Following the first meeting that took place on 2 June http://www.unfpa.org.ua/eng/news/393.html, UNFPA Representative for Ukraine Ms. Nuzhat Ehsan met with young women participants of the “First step to success” program supported by Ukrainian Women’s Fund (UWF).

Participants of the Program Ms. Yana Verteba from Mariupol city, Donetsk region, Ms. Natalia Gorbach, Nova Kahovka (Khersonska region) and Ms. Olga Dobriakova Zhytomyr city presented ideas developed by their peers and partner organizations on how to engage youth and young women in building bridges between the regions of Ukraine, promoting peace and stability in the country through dialogue among population.

The participants discussed the initiatives such as awareness raising activities for youth from different regions, exchanges, development of joint products (photo exhibitions, publications), youth camps and trainings and discussed the prospects of partnership.

During the meeting, both civil society leaders and representatives of international organizations agreed that in this complicated and turbulent time that Ukraine is experiencing, it is especially important that gender equality and women’s empowerment stay on the Governmental agenda and keep being promoted by the efforts of the Government, civil society and international organizations.

UNFPA Representative stressed that “UNFPA all over the world and in Ukraine has promotion of gender equality among its top priorities. We want to see women in Ukraine as active leaders and effective managers at top positions both in governmental structures and in business domain. We feel the importance of empowering women and providing them with equal opportunities with men to realize fully their potential and promote development of the society.”

UNFPA Ukraine stands ready to support local communities to implement joint projects aimed at building social cohesion, ensuring better quality of life, social inclusion and gender equality in Ukrainian society.