Not so long ago, in the still-partially patriarchal Ukraine, some of the women I know didn’t even drive cars. If there was one car in the family, it was generally the husband who did all or most of the driving.
And then the world changed. Women forced to evacuate their children from a war-torn country traveled thousands of miles to other European nations, crossing distances that weeks earlier had been unimaginable. The supermarket or school driver had become the long-distance people hauler.
Those who chose to stay behind began not just driving daily but also transporting vehicles from abroad to Ukraine and within Ukraine for the army — often cumbersome, old SUVs with manual transmissions.
They also started delivering volunteer aid to the frontlines. Many women had been doing this for a long time, but for those who hadn’t, adapting to such roles and becoming more independent and self-reliant under these harsh conditions was a significant challenge. And it was always a challenge they overcame. These may seem like small battles amid a war of national survival, but for each woman who overcame unfamiliar challenges, they marked a significant personal victory.
In a society where war is defining traditional roles, and where the resilience and adaptability of women are being tested like never before, these changes reflect not only a shift in societal norms but also a profound transformation of the workforce.
With many men volunteering for the armed forces or being conscripted, the job market in Ukraine has undergone major changes. There is now a notable shortage of workers in fields traditionally dominated by men and women have stepped forward.
According to the State Employment Center, the proportion of women working, for example in the construction sector, jumped from 20% two years ago to 38% last year.
It is noteworthy that the lifting of many significant restrictions on women’s careers have exactly coincided with the 10 years of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine. For example, in 2016, thanks to the advocacy campaign Invisible Battalion, a major shift occurred in the Ukrainian military: women were officially permitted to serve in combat roles. Previously, even those women working as snipers or in artillery units were officially categorized as cooks or other non-combat roles.
The following year, the government lifted a decree that had classified 450 professions as “dangerous for women” and thus prohibited. These included subway conductor, firefighter, long-distance bus driver, and various roles in metallurgy and other professions.
Similarly, with the onset of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian coal mining saw a historic change. For the first time, women were officially allowed to work underground. Earlier regulations had deemed this type of work too strenuous and hazardous. Despite the undeniable difficulties, health risks, and dangers associated with such roles — much like military service — this change marks a step toward acknowledging women’s right to choose their profession freely, themselves.
These changes are being driven by necessity, not by an outbreak of social liberalism. A recent poll by Razumkov Centre showed that only 15.5% of Ukrainians, regardless of their sex, support the hiring of females to traditionally “male” positions.
But wanted or not, it’s the reality. The Economy Ministry has openly emphasized the need for women to embrace new opportunities, highlighting a critical shortage of workers due to widespread conscription and the departure of so many people abroad (6.6 million refugees live outside the country from a 2021 population of 41 million.)
“We now need to focus more on reskilling programs for Ukrainians who remain in the rear, targeting professions with the highest demand,” said Minister of Economic Development Yulia Svyrydenko. “Primarily, this involves women who are already mastering professions that were once considered strictly ‘male’ — for example, bodyguards, truck drivers, bus drivers, or even tractor operators. These are the current realities of the job market.” In her view, reskilling and employment of veterans are the main challenges for the government in the labor market.
International partners have already stepped in to offer support. Notable and interesting among these initiatives is Reskilling Ukraine, a Swedish-funded program in collaboration with Scania, the leading truck manufacturer. This program helps women transition into new professions by providing training to become truck or bus drivers.
So far, over 1,000 Ukrainian women have expressed an interest in the program. And there would be more, it’s just that women had to meet certain requirements to apply — such as having at least three years of driving experience. Then again, many of those who lack that experience are already on the roads, self-qualifying for the future by doing the job now.
Lera Burlakova is a Democracy Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA.) She is a Ukrainian journalist and former soldier who served as an infantrywoman from 2014-2017 after joining up following the Russian invasion of Crimea. Her war diary ‘Life P.S.’ received the UN Women in Arts award in 2021.
Europe’s Edge is CEPA’s online journal covering critical topics on the foreign policy docket across Europe and North America. All opinions expressed on Europe’s Edge are those of the author alone and may not represent those of the institutions they represent or the Center for European Policy Analysis. CEPA maintains a strict intellectual independence policy across all its projects and publications.
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