A 2024–2025 survey conducted by the PRIO Centre on Gender, Peace and Security across unoccupied areas of Ukraine highlights how attitudes toward women’s roles in society shift in times of war. Findings show that Ukrainian society is more accepting of women taking on active military duty and military leadership roles during wartime than in peacetime. While 49% of respondents reported seeing women serve in active-duty roles to a high degree during the war, only 5% of women reported having participated in combat, compared to 17% of men. The survey also revealed that public support for women in military roles significantly declines in post-war scenarios, with some respondents indicating that women should not take on these roles at all after the war ends.

Despite their growing presence in support and humanitarian roles, women remain underrepresented in observed military leadership positions. The findings suggest that women’s contributions are often viewed as temporary responses to wartime necessity rather than part of a broader transformation in gender roles within the armed forces. For SecurityWomen, these insights underscore the importance of translating wartime involvement into long-term structural inclusion. Ensuring women’s continued presence – not just in auxiliary roles but in leadership and decision-making positions – is key to building a more inclusive and effective military.

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