Women in Media and the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine presented the Gender Profile of Ukrainian Media. This is the second study conducted by the NGO with the support of Government Commissioner for Gender Policy Kateryna Levchenko.
In 2024, they analyzed 492 questionnaires from media outlets employing a total of 8,900 people. This figure is almost twice as high as last year’s.
Data for analysis
Liza Kuzmenko, the head of Women in Media, once again emphasized the importance of collaboration between the state, the media, and civil society. Only through such cooperation can meaningful results be achieved.
Member of the National Council Olena Nitsko recalled that at the start of the first study, they faced resistance from the media, as many did not understand why this information was being collected.
“They thought there might be sanctions or comments from the regulator. We explained the purpose—to understand how our media industry operates, who works in it, the ratio of men to women, and how diverse perspectives are represented. This study helps assess the situation and determine how we can support the media,” Nitsko said.
Government Commissioner for Gender Policy Kateryna Levchenko emphasized that ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men remains highly relevant, as it is a fundamental aspect of human rights, democracy, and justice.
“The Gender Profile of Ukrainian Media is an excellent tool—a barometer, a navigator, whatever you want to call it. It provides data that reflects the real situation, data we can rely on and analyze. This ensures that our discussions and policies are based on validated and verified information,” said Kateryna Levchenko.
Women in Media researcher Zoya Krasovska presented the study’s findings:
The media remains a sector where most employees are women. In the sample of the
surveyed newsrooms, 58% of employees are women and 42% are men. Compared to last
year’s data, the share of women is even higher. However, the sampler is also bigger than
last year.
- The media remains a sector where most employees are women. In the sample of the
surveyed newsrooms, 58% of employees are women and 42% are men. Compared to last
year’s data, the share of women is even higher. However, the sampler is also bigger than
last year.
- Women significantly predominate in creative professions, but not in media management.
For example, there may be 70-80% women among journalists, but just over 50% in
media management. As the level of responsibility in media management decreases, the
proportion of women in the respective group of professional roles grows. There are fewer
women percentage-wise who manage an entire media outlet compared to middle-level
managers, who are also proportionally fewer than journalists or communication officers.
At the same time, although there are fewer men in the media overall, there can be up to
50% of them in media management.
- The older the age group, the greater the percentage of men. In some occupational
categories, the percentage of men in the 61+ age group may have prevailed, although the
same occupational category of younger workers is predominantly female.
- Among people with disabilities working in the media, there are more men than women.
In total, 5% of employees in the surveyed media, total, are people with disabilities.
Among them, women constitute 44%, and men — 56%. Among all men, 7% have a
disability, and among all women, 4% have a disability.
- Men tend to prevail in professions connected with technical media maintenance.
- More women than men undergo vocational training, upskilling, or retraining.
- Flexible social protection policies for parents, caretakers, and work-life balance mostly
apply to women.
Working with veterans
The study also found that most editorial offices do not have a specific approach to sensitive groups affected by the war, such as veterans, families of wounded or fallen servicemembers who previously worked in the newsroom, and people displaced by the war. In part, the absence of such practices is due to the lack of individuals in editorial offices who would benefit from them.
However, some media outlets are implementing systematic efforts to hire veterans. This was stated by Andrii Konoplianyk, Director of the Human Resource Management Department at Suspilne. He noted that Suspilne, with support from the Free People Employment Center and Veteran Hub, has begun implementing practices and tools to improve the reintegration of veterans into the workforce and civilian life.
“Together with our partners, we organized and conducted training sessions for employees and managers, providing guidelines and practical advice on communicating with and supporting veterans while avoiding trigger issues. We are enhancing onboarding and adaptation processes and introducing peer-to-peer mentoring programs where veterans can mentor fellow veterans. We also plan further steps to improve infrastructure and ensure workplace accessibility,” Konoplianyk shared.
Starlight Media Social Project Manager and veteran Hlib Stryzhko emphasized that veteran policy is not a one-time initiative but a long-term commitment. The policy includes support for mobilized employees, those returning to work as veterans, and veterans newly entering the workforce.
“We realized that we have the capacity to shape a national strategy that is truly veteran-friendly. In the summer of 2024, the idea emerged to develop business principles that support veterans—a kind of guide that companies commit to implementing within their organizations. We have engaged three key stakeholders: business, the state, and civil society. So far, 31 companies have signed up to adopt these principles, which can be tailored to each organization’s needs. When we talk about veterans, we focus not on their status but on them as individuals. Military experience alone does not define a person as a professional,” Stryzhko said.
Here are some key principles proposed for businesses:
- Measurability and accountability. Companies commit to conduct surveys to assess the effectiveness of their initiatives and publicly reporting the results.
- Memory commemoration. Each company can do this in its own way.
- Support for veteran businesses. For example, when choosing a catering company, give preference to a veteran-owned business if it meets quality standards.
“Even if you are a small company, you can sign these principles. We are not saying you must implement all 12 within a year—this is a long-term commitment. CEOs of companies that have adopted these principles do not see veteran policies as mere social initiatives. They clearly state that they provide opportunities for veterans, not just assistance. I encourage media representatives to join and support these principles as well,” said Hlib Stryzhko.
Systemic efforts
Systematic work is crucial on the path to gender equality. In the media, this applies to both content and team dynamics. Anastasiia Hudyma, Director of the Department for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunities at Suspilne, noted that they consistently produce content highlighting women’s leadership while also working internally with their team. For example, March is dedicated to women’s leadership within the company.
“We have designated a special space on the wall where employees can write the names of inspiring women within our company. Creative team members who feel a connection to leadership will naturally create relevant content. We will also watch the film Suffragette together and discuss it,” Hudyma shared.
Liza Kuzmenko, the head of Women in Media, stressed that the study Gender Profile of Ukrainian Media follows a systematic approach.
“This systematic work continues. I sincerely hope it will become an annual initiative, allowing us to track the dynamics of changes in the gender composition of Ukrainian editorial offices,” she said.
Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, noted that the very fact that, in the eleventh year of the war and the fourth year of the full-scale invasion, we are discussing the need to develop gender balance in our media is a testament to democracy.
“I am grateful to Women in Media and everyone involved in this study because they are actively shaping a new normal,” Yurchyshyn said.
Government Commissioner for Gender Policy Kateryna Levchenko awarded Liza Kuzmenko “for leadership, perseverance, and fruitful cooperation in promoting gender equality and protecting women’s rights in Ukraine.”
“Ensuring gender equality is both important and challenging. Even now, this area faces significant threats and manipulation. If we don’t reflect on the basic rights we have, then what is the purpose of democracy? If we don’t feel free, how can we fight for it?” said Levchenko.