Despite the general state policy of supporting veterans, women and LGBTIQ+ veterans face additional gender-related barriers in the process of returning to civilian life. These barriers often remain invisible to the state system, which significantly complicates the development of inclusive policies and reduces the effectiveness of reintegration programmes.

Such exclusion threatens social cohesion and ignores the potential of veterans as a key population group that will ensure sustainable peace and development in Ukraine. 

This study, developed by DCAF in partnership with the CSO Horizon of Changes, highlights reintegration challenges faced by women and LGBTIQ+ veterans, including persons made vulnerable by disability, internal displacement and other factors in Ukraine. 

Data from five pilot regions, namely the city of Kyiv and the Dnipropetrovsk, Khmelnytskyi, Zakarpattia, and Chernivtsi regions, highlight important achievements in creating space to foster community cohesion and promote veteran-led initiatives. 

However, these processes are unevenly effective.  Among the challenges, veterans face excessive bureaucracy and blurred responsibilities across state institutions and the broader network of veteran support actors, resulting in difficulties in obtaining a veteran status or establishing their disability. These barriers are compounded by persisting gender stereotypes around idealised images of veterans that exclude women and LGBTIQ+ people. 

The research suggests the need to adopt thorough gender analysis of veteran needs in order to ensure equal access to reintegration services, overcome stigmatization and gender-related stereotypes and rebuild a just and peaceful society. 

This publication is made possible through the support of the UK Government, provided through the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The information presented in the publication does not always reflect the views of the UK Government and/or DCAF or Horizon of Changes.