Ukraine: Short Films by Youth for Gender Equality · Global Voices
Tetyana Bohdanova

The average Ukrainian woman is highly educated, yet earns about 30 percent less than the average man in a similar position. She is more likely to become unemployed or not get hired at all because she might get pregnant. Even if she has no children, she is still carrying out the majority of household duties, which prevents her career development. She also has a nearly 50-percent chance of experiencing violence in her home.
While the laws in Ukraine, including in the country’s constitution, establish legal equality between the men and women, closing the gap between the legislation and its implementation is a difficult task. However, traditional attitudes and values are slowly changing, and ordinary citizens as well as women's rights advocates, are playing an important role in this process. In August 2010, for instance, over 1,000 people marched [en] in Ukraine's capital Kyiv to condemn domestic violence, and hundreds of volunteers joined the domestic violence awareness campaign.
Video competition for young Ukranians
From June 17 to September 10, 2011, a group of talented youth submitted [en] their entries to a short film competition about gender called “Gene of Equality”. Participants had to produce 5-minute films in one of two categories: “5 minutes of gender equality” or “5 minutes on domestic violence prevention.” The competition is sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme and the European Union Delegation to Ukraine.
The winners will be selected by a jury, while short films will also be voted on by YouTube users. Already, the online videos have been viewed nearly 50,000 times, and the best will be screened at the short gender film festival scheduled to take place in Kyiv in October 2011.
Below is a selection of films that can be understood by speakers of any language, and you can see more of the films submitted on the YouTube page, GenderTube.
“Violence in the family – a life ripped to pieces” – by “Infinity”
“Change your focus – don’t perceive a woman just as a sex object” – by “Just a kilo”
“And What About Your Family?” – by “Divine Animators”
“Craftsmanship has no gender” – by “NONAME_GROUP”