Ukraine is preparing its Tenth Periodic Report on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The report will cover the period from 2022 to 2026 and will outline the progress Ukraine has made in advancing gender equality, the challenges that remain unresolved, and the priorities that should guide future public policy.
In March 2026, the NGO Women in Media provided information for the preparation of the report on the media sector. The materials included the findings of the annual “Gender Profile of Ukrainian Media” study, conducted in partnership with the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting. The study provides an assessment of the situation within media organizations, including the gender composition of editorial teams and management, the presence of equality and non-discrimination policies, mechanisms for responding to sexual harassment, and opportunities to balance work with caregiving responsibilities.
The materials submitted by the organization were taken into account, in particular, in the section addressing the implementation of Recommendation No. 28 of the UN Committee on eliminating gender stereotypes.
The preparation of the report was discussed at an event organized at the initiative of the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine in partnership with the Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy. The event was held within the framework of UN Women Ukraine’s Strategic Note for 2025–2029, with financial support from the governments of Canada, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Finland, and Sweden.
What Is a Periodic Report and Why Does It Matter?
The UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, also known as CEDAW, was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979. It entered into force for Ukraine in 1981. The Convention requires states to eliminate discrimination against women in law and in practice, including in the areas of political participation, education, employment, healthcare, family relations, and access to justice.
States that have ratified the Convention periodically report to the CEDAW Committee, an independent UN body that monitors the implementation of its provisions. Following its review of the state report and dialogue with representatives of the state, the Committee adopts concluding observations, recognizing progress, identifying remaining challenges, and issuing recommendations to be addressed before the next reporting cycle.
The Committee reviewed Ukraine’s previous, Ninth Periodic Report on 18–19 October 2022, after Russia’s full-scale invasion had begun. The new report therefore needs to reflect not only broader developments in gender equality, but also how the state has protected the rights of women and girls throughout four years of full-scale war.
This is important because war exacerbates existing inequalities and creates new risks, including gender-based and sexual violence, forced displacement, loss of income, an increase in unpaid care work, and limited access to healthcare and social services. Gendered online attacks, threats, and smear campaigns targeting women journalists and women in public life also require a specific response.
Media play a dual role in this process: they can reinforce discriminatory stereotypes, but they can also help change public perceptions, make the experiences of diverse groups of women visible, and portray women not only as victims of war, but also as experts, leaders, defenders, volunteers, entrepreneurs, and agents of social change.
The preparation of the Tenth Periodic Report is not merely a formality. It is an opportunity to assess whether Ukraine’s international commitments are being translated into concrete laws, government programmes, and lasting changes in practice — including in the media sector.
Official sources: the CEDAW Committee’s concluding observations on Ukraine’s Ninth Periodic Report, the text of the Convention in Ukrainian.