Where’s the Money for Women’s Rights in Ukraine? 2025

This analytical report, jointly produced by the Ukrainian Women’s Fund and Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, examines the shifting landscape of funding for women’s rights organisations (WROs) in Ukraine during wartime. Despite an overall increase in donor funding following Russia’s full-scale invasion, the majority of WROs continue to face severe challenges related to sustainability, autonomy, and access to resources. The report combines survey data from over 100 organisations, 31 in-depth interviews, and secondary source analysis to explore how funding practices—particularly the dominance of short-term, project-based humanitarian aid—undermine long-term gender equality efforts.

Findings reveal that while 68.9% of WROs report receiving more funding since 2022, only a small fraction benefit from core or multi-year support. Administrative burdens, inflexible donor requirements, and the use of international intermediaries diminish local organisations’ ability to respond to real community needs. Less than 1% of humanitarian aid reaches WROs directly, despite their proven efficiency and essential role in crisis response. Marginalised groups (e.g. LGBTQI+ women, women with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and women veterans) remain underserved, with only 12.7% of WROs receiving targeted support.

The report offers a detailed mapping of donors and funding flows, evaluates the impact of donor priorities on local advocacy and institutional capacity, and outlines urgent recommendations for more inclusive, transparent, and sustainable funding models. It calls for a fundamental shift in donor approaches—towards core funding, equitable partnerships, localisation, and genuine support for feminist leadership—to enable WROs to play a transformative role in Ukraine’s recovery and beyond.

Year: 2025