minister Dmytro Tabachnyk is in hot water after saying that women at the highest levels of study in the country’s university system are less attractive than other Ukrainian women

The latest discriminatory measure from the government could result in women being denied access to higher education within the Ministry of the Interior

On 25 January 2011 a motion for a resolution was presented to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe expressing concern over the situation of women and respect for gender equality in Ukraine

The author outlines a number of provisions in the draft Labour Code which worsen the position of working women

In a rather pitiful attempt to not find Prime Minister Azarov’s comment that carrying out reforms was not a woman’s task discriminatory the Ministry for the Family, Youth and Sport has totally blurred the real purpose of positive discrimination

Ukraine which just last year in terms of gender representation was in the middle of the list, is now in second to last place. With only 7.5% of parliamentarians women, Ukraine is far below the world average

Prominent Ukrainian activists are using the courts to fight sexist statements from those in power, however lawyers are not optimistic about the prospects for such civil suits.

“Azarov’s words are a public statement by a high-ranking government official which result in my personal rights and legitimate interests being violated, obstructions being put in the way of my exercising the constitutional right to take part in governance. They are also a demonstration of direct discrimination.."

For the first time a complaint has been submitted to Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsperson over sexual discrimination by the Prime Minister

“Some say that our government is large, others that it doesn’t have any women in it, there’s nobody to look at during a Cabinet of Ministers meeting. ... With all due respect to women, it is not a woman’s matter to carry out reforms”.

The International Women’s Human Rights Centre “La Strada – Ukraine” has announced the start of the annual campaign to raise awareness of the problem of violence in the family

The Ministry on the Family, Youth and Sport has set up a special email address [email protected] where members of the public, representatives of the authorities at all levels, specialists, etc, can send information on issues of gender equality

From 25 November to 10 December rights organizations in different countries will be taking part in activities aimed at drawing attention to violence against women

The campaign will involve drawing up and implementing specific measures to prevent and fight violence in the family, raise awareness of the problem

Ir is most often small- and medium-scale businesses in Ukraine which break the law regarding equal opportunities for men and women. Yet neither women, nor men, are used to going to court in order to contest discrimination on the labour market

In the Global Gender Gap Report 2007 Ukraine has fallen to 57th place from 48th last year. Its political empowerment rating is particularly miserable

There may just be grounds for believing that some politicians do respond to public outrage, especially when it is fierce, as over the recently announced plans to make it possible to dismissal pregnant employees for “infringements of labour legislation”

Statement from the International Women’s Human Rights Centre “La Strada – Ukraine” in protest at the proposals by the Government to introduce amendments to labour legislation enabling employers to dismiss pregnant employees

The Minister’s claim that making it possible to dismiss women who are pregant would prevent discrimination against women by potential employers is roundly condemned as sheer hypocrisy