Despite progress on gender equality, the ratification of most pertinent global conventions, and the adoption of relevant legislation, Ukrainian women continue to face barriers to their meaningful economic, civic and political participation, hindered further by risks of economic fragility, poor health outcomes and exposure to violence for some of the most vulnerable groups. Traditional values and patriarchal views that condone discrimination and violence against women and girls remain widespread, while existing gender inequalities are continuously compounded by the humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The present study is based on perception data from January to May 2021 and seeks to map the realities and needs of women in Ukraine, the obstacles they faced and their ability to overcome these. The study focusses on key dimensions of the Social Cohesion and Reconciliation (SCORE) Index indicators that align with global gender equality indices and metrics, including economic, civic and political participation, as well as health, wellbeing, and exposure to adversity. The study subsequently aims to provide quantitative evidence from which actionable recommendations can be derived for achieving progress in gender equality and women’s empowerment in Ukraine, a prerequisite for both the success of any democratisation and development agenda, and for Ukraine’s post-war recovery.