Publication date: 28.05.2024
Lawyer
The issue of gender equality is one of the key tasks on the way to the establishment of democratic values and human rights in Ukraine. The Armed Forces, as an important state institution, should play a leading role in upholding the principle of equal rights and opportunities for women and men. However, in practice, the Ukrainian military still faces challenges in ensuring real gender equality. In this article, we will consider the legal mechanisms aimed at eliminating discrimination based on gender in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Legal basis
The main normative legal acts regulating the issue of gender equality in the Armed Forces of Ukraine are the Constitution of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine "On Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities of Women and Men", the Code of Labor Laws of Ukraine, the Statutes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a number of other documents.
Consultation of a lawyer
In order to properly resolve problematic issues in the field of gender equality in the army, it is recommended to consult a qualified lawyer online or offline. The specialist will be able to make an analysis of documents governing this issue, provide a legal opinion on the existence of violations of the principle of gender equality and suggest ways to eliminate them.
The lawyer's legal opinion can become the basis for further actions, in particular:
- An appeal to the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with a request to take measures to eliminate discrimination based on gender;
- Complaining of illegal actions or inaction of officials, institutions and organizations that led to a violation of the principle of equal rights and opportunities;
- Initiation of court proceedings in order to protect violated rights and interests.
Ensuring equal opportunities
The Law of Ukraine "On ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men" prohibits any discrimination based on gender, particularly in the field of labor relations. This also applies to service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
To ensure equal opportunities for women and men in the military sphere, it is necessary to:
- To eliminate restrictions on occupation of certain positions and service in certain types of military forces for women;
- Create proper conditions for combining military service with motherhood and family responsibilities;
- To ensure equal access to military education and professional development;
- To introduce effective mechanisms for combating sexual harassment and other manifestations of gender discrimination.
Gender policy in the Armed Forces
To systematically solve the problems of gender inequality in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, it is necessary to develop and implement an effective gender policy. It should include:
- Creation of structural subdivisions on issues of ensuring equal rights and opportunities of women and men;
- Conducting training and raising the awareness of military personnel regarding gender equality;
- Taking measures to attract more women to military service;
- Monitoring and assessment of the state of compliance with the principles of gender equality in the army.
Conclusions
Ensuring gender equality in the Armed Forces of Ukraine is not only a matter of observing human rights, but also an important factor in increasing the military's combat capability and efficiency. Consulting a lawyer, analyzing documents and obtaining a legal opinion from a lawyer can be a guarantee of eliminating discriminatory practices and creating equal conditions for the realization of the professional potential of military personnel, regardless of their gender.
The state should make maximum efforts to implement a comprehensive gender policy in the military sphere, which, in turn, will contribute to the establishment of the principles of gender equality throughout Ukrainian society.
