In the words of Ivanna Levchenko: “I am proud that students and professors at my university could discuss any tough topics and spread the idea of gender equality”.

Ivanna Levchenko is a second-year student at the Kyiv National University of Economics, a member of the international organization AIESEC, which aims to remove barriers between people and countries. Today, more than half the world’s population is under 30 years of age. Students and youth are the new generations of leaders and changemakers and it's critically important to understand their priorities as we shape the gender equality movement to change the world.

Created by UN Women, the HeForShe solidarity movement in Ukraine has launched the HeForShe University Tour. This is a chance to listen and learn from students about the issues and opportunities they see when it comes to achieving gender equality. In the framework of the tour Ukrainian students shares their views on stereotypes and the path to gender equality.

In the city where I was raised, a woman does not have the decision-making power in the family and possibilities for self-expression. Luckily, I did not saw firsthand the violence or bullying, but I always understood perfectly well that life will be much harder for me, only because I am a girl.

As a student of the graduation class, I launch the project aimed to help single mothers and women who survive different types of violence, including sexual violence. I also participated in student social theatre to highlight the issues of domestic violence and gender inequality. With other volunteers, we visited women in small communities in Kyiv oblast to deliver the clothes, toys, and sweets for their kids and emotionally support them. At the same time, we launched lectures and pieces of training on sex education and the prevention of sexual violence. Inspiration and support of women was the main goal of this work.

Inequality has various forms. Economic, gender, racial, social inequality, all lead to discrimination. Sexual violence and the unequal distribution of unpaid housework, including childcare, discrimination at work, remain major obstacles for women. In my opinion, ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls is not the only realization of basic human rights, it is also crucial for the sustainable development of all societies.

I am proud, that students and professors at my university could discuss any tough topics and spread the idea of gender equality as one of the Sustainable Development Goals. There is also GENIUS (Gender Initiative for University and Society) project team works in the university. GENIUS implements European practices of gender policy and works for deep structural changes in the Kyiv National University of Economics by the dissemination of information about the gender equality among students and professors.