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Revealing Women’s Histories in the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra

Context

The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra has traditionally been perceived as a masculine space — a center of monastic, spiritual, and ecclesiastical history where women’s experiences were rarely recorded or remained outside the official historical narrative.

In contemporary public discourse, the Lavra is often associated with political scandals, imperial legacies, and anti-Ukrainian narratives, which further simplifies and distorts its historical and cultural complexity. In this context, women’s stories — both spiritual and secular — become doubly marginalized.

What was done

The Ukrainian Week published an analytical article by journalist, literary scholar, and historian Olha Petrenko-Tseunova dedicated to women’s experiences within the space of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.

The article:

  • explores women’s histories in both the spiritual and secular dimensions of the Lavra, from the patronage of the Virgin Mary to the activities of saints, benefactresses, and pilgrims;
  • demonstrates that the supposedly “male” space of the Lavra historically included women’s narratives that were later displaced or silenced;
  • analyzes how contemporary anti-Ukrainian symbols and external ideological influences, including narratives associated with Russian propaganda, distort the historical memory of the shrine.

How it was implemented

The article combines historical, cultural, and gender perspectives. The author works with archival sources, literary scholarship, and contemporary observations, focusing on individual women’s stories and their significance for Ukrainian cultural heritage.

This integrated approach reveals the connection between spiritual space, cultural memory, and gender analysis without reducing the subject either to an academic exercise or to a politicized debate.

“When we speak about history, we often reproduce only dominant narratives. This article is an attempt to return women to the space of historical memory, where they were always present but rarely heard. Media have a responsibility not only to react to scandals surrounding symbols, but also to restore complexity and plurality to historical subjects, even when that requires slower, research-based work,” says Margarita Dykaliuk, editor-in-chief of The Ukrainian Week.

Impact

The article drew attention to marginalized women’s narratives in both the historical and contemporary history of the Lavra and contributed to a broader discussion about restoring the Ukrainian historical and cultural context of this important religious site.

It helps shift the focus from dominant political and imperial interpretations toward local, human-centered, and gendered histories, expanding public understanding of women’s role in shaping cultural memory.

What other media can learn

  • Highlight marginalized histories by giving voice to women and other “invisible” groups in traditionally masculine or hierarchical spaces.
  • Present individuals as subjects of history rather than merely as symbols within political or ideological narratives.
  • Combine journalism with a research-based approach, working with archives and historical sources to provide deeper and more responsible context.

Reframing Women’s Roles in the Military Through Opinion Journalism

Context

Despite the significant presence of women in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, questions about their role, visibility, and public perception remain contested. According to data from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine published in March 2025, more than 70,000 women were serving in the Ukrainian military, including about 5,500 in combat zones.

At the same time, women service members are often expected to constantly prove their motivation and effectiveness, whereas men are frequently perceived as “full-fledged warriors by default.” This imbalance is rarely visible in daily news coverage but becomes the subject of sharper debate in opinion journalism.

What was done

The Ukrainian Week published two opinion columns by writer, veteran, and contributing author Iryna Bobyk: “Women in the Army” and “The Image of the Warrior.” The texts function as complementary essays that explore women’s military experience from two perspectives:

  • personal — through the author’s own experience as a veteran;
  • societal — through an analysis of collective perceptions, expectations, and stereotypes.

The columns address gender bias toward women service members in the context of the full-scale war and highlight the diversity of women’s roles in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, from logistics and medicine to combat missions and reconnaissance drone operations.

How it was implemented

  • The editorial team chose the format of an authorial column, combining lived experience with analytical reflection.
  • The texts use the author’s direct voice to document common stereotypes, suspicions, and accusations directed at women in the military.
  • The columns were published as part of The Ukrainian Week’s broader conversation about war, identity, and the transformation of social roles.

Impact

The publications generated significant reader engagement and active debate. Some audience members, including women readers, criticized the texts as “ideologically biased,” demonstrating both the sensitivity of the topic and the uneven readiness of society to confront it.

At the same time, the columns brought renewed attention to the need to reconsider entrenched perceptions of women soldiers and opened a public discussion about women’s mobilization, wartime experience, and women’s right to agency within the military sphere.

