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​Feminist policy in Ukraine’s recovery and post-conflict reconstruction: ​A gender perspective in anti-corruption efforts

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, several corruption challenges that have implications for gender equality have intensified. Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction efforts will be undermined unless they are addressed. The Women, Peace, and Security Agenda provides an opportunity to integrate gender perspectives into anti-corruption strategies and ensure that women’s and underrepresented groups’ have a role in decision-making and negotiations.

11 December 2023
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​Feminist policy in Ukraine’s recovery and post-conflict reconstruction: ​A gender perspective in anti-corruption efforts

Main points

  • The conflict in Ukraine has the potential to reverse the country’s progress in addressing corruption and promoting gender equality. Therefore, recovery and reconstruction efforts must include a gender perspective to mitigate the conflict’s disproportionate impact on women, girls, and underrepresented groups.
  • Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2021–2025 does not include a gender perspective, nor does its National Action Plan 2020–2025 (NAP) refer specifically to anti-corruption efforts. Concerted efforts are needed to address the intersection of gender equality and corruption risks.
  • Paying attention to gender and integrating feminist policy considerations, based on the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda, into anti-corruption strategies will advance relevant groups’ participation in post-conflict processes and advance integrity, accountability, and transparency.
  • The exclusion of women and underrepresented groups in decision-making and the distribution and use of reconstruction aid may result in imbalances of power and destabilise the reconstruction effort. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure their fair and active involvement in reconstruction by adopting gender-responsive activities and safeguards, which will then advance gender equality.
  • Stakeholders can facilitate their shared objectives through the combination of the efforts of the NAP on WPS and the National Anti-Corruption Strategy. This would inform post-conflict reconstruction planning and implementation in terms of the distribution of reconstruction resources; prevention of sexual forms of corruption; protection from corruption; and disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration processes.
  • Successful strategies for international donors should include aligning their funding with the NAP on WPS and the broader WPS Agenda, and distributing funds to projects that actively encourage gender equality and tackle gendered corruption challenges. It is important to support initiatives that help institutions and civil society to incorporate a gender-sensitive approach to the anti-corruption efforts of the reconstruction and recovery process, as well as target gendered forms of corruption.

Cite this publication


White, S.; Bandali, S.; Kirya, M. (2023) ​Feminist policy in Ukraine’s recovery and post-conflict reconstruction: ​A gender perspective in anti-corruption efforts . Bergen: U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, Chr. Michelsen Institute (U4 Report 2023:1)

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About the authors

Sabrina White

Dr Sabrina White is a gender specialist for Transparency International Defence and Security and an academic who researches gender, militaries, and conflict. She has also taught at the University of Leeds, Regent’s University London, Srinakharinwirot University, and the University of Sierra Leone.

Sara Bandali

Dr Sarah Bandali is Director of International Engagement at Transparency International UK and oversees global programmes addressing corruption in the Global Health and Defence and Security sectors. Her expertise on evidence use, adaptive programming and multi-stakeholder engagement are used to strengthen corruption prevention and increase shared impact.

Monica Kirya is Deputy Director at the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre and a lawyer. Kirya coordinates the themes on mainstreaming anti-corruption in public service delivery and integrating gender in anti-corruption programming.

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All views in this text are the author(s)’, and may differ from the U4 partner agencies’ policies.

This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

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