On July 16-17, 2026, the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is hosting a special short-term professional development program for diplomatic service personnel titled “Tools for Integrating a Gender Perspective into the Work of Diplomatic Service Agencies”.
The program was organized at the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in partnership with the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Association of Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats, and UN Women in Ukraine, with financial support from the governments of Denmark, Norway, Poland, Finland, and Sweden.
Opening the training program on behalf of Minister Andrii Sybiha, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mariana Betsa emphasized that integrating a gender perspective is an integral part of the development of Ukraine’s modern diplomatic service and an important element of our country’s European integration.
“For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the issue of equality has long ceased to be a mere formality. It is a principle that shapes the development of the modern diplomatic service, strengthens the Ministry’s institutional capacity, and helps foster a diplomacy based on professionalism, equal opportunities, and leadership”, Mariana Betsa noted.
The Deputy Minister emphasized that Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is one of the leading government institutions in implementing gender equality policies. The Ministry was the first among central executive bodies to conduct a gender audit in 2019 with the support of UN Women in Ukraine, and a follow-up audit in 2024 confirmed a positive trend toward increasing the representation of women in leadership positions within the diplomatic service. Today, more than 50% of the directors of departments and heads of divisions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are women, and more than 55% of the Ministry’s new employees who joined the team in 2026 are women.
Mariana Betsa also highlighted the Ministry’s contribution to the development of the new National Action Plan for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 “Women, Peace, and Security” for the period up to 2030, emphasizing that sustainable peace and security are impossible without the full participation of women in decision-making processes.
Over the course of two days, participants will examine international and national standards for ensuring gender equality, issues of gender-sensitive communication, intersectionality, the integration of a gender perspective into Ukraine’s accession process to the European Union, the implementation of the “Women, Peace, and Security” agenda, as well as practical tools for gender analysis, gender audits, gender impact assessments, and gender-responsive budgeting.
Special attention will be given to the activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine regarding the implementation of gender policy in the diplomatic service and the integration of a gender perspective into bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.
Experts from UN Women in Ukraine and UN Women headquarters, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, and the Association of Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats, participated in the program.
In his welcoming remarks, Ihor Ostash, Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, emphasized that the training program is practice-oriented and designed to help diplomats apply the principles of gender equality in their daily professional activities.
“The Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine views this program as an important step toward shaping a new professional culture in Ukrainian diplomacy. Today, gender competence is just as essential a component of a diplomat’s professionalism as knowledge of international law, diplomatic protocol, or the art of negotiation. At the same time, this topic takes on particular significance in the context of Ukraine’s European integration. Gender equality is a cross-cutting principle of European Union law and policy, enshrined in the EU’s Gender Equality Strategy and the EU acquis, which Ukraine is implementing on its path to membership. We aim for every program participant to gain not only new knowledge but also practical tools that will help integrate the principles of gender equality into the daily work of the diplomatic service and implement European standards in the activities of state institutions”, Ihor Ostash noted.
The head and co-founder of the Association of Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats, Tetiana Sybiha, wife of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, emphasized in her speech that the gender dimension is present in virtually every sphere of the diplomatic service’s activities – from personnel policy and internal communications to international negotiations, humanitarian response, and Ukraine’s post-war recovery. She emphasized that this is precisely why developing gender competence is an important component of the professional development of both diplomats and their family members.
Tetiana Sybiha also noted that, for the second year in a row, members of the Association of Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats have had the opportunity to participate in this training program, which is a testament to the successful partnership between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Diplomatic Academy and UN Women in Ukraine.
The program will take place online July 20-22 – specifically for staff members of Ukraine’s diplomatic missions abroad, as well as their spouses.