Routledge has recently published the monograph Gender Equality in the EU and Ukraine. Women’s Rights in a Time of War, co-edited by Prof. Agata Włodkowska, Vice-Rector for Education Quality at Vistula University. The book includes a chapter authored by Prof. Włodkowska that explores forms of protest undertaken by Ukrainian women and EU citizens, as well as a contribution by Prof. Agnieszka Legucka, faculty member at Vistula, who examines the role of women in the armed forces in Ukraine and selected EU Member States.
The publication offers a comprehensive analysis of gender equality and women’s rights in Ukraine and the European Union, covering both political-security and socio-economic dimensions. According to the publisher, the book is divided into two parts. The first part highlights European gender standards in Ukraine, feminist foreign policy, the role of First Ladies, and women’s multifaceted wartime experiences. The second part illustrates the situation of Ukrainian female students in Poland and single mothers in Ukraine and the UK, while also exploring links between gender equality and sustainable development, gender-sensitive budgeting, and women’s participation in business and non-profit organizations.
As Prof. Włodkowska points out, the value of this book lies not only in the contributions of Polish political scientists but also of Ukrainian scholars, which makes the analysis more balanced and insightful. The voices of both Polish and Ukrainian authors enrich the volume, ensuring that Ukraine’s perspective is represented authentically rather than being analyzed solely from the outside.
The interdisciplinary character of the book makes it a valuable resource for researchers and students in gender studies, international relations, and human rights. As Prof. Włodkowska emphasizes, Ukraine’s path toward EU membership has already accelerated efforts to strengthen gender equality. Russian aggression has further intensified these processes, with Ukrainian women taking on roles as soldiers, politicians, leaders, entrepreneurs, and caregivers. War affects both men and women, and this book gives due attention to women’s perspectives that are often overlooked in mainstream media.
This publication is an important success for the faculty of Vistula University and a timely contribution to debates on gender, security, and European integration.