On 22 September, the National Philharmonic of Ukraine in Kyiv hosted the award ceremony for “Equal Opportunities Leadership 2026” National Award. This is an annual initiative that recognises organisations and teams that incorporate equal opportunities, inclusivity and the development of women’s leadership into their work.

The event was organised in partnership with Power of Place, a communications agency for regions and communities, and Women Leaders for Ukraine.

This year, for the first time, a separate category for communities was added to the National Award. The winners in the “Community Leadership” category were: in the rural community category – Kipti rural community in Chernihiv region; in the settlement community category – Rohan settlement community in Kharkiv region; and in the urban community category – Vinnytsia urban community.

Twenty-two communities from different regions of Ukraine participated in the selection process. A panel of experts assessed them against key criteria, including the role of women in community development, development potential, institutional capacity, reputation, and social impact.

‘We wanted to show that equal opportunities are not just about declarations or individual programmes. In communities, this is evident in daily management decisions: who is involved in decision-making, who leads key areas, and how opportunities are created for women, young people, and other residents. We wanted to highlight precisely these kinds of practices,’ said Iryna Mushtyna, Co-Founder and Director of Power of Place.

In total, winners were selected across 14 categories as part of the “Equal Opportunities Leadership 2026” National Awards. This year’s event brought together representatives from the business, public and civil sectors, the military, and opinion leaders.

There will be a separate category for communities again next year. The organisers intend to engage with more communities and demonstrate practices that could benefit other regions of Ukraine.

Reference

The “Equal Opportunities Leadership” National Award is an annual initiative Women Leaders for Ukraine that recognises organisations and teams which create equal opportunities and implement relevant practices in their work. In 2026, a separate category for communities was added to the Award for the first time.

Power of Place is a communications agency for regions and communities, specialising in fostering cooperation between the authorities, the business sector, and residents.