Women’s inclusion is key to sustainable peace, says Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine

KYIV, 8 March 2020 – International Women’s Day serves as an important reminder of women’s achievements to date and their invaluable contribution in promoting a sustainable solution to conflict.

“Achieving peace in eastern Ukraine requires an inclusive process involving full participation of women. We witness daily the impact that women, as agents of positive change, have both in the Mission and on the ground,” said Yaşar Halit Çevik, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM). “We also see how the conflict often affects men and women differently, with existing inequalities often exacerbated.”

Çevik highlighted the SMM’s gender mainstreaming efforts, noting, in particular, the Gender Equality Action Plan. While more needs to be done, he said the Mission has consistently sought to include a gender perspective across its activities and to achieve gender parity among staff. This has strengthened both its internal structures and its day-to-day work as well as having contributed to a more in-depth understanding of all aspects of the conflict.