Women Leading a Human-Centered Approach to Recovery: GIWPS at the Fourth Annual Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome
The fourth annual Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) concluded last week in Rome, drawing thousands of global leaders and governments, private sector actors, and civil society into an urgent conversation on Ukraine’s future. Hosted by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the conference spotlighted Ukraine not just as a nation under siege but as a driver of innovation, economic transformation, and democratic resilience.
The official agenda was rich with high-level pledges and political symbolism. Chancellor Scholz of Germany called for transatlantic unity to support Ukraine’s long-term success, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled €2.3 billion in new assistance and confirmed the European Union’s financial support for Ukraine through 2028. She also announced that Ukraine is ready to begin Cluster 1 of EU accession talks—the first step in accession negotiations with the EU candidate state and recognition of the country’s progress on critical reforms, even in the midst of a war. Italy, meanwhile, facilitated the signing of over €10 billion worth of contracts and Memoranda of Understanding between European businesses and Ukrainian counterparts, and the EU launched a European Flagship Fund for Ukraine’s reconstruction to help grow its private equity ecosystem. Various leaders, including President Zelenskyy, called for the use of frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s recovery and urged the adoption of a new round of EU sanctions against Russia, measures that are currently being blocked by Slovakia.
From the United States, bipartisan support was on display as Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal—co-sponsors of the Stand with Ukraine Act—joined U.S. Special Envoy on Ukraine, retired General Keith Kellogg, to reaffirm Washington’s commitment to Ukraine. Their presence sent a message of solidarity, but it also reminded everyone of the U.S.’s increasingly ambiguous foreign policy stance toward Russia and the need for clear, decisive action in support of Ukraine. At the working level, the U.S.-Ukraine dialogue focused on facilitating private sector engagement and activating both public multilateral mechanisms and private specialty insurance to support foreign investment in high-risk areas, particularly in Ukraine’s critical minerals and emerging defense sectors.
Still, amid the forward-looking talk of billions in aid and large-scale reconstruction, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy grounded the conversation in the painful reality Ukraine continues to endure. Just hours before the conference began, Russian drones struck Kyiv again, targeting civilians and vital infrastructure. His remarks were a sobering reminder that Ukraine needs the international community to commit to its victory, financially, politically, and morally, and that recovery and reconstruction cannot wait for peace.
As Zelenskyy called for increased weapons and investment, First Lady Olena Zelenska brought a different kind of urgency to the table—a call to see and support the human beings at the heart of this war. She urged the world to remember the people who make recovery possible: Ukrainians who rise after sleepless nights under fire, and still choose to go to work. Her message was clear—Ukraine’s economy is functioning not because of policy or aid alone, but because of the resilience of ordinary people, most of them women, who are holding their communities together in the face of daily trauma and choose to drive the economy forward day after day, one sleepless night after another.
It was in this spirit that the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) took part in the URC for the second year in a row. At the start of the conference, GIWPS sponsored a high-level networking meeting of the Alliance for Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Recovery for Ukraine, alongside the Governments of Ukraine and Germany, UN Women, and the UN Women National Committee of Italy. The event convened members of the Alliance, first launched at URC2024 in Berlin, and launched a report on the Alliance’s first year of activities.
Now comprising 96 members across governments, civil society, UN agencies, and the private sector, the Alliance shared best practices and lessons learned on advancing inclusive, human-centered recovery. Panelists and participants—including a strong delegation from Ukraine’s civil society—voiced a clear consensus: rebuilding Ukraine without the full and equal participation of women is not only unjust, it’s a profound missed opportunity.
Women’s leadership was firmly embedded in the official agenda of the URC, most notably through the panel titled “Gender Equality and Women’s Leadership in Recovery and Reconstruction.” Italian Minister for Family, Natality, and Equal Opportunities, Eugenia Roccella, opened the session with a clear message: that women’s leadership is not optional but essential for a just and sustainable post-war recovery. Her remarks set the tone for a powerful conversation among policymakers, civil society leaders, and international partners.
Among those shaping the discussion was Natalia Karbowska, a leading voice from Ukrainian civil society, who presented the 10 Building Blocks for Gender-Inclusive Recovery. She stressed the importance of early childhood education, targeted support for women-led businesses, and dismantling entrenched gender stereotypes that hinder women’s full participation in Ukraine’s recovery. The session culminated in the signing of an MOU between the Governments of Ukraine and Italy, further deepening their commitment to gender-inclusive recovery. The agreement was signed by Kateryna Levchenko, Ukraine’s Government Commissioner for Gender Equality and a long-standing ally of GIWPS. In parallel, the European Union announced an additional €7 million to strengthen women’s political, economic, and social participation, to build institutional capacity for gender-sensitive reforms, and to expand grassroots and civil society networks across Ukraine.
These commitments mark critical progress, but they must be matched by meaningful implementation. Increased financial support and gender-responsive foreign aid are urgently needed, especially in light of recent aid cuts stemming from the dismantling of USAID and the broader reshuffling of the international aid architecture, as nations prioritize bolstering their defense sectors in the precarious global security settings and cut vital development and humanitarian aid programs.
Throughout the URC, Ukrainian women and their allies were not just featured in gender panels; they were key contributors across a broad spectrum of issues shaping Ukraine’s future. Nobel Peace Laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk offered a compelling call to place human rights and cultural identity at the heart of reconstruction, reminding the international community that rebuilding Ukraine is about restoring dignity as much as it is about rebuilding roads. Leaders from Ukraine’s energy sector also brought a gender lens to critical economic conversations. Valentyna Beliakova, President of the Women’s Energy Club of Ukraine, and Lenna Koszarny, CEO of Horizon Capital, emphasized the urgent need for long-term capital investment, war-risk insurance, and protecting the value of Ukraine’s critical minerals within national supply chains. Their leadership is shaping how sectors like energy and finance—traditionally male-dominated—can be made more inclusive, resilient, and aligned with national sovereignty.
Equally important were the contributions of global women leaders standing in solidarity with Ukraine. Sanna Marin, former Prime Minister of Finland and a member of the GIWPS Global Women Leaders Network, brought an international perspective to the table. She argued forcefully for a human-centered economic model that integrates women and marginalized communities from the outset, not as an afterthought. Her intervention reminded participants that gender equality is not only a Ukrainian issue, but a global priority in the face of rising authoritarianism and democratic backsliding.
One of the clearest takeaways from the conference was that real recovery begins with people. Beyond investment portfolios and donor pledges, true renewal must be built on healing, equity, inclusion, and local agency. Women are already leading these efforts on the ground—whether as teachers, first responders, entrepreneurs, or community leaders—and they must be empowered to lead at the highest levels of national and international decision-making as well.
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