In September, we embarked on a meaningful collaboration with Brave Ukraine, a Ukrainian humanitarian organisation dedicated to providing crucial support to Ukrainian women defending their country or supporting those who defend their country.

Our joint initiative focused on delivering female uniforms and specialised underwear to Ukrainian defenders, taking into account the challenging winter conditions in Ukraine where temperatures can drop to -30°C. We got to know their work via our cooperation with the feminist and humanitarian NGO Women’s March Ukraine.

Supporting Women Defenders 

Women Defenders play a pivotal role in defending their nation, require additional care, especially concerning health and hygiene in demanding frontline conditions. Many of them are volunteers and working in all sorts of jobs in and around the frontline. Thanks to a generous grant from our partners, Natracare, a British women’s hygiene product company, Brave Ukraine has been able to address these specific needs.

The grant of 1500 euros empowered the NGO to create 80 sets of comfortable and functional underwear. Compliant with the Ukrainian State Standard (DSTU), this specialised clothing not only meets quality and safety requirements but has also received a “recommended for implementation” recognition from the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. The black ensemble, consisting of a top and two pairs of panties, is designed to provide comfort during operations and tasks in field conditions while remaining practical for everyday life and permanent deployment points.

A portion of the grant funds was allocated to purchase various hygiene products tailored to the specific needs of female military personnel, including sanitary pads, tampons, and wet wipes. The remaining funds were dedicated to logistical expenses, ensuring the timely delivery of essential items to Women Defenders at their service locations.

Empowering Women Defenders

Beyond providing material support, our collaboration with Brave Ukraine aligns with the broader mission of supporting Ukraine’s pursuit of a fair future, where life and human rights are paramount. This initiative holds exceptional value, contributing to the empowerment of women in the military. As Ukraine continues its fight for a democratic future, our commitment to empowering Women Defenders remains steadfast. Through initiatives like these, we aspire to inspire positive change and foster a spirit of resilience and unity among the defenders of Ukraine. To prioritise the safety and anonymity of women defenders, the NGO Brave Ukraine obscured their faces in all images.

Explore More:

Discover inspiring interviews with Ukrainian women defenders on ArmWomenNow’s YouTube channel. You can utilise automatic YouTube subtitles for an insightful viewing experience. Also take a look at their Instagram page.