On 16–17 July, 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 "Instruments for Gender Mainstreaming in the Operations of the Diplomatic Service Bodies."

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 MFA, the Ukrainian Diplomats’ Spouses Association, and UN Women Ukraine, with financial support of the Governments of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland, and Sweden.

Opening the training program on behalf of Minister Andrii Sybiha, the Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa, emphasized that gender mainstreaming is an integral part of developing Ukraine’s modern diplomatic service and an important element of our country's European integration.

"For the MFA, the issue of equality has long ceased to be a formal norm. It is a principle that defines the development of the modern diplomatic service, strengthens the Ministry's institutional capacity, and helps to shape a diplomacy rooted in professionalism, equal opportunities, and leadership," Mariana Betsa stated.

The Deputy Minister underscored that the MFA of Ukraine is among the leading state institutions in implementing gender equality policies. The Ministry was the first among central executive bodies to conduct a gender audit in 2019, supported by UN Women Ukraine, and in 2024 a subsequent audit confirmed positive dynamics, showing an increase in women's representation in leadership positions within the diplomatic service. Today, over 50% of department directors and heads of divisions at the MFA are women, and more than 55% of the new staff members who joined the Ministry's team in 2026 are women.

Mariana Betsa also highlighted the Ministry's contribution to drafting the new National Action Plan for the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security for the period until 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 approach into Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, the implementation of the “Women, Peace and Security” agenda, as well as practical instruments of gender analysis, gender auditing, gender impact assessment, and gender-responsive budgeting.

Special attention will be devoted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine's activities regarding the implementation of gender policy within the diplomatic service, as well as mainstreaming gender into bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.

The program is being delivered with the participation of  experts from UN Women Ukraine and UN Women Headquarters, alongside representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Diplomats’ Spouses Association.

In his welcoming remarks, Ihor Ostash, Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, stressed that the training program is highly practical 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 within Ukrainian diplomacy. Today, gender competence is just as essential to 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 Gender Equality Strategy and the EU acquis, which Ukraine is implementing on its path to membership. It is our aim for every participant to acquire not only new knowledge but also practical tools that will help integrate the principles of gender equality into the daily operations of the diplomatic service and implement European standards within state institutions," noted Ihor Ostash.

Tetiana Sybiha, Head and co-founder of the Ukrainian Diplomats’ Spouses Association and spouse of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, emphasized in her speech that the gender dimension is present in virtually every area of the diplomatic service ranging from personnel policy and internal communications to international negotiations, humanitarian response, and Ukraine's post-war reconstruction. She underscored that developing gender competence is therefore a vital component of professional development for both diplomats and their family members.

Tetiana Sybiha also noted that for the second consecutive year, members of the Ukrainian Diplomats’ Spouses Association have the opportunity to participate in this training program, which stands as a testament to the successful partnership between the MFA of Ukraine, the Diplomatic Academy, and UN Women Ukraine.

On 20–22 July, the program will continue in an online format, tailored specifically for personnel serving at Ukraine's foreign diplomatic missions and their spouses.

The Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine held a lecture for the participants of the Alliance of Her Ukraine Class 2026 programme  

The challenges facing Ukraine’s foreign policy authority, the role of soft power amid ongoing Russian aggression, and the ways in which civil society representatives can be engaged in these processes were the subjects discussed on 17 July  by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Diplomatic Academy with the participants of the Alliance of Her Ukraine Class 2026 educational programme, implemented by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Ukraine.

An informative exploration of the emergence of Ukrainian diplomacy, together with an introduction to its historical traditions and institutional development, was made possible thanks to Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Iryna Matiash, who  in view of the programme’s gender perspective also devoted particular attention to the role of women in the history of the Ukrainian diplomatic service and to examples of women’s leadership.

The address by the Deputy Director of the Department of Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communications of the MFA of Ukraine, Iryna Tybinka, likewise generated keen interest: speaking about Ukraine’s foreign policy priorities, the coordinating role of the MFA of Ukraine, the distinctive features of the language of diplomacy, and the use of soft power instruments to build trust in and international support for our State, she made active use of examples from her own professional experience and that of her colleagues to illustrate her points.

A separate segment was devoted to diplomatic protocol, the significance of ceremonial, the use of State symbols, the rules of greetings and gifts, and the consideration of cultural, religious, and national particularities in the course of international communication.

The meeting also addressed the representation and leadership of women within Ukraine’s diplomatic service, the provision of equal professional opportunities, and the importance of  gender mainstreaming in diplomatic activity.

The event was held in the format of an open dialogue. The participants, among them representatives of the civil society sector, local self-government, and public administration, had the opportunity to ask questions, discuss practical situations, and learn more about the instruments of diplomatic communication and the professional work of Ukrainian diplomats, both women and men.