Karazin University Hosts the Second Forum “The Strength of Kharkiv Women”

On March 28, 2026, in Kharkiv, within the safe space of Karazin University, the Second Forum “The Strength of Kharkiv Women” took place — an important event that brought together women who are not only living and working in a frontline city today, but are also actively shaping its future.

The University acted as a co-organizer of the forum, reaffirming its active role in supporting gender equality, fostering civil society development, and promoting women’s participation in the recovery of Kharkiv.

The forum was organized by the Coalition “Kharkiv Region 1325,” Sphere, Women Association, Vik Mozhlyvostei (Age of Opportunities), the Center for Gender Culture, and the charitable foundation “I Can.”

The forum became a unique platform for open dialogue, where participants had the opportunity to share personal stories, experiences of overcoming challenges, and discuss practical tools for influencing the city’s recovery processes.

The focus was not only on current challenges, but also on concrete steps toward creating a more inclusive, resilient, and equitable urban environment.

A highlight of the event was the panel discussion “Kharkiv: From Resilience to Development. From Dialogue to Action,” which became one of the key elements of the forum.

During the discussion, participants spoke about practical mechanisms for engaging women in the city’s recovery processes, their role in decision-making, and their contribution to community development, business, and educational initiatives. An important idea was emphasized: today, women are not only a driving force of change, but also its initiators and leaders who shape a new quality of society.

Among the speakers was Olena Muradian, Director of the Education and Research Institute of Sociology and Media Communications and Advisor to the Rector on Gender Issues, who presented the University’s achievements in the field of gender equality.

She emphasized the crucial role of higher education institutions as spaces for shaping the values of equality, fostering active and conscious youth, and supporting long-term societal transformations. According to her, it is through systematic work in education that a foundation for sustainable change across all areas of life can be built.

At Karazin University, these approaches are already being implemented through equal opportunities policies, the integration of gender topics into educational programmes, and the organization of trainings and awareness-raising activities for students and academic staff.

An important priority is also the creation of a safe and inclusive educational environment, where everyone has equal access to learning, development, and self-realization.

Special attention is given to supporting student initiatives, developing youth leadership, and encouraging female students to participate in academic, civic, and governance processes. This approach not only fosters a culture of equality within the university but also promotes these values in the wider society.

The forum “The Strength of Kharkiv Women” once again demonstrated that even in the challenging conditions of war, Kharkiv remains a city of strong, caring, and united people.

Women play a key role here — in volunteering, education, healthcare, governance, business, and the civic sector. Their contribution is invaluable, and their voices are essential for building a just and equal future.

We sincerely thank the organizers, speakers, and all participants for a meaningful dialogue, mutual support, inspiration, and joint efforts. It is initiatives like these that become growth points, transforming ideas into action and actions into real change.