What other media can learn

  • Give space to authorial voices with lived wartime experience, even when they challenge comfortable narratives.
  • Do not avoid difficult or divisive topics simply because they may provoke criticism.
  • Use opinion journalism as a tool for rethinking social roles, norms, and gender stereotypes, complementing news coverage with deeper reflection.

The Power of Women: Women’s Visibility and Leadership During Wartime

Context

Russia’s full-scale invasion has radically transformed women’s roles in Ukrainian society — in sports, the military, volunteering, civic life, and professional spheres. At the same time, women are often portrayed in the media as part of the “background of war” rather than as active participants. The Vikna STB team chose a systematic format to consistently highlight women’s leadership and agency during wartime.

What has been done

Within the framework of the news and current affairs program, the team created the thematic video playlist “The Power of Women,” which brings together television stories about Ukrainian women from different fields — athletes, professionals, activists, and servicewomen.

Each episode centers on a woman’s personal story, her decisions, inner transformations, fears, and the responsibilities she has taken on during the war. One of the protagonists is Alina Shukh, a multiple world champion in athletics with an American education, who left her sports career and became a service member of the Khartiia Brigade in the Kharkiv region.

How it was implemented

The stories were produced as television reports for the national telethon “United News.” After broadcast, the reports were compiled into a dedicated playlist and adapted for digital audiences on YouTube, extending the lifespan of the content and expanding its reach.

“It was crucial for us to speak about women’s leadership not as a one-time topic but systematically, so that it becomes part of the everyday news agenda rather than an exception,” says Tymur Levchuk, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Starlight Media.

Impact

The playlist increased the visibility of women in traditionally “male” fields such as sports, the military, and public leadership. Audiences were offered concrete examples of women’s agency and active participation in defending the country.

The project contributes to an alternative narrative about women in wartime — not as passive witnesses to events, but as full-fledged agents of change and decision-making.

What other newsrooms can learn

  • Work in series rather than through isolated stories; regularity helps establish a new narrative instead of presenting exceptional cases.
  • Portray women through their decisions and responsibilities, not only through emotions or suffering.
  • Repurpose broadcast content for digital platforms and new audiences.
  • Integrate women’s leadership into mainstream news coverage rather than confining it to special projects.

Visibility of Women in Spiritual Ministry During Wartime

Context

Russia’s full-scale invasion has made chaplaincy an essential part of support for military personnel. At the same time, women’s role in spiritual ministry remains largely invisible and is often devalued both within the military environment and in religious communities. Gender bias, distrust toward women as spiritual leaders, and the lack of official recognition create additional barriers for those who work directly with trauma, loss, and crises of faith on the front line.

Suspilne chose a documentary format to raise a difficult question without simplification or moralizing: Can and should a woman be a military chaplain, and what does the reality of war reveal about that question?

What has been done

Suspilne produced the documentary anthology “Chaplain Women: Prayer in Hell”, dedicated to the experiences of women chaplains during the full-scale war. The film follows three women who provide spiritual support to soldiers, work with profound trauma, loss, and doubt, and simultaneously face distrust and prejudice regarding their role.

The documentary portrays chaplaincy without heroization or romanticization — through fatigue, fear, faith, and crises of faith. The protagonists’ stories become the basis for a broader conversation about women’s place in military and religious institutions and about how war reshapes ideas of spiritual leadership.

How it was implemented

  • The film was produced as an anthology, allowing different experiences and contexts of chaplaincy to be presented.
  • The narrative is built around the protagonists’ lived experiences, without imposed judgments, preaching, or simplistic conclusions.
  • After the premiere, the project was accompanied by public discussions that expanded the conversation from the screen into the public sphere.

Impact

“Chaplain Women: Prayer in Hell” became one of Suspilne’s most resonant documentary projects. After the premiere, the team received hundreds of responses from viewers who said that the film “helped them feel the meaning of faith again” and revealed a previously invisible part of women’s work that is often ignored or undervalued.

