Women Entering Ukraine's Transport Industry
Ukraine is making a concerted effort to recruit women into its transport sector, a significant move to address critical workforce shortages. Deputy Minister Serhii Derkach recently met with UN Women Deputy Executive Director Kirsi Madi in Kyiv. The meeting took place at the bus depot of the municipal enterprise Kyivpastrans, a partner in the She Drives project. Discussions focused on the sector's staffing challenges and confirmed a commitment to future collaboration.
The She Drives project is designed to train and employ women as bus and truck drivers. Currently, six female drivers are operating on Kyiv's routes. During the visit, the delegation spoke with participating drivers and observed their working conditions. To see the initiative's results firsthand, representatives took a bus ride along a route driven by a project graduate.
Serhii Derkach stated that bringing women into transport is a direct response to the nation's current labor challenges. He emphasized this as a crucial step toward building a more resilient, inclusive, and modern transport system. The She Drives project is already yielding practical results, and there is clear interest in expanding its scope further.
The Initiative's Symbolism and Values
Kirsi Madi noted that the name She Drives is symbolic, reflecting the initiative's goals and the resilience and leadership of Ukrainian women. Amid a full-scale war, an energy crisis, and constant danger, women in Ukraine are courageously assuming leadership roles, supporting their communities, and ensuring business continuity.
UN Women invites all partners to join the movement for gender equality, where women's leadership strengthens economies and societies as a whole.
Thus, the She Drives project not only helps tackle staffing issues in urban transport but also opens new opportunities for women in the logistics field by creating dignified and safe working conditions.
This effort to integrate women into transport is part of a broader societal trend in Ukraine, where gender equality is becoming a key element of economic development. The She Drives project exemplifies how innovative initiatives can overcome traditional barriers and create new opportunities for women. Such programs are increasingly vital for economic recovery and can enhance service quality by introducing diverse perspectives and skills into the workforce.