UNECE Webinar Series Supports Gender-Transformative Urban Recovery in Ukraine
On 24 September 2025, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) kicked off its new webinar series on Inclusive Urban Recovery in Ukraine with the event “Cities that Work for Women and Girls.” The series aims to support Ukrainian municipalities in building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable futures by sharing knowledge across diverse themes. In particular, the goal of the first event, organized in collaboration with UN Women, UN-Habitat and GIZ, was to raise awareness on practices and methods for promoting the integration of women’s and girls’ needs into urban planning, development, and recovery processes.
High-level discussions on gender-responsive recovery
The event featured expert presentations, a case study introduction, and a panel discussion on Ukrainian realities.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Susan Aitken, Chair of the UNECE Forum of Mayors, City Leader, Glasgow City Council (UK) highlighted Glasgow’s commitment to “feminist planning,” placing women at the center of urban design and budgeting and praised Ukraine’s resilience, rich history, and determination to rebuild, calling it an inspiring example for Europe.
Among the expert speakers:
Ms. Nataliia Mishyna, National Consultant on Gender-Responsive Recovery and Decentralization at UN Women in Ukraine, highlighted the lack of local capacity to collect and analyze gender-disaggregated data: to address this, her team developed a guide with practical recommendations for local governments.
Ms. Marina Milosev, Urban Planning Expert at UN-Habitat Urban Lab in Ukraine, stressed the importance of intersectionality in urban planning and presented the HerCity toolbox as a practical resource to apply gender principles and build the capacity of local authorities in Ukraine and beyond.
Ms. Giulia Maci, Senior Urban Specialist and Programme Manager for the Euro-Mediterranean region at Cities Alliance, presented Cities Alliance's projects using gender-sensitive approaches and close collaboration with governments at all stages. Examples include Nepal, Tunisia, Mauritania, and Morocco where streets and markets were redesigned and women’s needs, including those related to climate impacts and water shortages, were put in the forefront of the design approach.
To highlight good practices for gender-transformative planning and development, Ms. Annika Dalén, Gender Equality and Strategic Development Officer for the Municipality of Umeå, Sweden, presented a case study from her city. This municipality is committed to gender equality and to creating a gender equal city. It does so by including every category of citizen in urban design. Ms. Dalén provided examples of projects in the city where women have been involved in creating safer spaces, such as tunnels and parks, with details like corners and exits carefully designed to provide safety and security. She stressed the importance of ensuring that young girls feel entitled to use public spaces traditionally associated with men, a crucial question of ownership and entitlement.
Ukrainian perspectives on rebuilding inclusively
The panel discussion also provided powerful insights from Ukrainian leaders and civil society representatives:
Ms. Hanna Bondar, People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Architect and Urban Planner, highlighted the gender-oriented budgeting used by Kyiv City Council and urban planning challenges linked to people with disabilities due to the war, and the replacement of outdated land use practices and social housing.
Mr. Oleksandr Osipov, Representative of the Commissioner for Equal Rights and Freedoms, Rights of National Minorities, Political and Religious Beliefs, emphasized the role of civil society in urban planning projects through dialogue with local authorities. He presented a guide on monitoring the rights of women and children in wartime, a benchmark to evaluate service quality and accessibility.
Ms. Alina Moskalenko, Director of the NGO “Housing Institute”, emphasized the urgent housing challenges facing women and families in Ukraine’s recovery noting that many lack the means to rent or buy apartments. She explained that housing is key to providing security and stability and enabling people to build their future.
Ms. Tetiana Chernetska, Vice-Chair of the Board of the NGO “Centre for Gender Culture” in Kharkiv, stressed that while the war has caused severe damage to the city’s infrastructure, it also presents an opportunity to rebuild Kharkiv as a more inclusive and gender-sensitive city, urging donors to integrate best practices into reconstruction projects for long-term change.
Ms. Kateryna Khmelna, Head of the Architecture Division, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Mykolaiv City Council, outlined the city’s reconstruction priorities and its urgent need to repair schools damaged by the conflict and replace outdated buildings, all while ensuring women’s voices are included in the recovery process.
Looking ahead
The webinar successfully captured the attention of participants and attendees by combining international perspectives with practical examples tailored to Ukraine’s context. The speakers not only addressed the deep challenges faced by Ukrainian cities but also emphasized the opportunities to build back better. Local experts shared concrete ways to turn reconstruction into an opportunity for more inclusive, gender-sensitive, and resilient urban development.
The inaugural event brought together 169 participants from over 30 countries. More than half of the attendees were based in Ukraine (54.4%), while others joined from Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France, and as far afield as Australia, Kenya, and the United States. Most of them were in the Government and Administration sector (58%) and more than 82% of attendees were women (see below graphics).
The webinar series will continue in the coming months, with the next session scheduled for November.
Stay tuned to discover the topics and dates for the following events!