Iryna Geraschenko is the highest-ranking women in the ongoing process to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

Iryna Geraschenko is the Deputy Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament. She also serves as the President’s Commissioner for the Peaceful Settlement of the Situation in Donetsk and Luhansk, and is the highest-ranking women in the ongoing process to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. She has traveled repeatedly to conflict areas in the East, and continues to shine a spotlight on the impact of violence on the most vulnerable communities, including children and internally displaced persons. She has also recognized the differential impact conflict has on women, and the crucial role women have played in Ukraine since the Revolution in 2014.

Geraschenko was also co-chair of the Ukrainian Parliament’s ‘Equal Opportunities Caucus,’ one of few cross-party coalitions in Ukrainian politics. The caucus worked across notoriously divisive political lines and pushed for legislation on domestic violence, equality in the workforce, and increased women’s political participation. Prior to being appointed Deputy Speaker, Geraschenko served on the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration and began her career as a journalist.

For her ongoing efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, and for using her place at the table to advocate for marginalized groups, Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace & Security is proud to present the 2017 Global Trailblazer Award to Iryna Geraschenko.