After the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, millions of Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge abroad. Among them, the vast majority are women. These are not only mothers who save their children from danger, but also young girls who are looking for better opportunities in life, elderly women who have lost a peaceful life, as well as professional women who were forced to interrupt their careers because of the war. The fate of Ukrainian refugee women is diverse, but they are united by a common challenge – adaptation to life in new conditions.
For data Director of the Institute of Demography and Social Research Ella Libanova, 66% of Ukrainians who left the country because of the war are women. She emphasizes that the gender imbalance in Ukraine has not changed dramatically because of the war, because among the 4.5 million refugees, a significant proportion of men are teenagers who left with their parents. If we consider the working population, men make up only 22% of Ukrainian immigrants.
It is widely believed that men go abroad to avoid conscription. However, Libanova draws attention to the fact that not all of them left the territory controlled by Ukraine after February 24, 2022. Some of these men may have been abroad even before the start of the war or may have left Ukraine from temporarily occupied territories such as Crimea and Donbas. This means that the true number of those who avoid mobilization is much smaller than is commonly believed.
Meanwhile, many Ukrainian women who went abroad faced difficulties of adaptation. They are forced to rebuild their lives, look for work, learn new languages and cultures. Some of them face discrimination in the labor market, because not all countries are ready to recognize their professional skills. However, despite the challenges, many Ukrainian women demonstrate incredible resilience and strength. They create communities of support, open their own businesses and join the volunteer movement.
The demographic consequences of the war are already affecting the situation in Ukraine. According to experts’ estimates, the population in the controlled territory of Ukraine decreased to 31.5 million. This creates additional challenges for the recovery of the country, in particular with regard to ensuring economic development and social welfare. Many Ukrainians who left their homeland may decide not to return, which will complicate the process of rebuilding the country after the end of the war.
Ukrainian women who are currently abroad play an important role in international awareness of the situation in Ukraine. They organize actions in support of their country, interact with international organizations and become the voice of those who stayed at home. It is important to create conditions for their return and reintegration into society after the end of the war, so that they can contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine.
