June 7 2017, Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine at its meeting adopted a decree on establishment of a position of the Government Commissioner for gender equality policy and approved Regulations of the said Commissioner.

The implementation of decree will contribute to introduction of an effective mechanism in the field of ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men, as well as to increase the efficiency of actions on establishing gender equality policy in the society and to develop culture of gender equality.

«Bridging gender stereotypes – is not an easy task. It is time to overcome the legacies of the colonial past. This is not about women but it also involves questions pertaining to the stability and security as well as to the development of society and the state,» stressed Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze who is responsible for gender equality issues in the Government from March 1. She thanked foreign partners inter alia Canada and Sweden as well as international organizations such as the United Nations and UN Women (the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women) for the unwavering support of Ukraine’s efforts in pursuing gender equality policy. The Vice Prime Minister recalled that the issue of gender equality is obligation under the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU and NATO Partnership Goals.

The parliamentary inter-faction deputy union “Equal Possibilities” was managed to push the idea of the establishment of an office of the Government Commissioner for gender equality policy and further this initiative was supported by the Prime Minister of Ukraine. The approved decree “On Government Commissioner for gender equality policy” had been elaborated and submitted by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.