Mr. President,

Ukraine is pleased to address the Executive Board today and welcomes the Report of the Executive Director.

From the outset I would like to highlight the work of the courageous women of Ukraine who are bravely leading the charge in humanitarian response efforts and enduring disproportionate consequences of internal displacement since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.

Because of the war against Ukraine large number of women and girls in Ukraine continue to face significant challenges: access to basic necessities, elevated risk of sexual and gender-based violence, limited availability of social and legal services.
Recognizing the urgent need to address these issues, UN-Women is supporting national efforts aimed at providing essential assistance to women community leaders and local women’s non-governmental organizations and networks. These crucial actors play a vital role in delivering direct services to survivors of gender-based violence.

This brings me to the importance that Ukraine attaches to the triple mandate of UN-Women, which was given by the Member States of the General Assembly in 2010 to ensure that the normative, operational and coordination aspects of gender equality are leveraged and synergized “under the roof” of UN-Women.

We are recognizing the prime importance of UN-Women’s operational mandate and the difference it makes there for women and girls. Ukraine is categorically opposed to a reduction of any aspect of the UN-Women mandate, and on the contrary is asking for strengthening UN-Women’s capacity as the central UN agency to advance gender equality and women rights.

UN-Women is also collaborating with national and international partners in pursuing accountability for violations and crimes committed in Ukraine by the aggressor state. This includes the deployment of expert investigators to the International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, and the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court. Their collective efforts focus on documenting instances of sexual and gender-based violence, ensuring that those responsible are held to account.

Ukraine conveys its utmost support for the vital work undertaken by UN-Women. As a nation deeply committed to advancing gender equality, we recognize invaluable role UN-Women plays in promoting empowerment, advocating for women’s rights, and driving substantive change worldwide.

The Ukrainian delegation understands the significance of bolstering UN-Women's capacity and resources to further strengthen its impact. As we move forward, we emphasize the need to amplify the work of UN-Women, foster collaboration, and drive transformative change.
Together, we can build a future where gender equality is ingrained in every aspect of society, leaving no one behind in our pursuit of a more just and inclusive world.

Thank you.