The project sparked public debate about women’s role in the military system and the need for official recognition of women chaplains within the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In this way, the film moved beyond being a cultural product and became a tool for social dialogue.

The documentary received the International Women and the World Film Festival (IFFWW) Award for Best Feature-Length Television Film and won the Ivan Franko Prize in the category Best Work in Television.

What other newsrooms can learn

  • Make women visible in traditionally “male” roles by focusing on their professional function and lived experience rather than presenting them as exceptional or unusual.
  • Cover sensitive topics without heroization or moralizing, allowing audiences to draw their own conclusions from real stories and context.
  • Use documentary storytelling as a tool for public dialogue, especially on issues that require institutional change.
  • Extend on-screen stories through public discussions involving experts, institutions, and audiences.
  • Plan for impact during production by creating opportunities for screenings, discussions, educational use, and advocacy after release.

Responsible Representation of LGBTQI+ People in Documentary Storytelling

Context

The workplace is a space where people spend a significant part of their lives, yet for many LGBTQI+ people it remains unsafe. Fear of stigma, prejudice, and losing one’s job forces people to hide their identity, which directly affects mental health, burnout, and professional fulfillment. Suspilne chose a documentary format to address this issue without sensationalism or dramatization — through real lived experience.

What was done

Suspilne produced the short documentary “Vacancy: Human”, which explores the experiences of LGBTQI+ people at work. The film is built around the stories of two protagonists, Katya and Demian, who openly speak about fear, silence, pressure, and their path toward acceptance in a professional environment.

The documentary is supplemented by expert commentary and statistical context. According to the NGO Tochka Opory UA, 37 out of 40 surveyed LGBTQI+ people conceal their identity at work due to fear of changes in attitudes from colleagues and management. The protagonists’ personal stories become an argument for openness as a factor that can reduce burnout and strengthen team resilience.

How it was implemented

  • The film was produced in partnership with the NGO Tochka Opory UA.
  • Safe participation conditions and a trauma-sensitive approach were ensured for the protagonists during filming.
  • The documentary uses the metaphor of a shared painting as a symbol of acceptance and coexistence within a team.
  • After its release, the film was presented at two job fairs as a starting point for discussions on inclusive recruitment and workplace culture.

“It was crucial for us not to ‘speak about’ people, but to give them the opportunity to speak in the first person — without translating their experience for someone else,” says Anastasiia Hudyma, Director of the Department for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunities at Suspilne Broadcasting and a member of the editorial board.

Impact

  • After the release, the team received dozens of responses from LGBTQI+ people who said it was the first time they had seen a non-stereotypical and non-demeaning representation of their experience in Ukrainian media.
  • Some viewers admitted that after watching the film they felt encouraged to apply for jobs at Suspilne; several of them now work in different divisions of the media group. This demonstrated that responsible representation can influence not only audience trust but also a media organization’s ability to attract new professionals and foster a safer internal culture.
  • The film’s protagonist Katya began speaking openly about her identity after participating in the project and now conducts trainings on leadership and acceptance.
  • On social media, the film received hundreds of supportive comments with no documented negative reactions.
  • “Vacancy: Human” won second place at the 5th International Television Festival “Heart of Europe” in the category Short Documentary Film (Warsaw).

What other newsrooms can learn

  • Give voice to vulnerable groups without reducing their experiences solely to trauma.
  • Collaborate with relevant civil society organizations according to the principle “Nothing about us without us.”
  • Use documentary storytelling as a tool for changing attitudes and professional practices — not only to inform audiences but also to influence newsroom culture and the labor market.

Systematic Monitoring of Gender Balance on the News

What Has Been Done

StarLightMedia has become the first Ukrainian media company to sign the Women’s Empowerment Principles in October 2019. Ever since, the company annually implements policies aimed at achieving gender equality both as an employer and a media content producer.

Within StarLightMedia, all departments and creative teams working on content declare a commitment to a 50:50 balance in representation. Special attention is paid to this issue in news shows.

How It Was Implemented

The issue of gender representation is regularly raised during the weekly meetings of StarLightMedia CEO Oleksandr Bohutskyi with the news editorial team, which is also composed maintaining a 50:50 balance.

