Publication: Empowering Health Workers, Strengthening System: A Review of an Online Training on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Response in Ukraine
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2025-07-23
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2025-07-23
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Gender-based violence (GBV) is a form of gender discrimination and is one of the leading causes of human rights violations in the world. GBV, which is often heightened in emergencies, is a compelling issue in Ukraine, a nation experiencing one of the most profound humanitarian crises in recent history. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made young girls and women vulnerable to GBV, a violent crime. If left unaddressed, GBV, now recognized a global health pandemic, has the potential to cripple Ukraine’s development story. Reportedly, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, 67 percent of Ukrainian women experienced some form of violence since the age of 15, yet only 17 percent knew where to seek help, indicating GBV to be a long-standing problem in Ukraine. Despite the Government of Ukraine’s concerted efforts through adopting international standards such as the Istanbul Convention as well as enacting strong domestic policy and legal reforms towards addressing GBV, the risks of GBV were exponentially amplified in a post-conflict situation, particularly amongst displaced women living in affected zones. In recent times, women in Ukraine have suffered from economic instabilities, exacerbating their vulnerability to domestic violence; their access to essential medical services and support has been limited, and gender roles have been redefined, necessitating the need for promoting an agenda for gender equality in the country. In 2024, UN OCHA estimated that 2.5 million people in Ukraine, predominantly women and girls, required targeted services related to gender-based violence prevention.
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“World Bank. 2025. Empowering Health Workers, Strengthening System: A Review of an Online Training on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Response in Ukraine. Health, Nutrition and Population (HNP) Knowledge Brief. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/43485 License: CC BY 4.0 IGO.”
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