Anastasiya Salnykova

Gender, politics, and society in Ukraine

Contents Introduction: Gender in Transition: Legacies, Opportunities, and Milestones in Post-Soviet Ukraine I. Politics and Gender 1.1) Mosaic Model of Gender Democracy in Ukraine 1.2) Discourse of Continuity and Change: The Legislative Path to Equality 1.3) Electoral Reforms and Womens Representation in Ukraine 1.4) Global Campaigns to Combat Violence against Women: Theorizing their Impact in Postcommunist Ukraine II. Gender and Social Structures 2.1) Gender, Nation and Reproduction: Demographic Discourses and Practices in Ukraine After the Orange Revolution 2.2) (Re)constructing the Womens Histories in Ukraine: Actors, Agents, Narratives 2.3) Gender and Social Worth in Post-Soviet Ukrainian Civil Society 2.4) Homeless Men and Masculinity Crisis in Contemporary Ukraine III. Gender and Education 3.1) Gender Policy and Education in Contemporary Ukraine: Discourses and Controversies 3.2) Gender Analysis of School Textbooks in Ukraine 3.3) Educational Achievement, Social Background and Occupational Allocations of Young Men and Women in Ukraine IV. Emerging Issues 4.1) Gender and Health in Ukraine 4.2) Maculinity in Soviet and Post-Soviet Ukraine: Models and their Implications 4.3) Cash and/or Care: Current Discourses and Practices of Fatherhood in Ukraine 4.4) Ukrainian Societal Attitudes towards the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Communities 4.5) Mainstreaming Gender Equality in Ukraine: Tensions, Challenges and Possibilities Afterword

Gender Mainstreaming in Post-Soviet Ukraine: Application and Applicability

Gender equality has gained substantial political importance in Ukraine, but implementation of the international trend towards ‘gender mainstreaming’ has had mixed success: the phrase is not yet part of the main political discourse, where older terms still prevail. The very term ‘gender’ is novel, and attitudes towards women reflect traditional concerns. Much legislation was adopted in the past decade, supposedly to enshrine gender equality; but this has not translated into meaningful social change. Social and economic conditions, including unfamiliarity with emerging global standards, preserve stereotyped thinking and militate against effective action. The issue does not feature strongly in education; womens organizations are weak; the media do not engage effectively with the issue; and ambivalent attitudes limit the impact of foreign sources of information and funding. These factors could all be deployed more effectively in order to bring Ukraine closer to world best practice. In addition, a more context-driven application of the gender mainstreaming model would result in its greater practical impact in the country.

The Importance of Community Consultations for Generating Evidence for Health Reform in Ukraine

Background: The paper presents the results of community consultations about the health needs and healthcare experiences of the population of Ukraine. The objective of community consultations is to engage a community in which a research project is studying, and to gauge feedback, criticism and suggestions. It is designed to seek advice or information from participants directly affected by the study subject of interest. The purpose of this study was to collect first-hand perceptions about daily life, health concerns and experiences with the healthcare system. This study provides policy-makers with additional evidence to ensure that health reforms would include a focus not only on health system changes but also social determinants of health (SDH). Methods: The data collection consisted of the 21 community consultations conducted in 2012 in eleven regions of Ukraine in a mix of urban and rural settings. The qualitative data was coded in MAXQDA 11 software and thematic analysis was used as a method of summarizing and interpreting the results. Results: The key findings of this study point out the importance of the SDH in the lives of Ukrainians and how the residents of Ukraine perceive that health inequities and premature mortality are shaped by the circumstances of their daily lives, such as: political and economic instability, environmental pollution, low wages, poor diet, insufficient physical activity, and unsatisfactory state of public services. Study participants repeatedly discussed these conditions as the reasons for the perceived health crisis in Ukraine. The dilapidated state of the healthcare system was discussed as well; high out-of-pocket (OOP) payments and lack of trust in doctors appeared as significant barriers in accessing healthcare services. Additionally, the consultations highlighted the economic and health gaps between residents of rural and urban areas, naming rural populations among the most vulnerable social groups in Ukraine. Conclusion: The study concludes that any meaningful reforms of the health sector in Ukraine must include a broad range of factors, including the healthcare system but importantly, must extend to SDH approach and include the prioritization of health promotion, limiting alcohol and tobacco availability and enforcing environmental protection.

Barriers to Inter-group Deliberation in Divided Ukraine

Deeply divided societies like Ukraine seem to be infertile terrain for inclusive mass deliberation. First, it may not even be possible to get people on opposing sides to sit in the same room, and even if they do meet, they may not really deliberate (Luskin et al., 2013). However, the promise of deliberative democracy that will bring about a transformative change in social relations remains attractive.