These discussions resulted in the introduction of the company’s own internal audit: monthly monitoring of the number of women and men on the screen. Over the past two years, StarLightMedia news products (Fakty ICTV and Vikna Novyny) have been systematically working on gender balance, recording the figures and analyzing the dynamics.

The company publicly reports the results of this monitoring to civil society, acknowledging both the achievements and the limitations it faces in the process.

Impact

Over the year, 298 women appeared on the air in StarLightMedia’s slots of the United News telethon. They were representatives of government authorities, civil society, experts in various fields, and the military. Despite not yet achieving a 50:50 representation level, at the end of the year, StarLightMedia news ranked first in terms of the number of women on the telethon among all its producers.

As noted by Tymur Levchuk, StarLightMedia’s leader for diversity and inclusion, the company considers this report to be an honest self-assessment tool: it highlights room for development while also celebrating the strengthening of women’s voices on the news.

How Other Media Can Follow:

  • Implement regular internal monitoring of gender representation in content.
  • Raise the issue of balance on the air at the level of management decisions.
  • Report results publicly, acknowledging both accomplishments and limitations.
  • View gender equality as a long-term process, not a one-off campaign.

Implementing a Systemic Approach to Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion

What Exactly Was Implemented: DEI Internal Policies and Practices

In August 2025, the Supervisory Board and the Board of Suspilne approved the Concept for an Inclusive Approach in Content Production and Team Work, the first systemic document defining the vision, principles, and steps to implement diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) at all the levels of company activity. The concept encompasses both the institutional level (equal opportunities, internal processes, team culture) and the content level (representation, sensitivity, inclusion of various voices in materials by Suspilne). This is the first document of its kind among Ukrainian media, which also garnered interest among some European media (in Finland, Sweden, Slovenia, etc.) to develop similar ones in their countries.

When and Why It Was Decided to Implement It

The team began working on the Concept in September 2024, understanding that real inclusion must manifest itself in everyday practices and become systematic work. The document was based on the need to ensure that Suspilne encompasses the full diversity of Ukrainian society and remains a media outlet where everyone can see a reflection of themselves.

Suspilne engaged internal company specialists and external experts, both Ukrainian and international, who co-authored various thematic parts of the document, including international experts from the European Broadcasting Union, of which Suspilne is a member, and representatives of communities about which we create content (this is crucial). It became a space for dialogue, in which different points of view were transformed into a shared vision.

Ukrainian experts developed executive summaries in six thematic parts of the Concept and held thematic workshops for our team. Afterward, the team of the Department for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunities (which was established in April 2024: another example of growth and understanding of the importance of this topic in the Public Broadcasting system) drafted the document, ran it by the experts and communities and developed the final text.

This text became a foundation for the topics of inclusion, diversity, and equality, which often remain on the sidelines. Within its teams, the broadcasting company developed presentations, information cards, and other activities explaining the provisions of this document. The communication tools include an internal chat and an information dashboard (including regional subsidiaries of the company) collecting questions and feedback about a particular topic.

How This Affected the Newsroom

The concept united different teams around joint values and laid the groundwork for systemic changes: Suspilne is adjusting editorial policies and HR processes. The company has acquired more internal understanding of equality-related topics, started a series of workshops on gender sensitivity, inclusive language, barrier-free setup, age diversity, and the topic of veterans. Changes in the content have also been noticeable: stories by Suspilne have been featuring a diverse range of people increasingly often.

The process of development and approval of the Concept Implementation Plan is currently ongoing (scheduled for December 2025), and it will involve a significant part of Suspilne teams, since it will include the implementation of sign language in cultural projects and audio description for documentary projects. It is also planned to continue ensuring a 50:50 gender balance in all the content on Suspilne and to set up the publication of news in an accessible language in an Easy News format.

Gender Audit

In 2025, Suspilne became the first and only large media company in Ukraine to have an independent gender audit conducted. A gender audit is a systematic assessment of policies, management processes, HR practices, and corporate culture through the lens of equality, inclusion, and non-discrimination.

