The geopolitical competition of ideas: gender mainstreaming and the Ukrainian women’s movement

This article explores the interplay between geopolitical influences, domestic factors, and the efforts of Ukrainian women’s organisations to advance gender equality. We do so by using the adoption/ratification of the Istanbul Convention (IC) as a reference point. Despite Ukraine signing the IC in 2011, its initial ratification attempts failed. Drawing on Wimmer’s domains theory and interviews with women’s organisations, our study highlights how Ukraine’s European aspirations clash with historical path dependencies and external anti-European influences. Women’s organisations illustrate that their efforts in support of the IC were impacted by deep-seated societal stereotypes rooted in Soviet-era legacies, insufficient female political representation, and institutional resistance from conservative, nationalist, and Russian-backed gender-essential narratives. The research underscores the persistent advocacy of Ukrainian women’s groups in navigating these geopolitical and local contexts, achieving piecemeal legislative success but struggling to embed gender equality into the wider cultural fabric.