IRI Video Series Focuses On Female Politicians in Wartime

The International Republican Institute has launched a new series of conversations called “PoliTALKynia & War” according to a press release issued by it. The focus is on the role of female politicians in wartime, and is being launched in unison with the Ukrainian Women’s Democracy Network and receives support from the United States Agency for International Development.

The eight politicians shown will share how they work under wartime conditions on their own front. A new episode will be premiered on the IRI YouTube channel every Thursday.

“We want to show the courage of Ukrainian women politicians. To make every Ukrainian woman understand the importance of fighting on her own front – in Ukraine or abroad, at home or at work. We want to tell the world about the courage and resilience of Ukrainian women politicians, about every step leading to victory, not only for Ukraine but for the entire democratic world,” explains Michael Druckman, Director of the IRI in Ukraine.

The participants of the project are current and former women MPs of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as well as local councillors. They represent various political forces, but fight for a common victory.

One of the participants is Mariia Mezentseva, a Ukrainian MP from the ruling Servant of the People party and head of the permanent delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Mariia work actively towards Ukraine’s accession to the EU.

Mariia Ionova, a Ukrainian MP who represents the European Solidarity party, will also take part.

Aliona Shkrum, an MP from the Batkivshchyna party. Aliona demonstrates political unity through the example of her own family, the press release notes, as husband Dmytro Natalukha is an MP of the Servant of the People party.

You can watch the first episode “PoliTALKynia & War”, which features former parliamentarian and now civil society activist Hanna Hopko.

She headed the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee during her time as a people’s deputy.

It can be viewed here in Ukrainian with English subtitles.

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