The independent audit was carried out by Women in Media NGO with International Media Support (IMS). The research was conducted over May–August 2025 as part of the project “United for Equality in the Media: Promoting Gender Equality through Cooperation of Civil Society Organizations, the Media, and the Authorities.”

“We decided to take this step to objectively assess the state of equality within the company, identify barriers, and create a roadmap for further adjustments. It was important for us to not only declare the principles of inclusion but also to confirm them with specific actions,” shares Anastasiia Hudyma.  

The audit was an important step in building trust and openness within the team. 521 employees participated in the survey; 86% indicated that gender equality is important to them, and 85% said that gender does not affect career opportunities. The process of discussing the results brought together different departments, provided an opportunity to hear the voices from the regions, and initiated a culture of internal reflection.

The audit results laid the foundation for the implementation of the Action Plan for Integration of Gender Equality Principles, development of online trainings, and regular monitoring. The action plan is not public but rather implemented by an internal working group; it is carried out both on a strategic level (such as workshops) and at the level of everyday practices (including purchasing period hygiene products for bathrooms).

Further Newsroom Plans

Anastasiia Hudyma, Director of the DEI Department at Suspilne, says that the company is currently working on improving content accessibility for people with low hearing and vision, particularly by introducing sign language interpreting and audio descriptions. According to Ms. Hudyma, this requires significant financial resources, since it requires not only equipment but also engaging SL interpreters, narrators, studio adaptation specialists, and actors. Simultaneously, Suspilne conducts internal workshops for employees explaining the importance of creating such content even when the audience requiring it is rather small.

She also points out the complexity of the systematic introduction of nouns in feminine forms in internal documentation, which is connected with the organization’s size, established administrative formats, and the need for coordination with the existing regulatory framework.

According to her, an additional challenge is the low engagement of employees in training programs. Suspilne therefore sees the need to develop a new internal learning model, which would combine online modules, practical cases, and mentor support, as well as engage external experts on various subjects, from gender equality to accessibility and ethics.

In addition, Ms. Hudyma notes that Suspilne strives to implement parenthood support policies but encounters restrictions due to government funding, which prevents the company from introducing additional social benefits or support packages.

Formalizing the Principles of Gender Equality in the Editorial Policy

What Has Been Done

The Ukrainian Week online publication has been adhering to gender equality principles in its work for a long time: the newsroom was careful about delicate subjects, prevented stereotypes in its content, and consistently used the feminine forms of nouns in Ukrainian.

In September, the editorial office approved the Gender Equality Policy developed by Women in Media NGO with the Commission on Journalistic Ethics with the support of the OSCE. The document officially consolidated the approaches that previously existed at the level of editorial culture and practices.

How It Was Implemented

The editorial office considered the introduction of a formalized policy as a prerequisite for the development of a professional media culture. After its adoption, The Ukrainian Week became even more selective in terms of topics and voices featured in the publication. The team actively engages women journalists and opinion leaders in content creation and works on topics highlighting women’s stories and helping to overcome gender bias.

Special attention is given to internal working conditions: the newsroom understands the needs of employees who also do care work, for instance, care for their children or elderly parents, providing opportunities for remote work where possible.

Impact

Approval of a gender policy really made the editorial team more aware of its own standards and responsibility for its content. The document now serves as a guide for everyday editorial decisions, particularly when it comes to choosing topics, expert voices, and approaches to sensitive issues. The policy also became the foundation for further development of other internal rules and standards in the newsroom.

Challenges and Next Steps

The editorial team has identified several initiatives that it is planning to implement further on. First, these include training programs for the team, for which they are now seeking donor funding.

There is also a need to implement additional PTO and social insurance, but it is currently not feasible due to limited human and financial resources. The situation is further complicated by the fact that some of the journalists from the team are currently at war, which increases the remaining team’s workload.

In addition to the gender policy, the newsroom is working on other internal documents, particularly an AI use policy.

How Other Media Can Follow

  • Formalize gender equality values through editorial policies even if such practices already exist informally.
  • Combine content standards with concern for working conditions and the balance between work and care responsibilities.
  • Consider gender policy as a basis for further development of other ethical and professional editorial standards.