OSCE helps women leaders in Ukraine’s State Emergency Service to build resilience through final leadership workshop – Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Report on the OSCE Leadership Workshop for the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU)

1.0 Executive Summary

On 13-14 October 2025, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), through its Gender Issues Programme’s WIN Project, conducted the final module of the “Leading Smarter – Not Harder” leadership workshop. The program engaged 25 women leaders from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) with the primary goal of building resilience. This initiative directly supports the advancement of several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), by strengthening institutional capacity and promoting women’s leadership in the security sector.

2.0 Program Objectives and Implementation

The workshop was designed to equip female leaders within SESU with advanced skills for navigating high-stress environments and leading effectively. The core objectives were aligned with fostering both personal and institutional resilience.

1. To enhance the strategic leadership and decision-making capabilities of women in senior and mid-level positions within SESU.
2. To provide tools and techniques for stress management and resilience-building, crucial for the emergency response sector.
3. To foster a network of women leaders within the institution to promote peer support and mentorship.
4. To reinforce the integration of gender perspectives into emergency preparedness and response operations, thereby strengthening institutional effectiveness.

3.0 Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The workshop’s impact is directly linked to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The program’s design and outcomes significantly contribute to the following SDGs:

• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The initiative is a direct contribution to Target 5.5, which aims to “ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.” By empowering women leaders in a critical state service, the OSCE is actively working to close the gender gap in the security sector.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: By investing in the human capital of the SESU, the program strengthens a key state institution, contributing to Target 16.6 to “develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.” Resilient and well-led emergency services are fundamental to national stability and public trust.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The enhanced capacity of SESU leadership directly supports Target 11.5, which focuses on significantly reducing the number of deaths and economic losses caused by disasters. Effective leadership in emergency services is critical for building resilient communities capable of withstanding and recovering from crises.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: This workshop exemplifies a successful multi-stakeholder partnership (Target 17.16) between an international organization (OSCE) and a national government body (SESU) to build capacity and advance shared development goals.

4.0 Conclusion and Forward Outlook

The “Leading Smarter – Not Harder” workshop represents a critical investment in Ukraine’s institutional capacity and its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals. Empowering women leaders within the State Emergency Service not only promotes gender equality but also enhances the overall effectiveness and resilience of the nation’s emergency response framework. Continued support for such programs is essential for building strong, inclusive, and sustainable institutions capable of meeting contemporary challenges.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article directly addresses this goal by focusing on a leadership workshop specifically for “25 women leaders from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU)”. The initiative, organized by the OSCE Gender Issues Programme, aims to empower women in a traditionally male-dominated sector, promoting gender equality in leadership and decision-making roles.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The workshop targets leaders within the “State Emergency Service of Ukraine,” a critical state institution responsible for public safety and resilience. By enhancing the leadership skills and resilience of its personnel, the program contributes to building more effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions, which is the core of SDG 16.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article highlights a partnership between an international organization (OSCE) and a national institution (State Emergency Service of Ukraine). The OSCE’s “WIN Project” is providing targeted capacity-building support, demonstrating the international co-operation necessary to achieve sustainable development goals at the national level.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

   The article’s central theme is a leadership workshop for “women leaders” in a key public service institution (SESU). This initiative is a direct effort to strengthen women’s capacity for leadership and ensure their effective participation in the decision-making processes of public life.

2. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.

   The workshop, titled ‘’Leading Smarter – Not Harder’’, is designed to “build resilience” and enhance the leadership capabilities of SESU personnel. This capacity-building effort directly contributes to making the State Emergency Service a more effective institution, capable of better serving the public.

3. Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.

   By empowering women leaders within the SESU, the program promotes a more inclusive and representative leadership structure. This helps ensure that decision-making within the institution reflects a broader range of perspectives, making it more responsive to the needs of the entire community.

4. Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals.

   The article describes the OSCE, an international organization, organizing a “leadership workshop” for a Ukrainian state service. This is a clear example of targeted international support for capacity-building within a national institution to strengthen its leadership and resilience.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 5.5.2: Proportion of women in managerial positions.

  While the article does not provide a specific percentage, its focus on “25 women leaders” implies a direct engagement with the issue of women’s representation in managerial roles within the SESU. The program itself is an action aimed at supporting and sustaining women in these positions, which is a qualitative measure related to this indicator.

• Indicator 16.7.1: Proportions of positions in public institutions… by sex.

  The article’s focus on women leaders within the “State Emergency Service of Ukraine,” a public institution, directly relates to this indicator. The workshop is a tangible action that supports the presence and effectiveness of women in public service roles.

• Qualitative Indicator for Partnership (SDG 17):

  The article itself serves as evidence of a partnership in action. The description of the “OSCE Gender Issues Programme through the WIN Project” organizing a workshop for the “State Emergency Service of Ukraine” is a direct, albeit non-numerical, indicator of international co-operation and capacity-building efforts as envisioned in SDG 17.

SDG Analysis Summary Table

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: osce.org