On March 16, 2026, as part of the course “Social Movements in Ukrainian and Global Contexts,” the National Aviation University hosted a guest lecture by Anastasiia Chebotarova, a member of the Ukrainian Feminist Network. The lecture focused on the history and current state of feminist movements in Ukraine within a global context. Students from various majors attended the lecture, as the course is interdisciplinary.
The history of global feminism is traditionally divided into waves, each of which addressed the pressing challenges of its time. The first wave (19th century – mid-20th century) focused on emancipation in education, labor, and the attainment of voting rights, employing both peaceful education and radical activism. The second wave, which began after World War II, brought issues of gender-based violence, reproductive rights, and political representation to the forefront. The third wave (since the 1990s) introduced the concepts of intersectionality and queer feminism, emphasizing that “women” are not a monolithic group and that every experience is unique. The current fourth wave, which began around 2012, is closely linked to the digital sphere, social media, and the fight against rape culture and harassment.
The Ukrainian women’s movement, which recently celebrated its 140th anniversary, has a unique history that began as early as the mid-18th century with the development of secular education. A distinctive feature of the Ukrainian movement was that activists not only demanded rights for women but also deeply understood the issues of Ukraine’s colonial subjugation and the socio-economic aspects of inequality, thereby outpacing their European counterparts. The Soviet period brought complex contradictions: the formal proclamation of equality alternated with the ban on abortions, a double burden, and the absence of rights and freedoms.
Today, feminism in Ukraine is a complex and multifaceted mechanism where various currents and tactics coexist simultaneously. The contemporary movement is based on three main tactics: liberal advocacy for legislative change, academic analysis, and grassroots activism. The full-scale invasion of 2022 marked a peak in grassroots mobilization: women’s organizations shifted en masse to humanitarian aid, and Ukrainian women set a European record for the number of volunteer hours according to the 2025 Gender Equality Index.
Today, activists are calling for a united effort to rebuild Ukraine. The principle “Nothing for us without us” is becoming key: the experiences of Ukrainian women must be heard at all levels of decision-making and in the reconstruction process, despite attempts by conservative groups to limit women’s rights.
In this context, the Ukrainian Feminist Network continues the work begun 140 years ago: it coordinates the efforts of activists, supports horizontal connections, and advocates for women’s voices to be decisive in the processes of rebuilding Ukraine.