On June 19, First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova took part in a thematic event "Women's Contribution to the Search for Peace" on the sidelines of the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya.

Emine Dzhaparova noted that despite the fact that Ukrainian women's movement had always cared about human rights and equality in the society, with the beginning of Russia's armed aggression in 2014, the issue has gained a new significance for Ukraine. Currently, women make up 15.6% of all the Armed Forces of Ukraine personnel, and 10% of those involved in defending the country from Russian aggression in the Donbas. Since the beginning of the Russian military invasion, they took on all possible roles in the army.

The First Deputy Minister also stressed that the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories have become a place of discriminatory practices that foster gender inequality.

She placed a particular emphasis on repressions in the temporarily occupied Crimea, the role of women who heroically raise children alone while their husbands are being held in Russian prisons on trumped-up charges, and women activists who coordinate resistance to the occupation.

"Women and girls in the occupied areas are being intimidated, physically and sexually abused, ill-treated and illegally detained," Emine Dzhaparova noted.

"The repressive policy towards Crimean Tatar women in Crimea and women in the occupied territories of the Donbas is a terrible consequence of the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine," the First Deputy Minister concluded.

In her speech, Emine Dzhaparova also drew attention to Ukraine's role in the preparation and adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 "Women, Peace, Security", as well as its further implementation in accordance with the Second National Action Plan until 2025.

Emine Dzhaparova added that Ukraine initiated a number of steps at the national level within the framework of the Action Plan. In addition to launching new trainings and exercises for women peacekeepers, they include expanding the participation of gender policy experts in the selection of Ukrainian personnel for UN peacekeeping operations.

Now seven women Blue Helmets are taking part in UN peacekeeping operations within the Ukrainian personnel.

Emine Dzhaparove paid particular attention to the subject of strengthening women's leadership in diplomacy and government system. She noted a steady increase in the number of women in senior positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and foreign missions of Ukraine, which is due to the systematic support of the course to implement the results of the gender audit, held in the Ministry by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, the introduction of equal opportunities diplomacy and the strengthening of women's leadership in the diplomatic service.

The First Deputy Minister added that the number of women in government is also growing.

"Ukraine's course to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men is an important part of the effort to ensure respect for women's rights and gender equality," Emine Dzhaparova noted.

On June 18-20, 2021, the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya was held in Turkey, a platform for regional and global participants in the fields of diplomacy, politics and business. Within the framework of the Forum, a discussion was held on the topic "Women's Contribution to the Search for Peace." The organizers of the event seek to call on the international community to take real action to promote gender equality and aim to increase the participation of women in peace processes.