On May 23, the Atlantic Council’s Economic Statecraft Initiative within the GeoEconomics Center and Eurasia Center will co-host a conversation on women’s role in Ukraine’s reconstruction, featuring Ambassador Melanne Verveer, executive director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, and former US ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues. This event will take place virtually on Thursday, May 23, at 9:30 a.m. ET. 

Russia’s war against Ukraine continues–but plans for post-war recovery are already underway. As we shape reconstruction strategies and policies, policymakers and international donors must prioritize leveraging the potential of Ukrainian women to enhance the country’s human capital. Already, Ukrainian women play a pivotal role in planning and overseeing the allocation of funds in reconstruction efforts, strengthening anti-corruption measures, advancing Ukraine’s efforts in digitalizing governance, and leading small and medium-sized businesses—integral components of Ukraine’s recovery and journey toward accession to the European Union. 

Learn how Western allies can leverage positive economic statecraft—the use of economic incentives—to invest in the female workforce and build skills to engage in critical sectors such as finance and technology.

In conversation with Ambassador Melanne Verveer will be Kim Donovan, director of the Economic Statecraft Initiative, Oksana Nechyporenko, head of the board of GoGlobal NGO and co-founder of the Masha Foundation and savED Foundation, Kateryna Smagliy, First Secretary, Public & Cultural Diplomacy at the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States of America, and Dr. Nicole Goldin, senior fellow with the GeoEconomics Center. 

This conversation will take place virtually and will be broadcast on YouTube and X (formerly known as Twitter). Please register using the form above to attend.