One of the laureates is Natalia Karbowska, Director of Strategic Development and co-founder of the Ukrainian Women’s Fund, who has been working to strengthen Ukrainian civil society for over 20 years, contributing to various projects and organizations.
“I consider this award to be a recognition of the work of hundreds of Ukrainian women’s human rights organizations and millions of activists we work with and support,” emphasized Natalia.
When asked what lessons from the Ukrainian women’s movement could be helpful in the global women’s movement, she emphasized the importance of making women’s voices heard:
"As Hillary Clinton said, women suffer during wars. The war against Ukraine is no exception. At the same time, we, women, have solutions. We just need a platform to voice them. We need to discuss these solutions in an environment that is comfortable not only for decision-makers but for us as well. We, as the Ukrainian Women's Fund, are doing this now. We are working with the government and other civil society organizations. We are trying to create these platforms. We need a strong women's movement that can not only respond to humanitarian needs but also influence policies and monitor their implementation. As activists, we need to be involved in creating a strategy for Ukraine’s recovery because recovery is not only about material resources but also about mobilizing human potential, and women are an important part of this process."
In addition to Natalia Karbowska, three Ukrainian women were honored with the award: Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy, Oleksandra Matviichuk, Head of the Center for Civil Liberties, and Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine. Sophie, the Countess of Wessex was also honored with the award.