She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine!

She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine!
The UN Women Ukraine team, in partnership with Marie Claire Business and funded by the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), embarked on a media expedition to explore how women and girls are actively driving Ukraine’s rebuilding and recovery.
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the economic situation of Ukrainian women has deteriorated*. As of August 2024, women account for 58% of the 3.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine. The increase in unemployment from 9.8% in 2021 to 24.5% in 2022 underscores the pressing need to promote women’s entrepreneurship and expand employment opportunities.
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UN Women Ukraine Representative
Support for women and girls by UN Women Ukraine and the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)
civil society organizations were supported by UN Women Ukraine and the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)
allocated to funding women’s civil society organizations
women and girls in Ukraine have participated in various support programs and projects by UN Women Ukraine and the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)
All the heroines featured in the She Made: discovery and recovery of Ukraine expedition received training, funding, and/or equipment to develop their own businesses, thanks to the support of UN Women Ukraine and funding from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) in collaboration with partner civil society organizations.
Join our joint projects and receive assistance to develop your business!
Stay updated on current opportunities through the official social media pages of UN Women Ukraine.
Study* of the Phenomenon of Women’s Entrepreneurship in Ukraine During Wartime
of all sole proprietorships in Ukraine were started by women in 2024
of respondents stated that running their own business is the only way to earn money to support their family
of women and girls view their business as a good alternative to employment
consider their business as a tool for self-realization
Factors* that contribute to the development of women’s entrepreneurship

Family support

Presence of role models

Availability of personal space

Access to professional expertise among acquaintances

Pursuing business education
Gender Equality in Women-Owned Businesses*
Women entrepreneurs show a keen interest in developing socially responsible businesses based on the principles of gender equality, where leadership fosters staff potential, promotes work-life balance, and supports career development:

Safety
43% of women entrepreneurs personally ensure that there is no harassment of women in their company.
Equal Opportunities
90% of women entrepreneurs who hire both women and men follow the principle of equal pay for equal work.


More Freedom
50% of women entrepreneurs acknowledged challenges in balancing business with family responsibilities. However, they also noted that entrepreneurship enables more flexible organization and distribution of daily duties.
Planning to start your own business? Explore programs and initiatives designed to support women entrepreneurs!

Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO
The project provides an interactive space for women entrepreneurs, investors, and representatives of the private sector to communicate and collaborate, engage in joint learning, generate ideas, build capacity, and grow businesses. To register for the EXPO, follow updates on the official UN Women Ukraine pages.
Educational and grant programs for women entrepreneurs by Diia.Business
Partner programs focused on advancing women’s entrepreneurship across various sectors of the economy.


State grant and educational programs from the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine
Microgrants for business development, grants for the development of veteran businesses, funding for the growth of processing enterprises, and more.
“The team of ‘Zena-Hlyniany-Art-Studio’ not only preserves the knowledge of ancient collections but also breathes new life into them by creating Hlyniany carpets as true collectible art objects.”

“We position ourselves as ‘cheese production from the milk of happy cows.’ The cows graze freely wherever they like, eating fresh grass most of the time and are only supplemented with hay without additives. From the milk of these cows, we make cheese.”

“Our goal is for lingerie to be focused on health, not sexualization. We want to create a collection that will be comfortable for everyone. This is our dream because the right formula for lingerie doesn’t exist – we’re just creating it.”

“Bar ceramics were famous and highly valued, but today the tradition is lost, and there are no more craftsmen. That’s why we decided to start pottery workshops to revive this unique craft.”

“Lebedyn is the raspberry capital, where people grow raspberries instead of potatoes.”

“We strive not just to keep up with the market, but to create our own niche by offering truly unique products.”

“The most important thing we’ve achieved is establishing the first organic industrial orchard using bear hazel rootstock.”

“We are developing a line to facilitate a transition to plant-based products — a range of vegan treats made from pumpkin, apple, banana, sweet potato, and beetroot. We even have a ‘borscht’ marshmallow, which is also completely vegan.”

“Jerky has a long shelf life. It’s a ready-to-eat product – just open the package and enjoy. Moreover, jerky is very healthy as it contains many enzymes, vitamins, trace elements, and soluble polysaccharides.”

“If something happens, the client can reach out, and we will help or repair the product. It's important for us that our clients feel safe.”

The project “She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine” was created by Marie Claire Business Ukraine and UN Women Ukraine funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). WPHF mobilizes critical support for local and grassroots civil society organizations working on women, peace and security and humanitarian action. WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism supporting quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities.
The idea and coordination of the project: the UN Women Ukraine team. The civil society organizations that were involved in selecting entrepreneurship stories: The National Network for the Development of Local Philanthropy, The Rural Women's Business Network, Studio of Public Women's Initiatives. Media Expedition: General Producer of Marie Claire Business and Project Creative Director: Julia Brosko. Head of Brand Marie Claire Ukraine: Kateryna Fastovets. Expedition Team Administration: Yanina Provotar. Photos on this page: Nadia Berska, Serhiy Piriev. Video: Marharyta Omelchuk. Editing: Viktor Khodosov. Texts: Julia Brosko. Retouching: Olena Chykylova. Web: Vitalii Provotar. Expedition Driver: Svitlana Sapon. If you notice any errors or have suggestions for improvement, please let us know.
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