After the Russian-Ukrainian conflict entered its third year, the situation of Ukrainian women became a shrink of the status quo of the Ukrainian nation¡ªthey not only sustained the wartime economic line, but also carried the hope of a country¡¯s demographic reconstruction.

Ukraine, a country in the midst of war, is experiencing multiple challenges, such as demographic fragmentation, economic role restructuring, fertility difficulties and political difficulties.

The demographic crackdown ¨C a social time bomb of silent explosions

The proportion of men and women in Ukraine is now unbalanced to an alarming degree., reaching 0.85: 1. In the marriageable age group, there are about 1.3 million more women than men.

In some remote villages,The phenomenon of "disappearing men" is extremely common, and it is difficult to see young and middle-aged men on the whole streetThis structural imbalance has caught many Ukrainian women in the marriage market.

They are eager to find significant others, but face the reality that there are very few options, which not only affects the happiness of individuals, but also has a profound impact on the stability of society and the formation of family structures.

The data shows,Among women aged 18-45 in Ukraine, 38% have fled to Poland, Hungary and other countries¡£ To make matters worse, 62% of them said they would "never return home".

This poses a direct threat to the demographic reconstruction program in Ukraine.In other European countries, the combination of "local men + Ukrainian women" is growing, which has caused the Ukrainian population base to shrink.

The outflow of a large number of young women has taken away not only labor but also the hope of fertility, making it difficult for the population of Ukraine to replenish and grow.

The proportion of Ukraine's population over 65 years old has reached 17.3%, while the proportion of the working population aged 15-64 has dropped from 70% to less than 50%.

The U.N. is making a very pessimistic prediction.Even if the conflict ceases, it will take Ukraine at least 25 years to regain its pre-war population.¡£ The massive shortage of young people will lead to a serious shortage of labor force in the coming decades.

Businesses cannot find enough workers to maintain production, and the development of various social undertakings is also limited due to the shortage of labor.Ukraine's economic and social development will face tremendous obstacles.

UNICEF issued a warning,The impact of a father¡¯s long-term absence on children¡¯s psychological development is difficult to estimate.In Ukraine, many children grow up in the war and the first word they hear may be ¡°cover¡±, and schools are also often closed due to airstrikes.

Approximately 12 million children face lifelong risk of psychological trauma, whose childhood is overwhelmed by the shadow of war, and whose psychological and emotional care and upbringing are not adequate, which will have a tremendous negative impact on their future development and may form a generation of people with special psychological trauma, bringing long-term problems to society.

Economic Role Reconstruction--Women's Pillars of Wartime Economy

A World Bank report points out thatUkraine's labor shortage has reached 40%. In this case, women have become the absolute main force of economic operations.Women¡¯s role is essential, especially in areas such as education, healthcare and services.

In order to maintain the normal operation of the economy, Ukraine has even suspended laws banning women from working underground and dangerous work, allowing women to enter traditional male industries such as mines and steel mills.

They worked hard in these positions, overcame serious difficulties, and contributed their strength to the economic development of Ukraine.

In Ukraine, 59% of new businesses in the country are started by women, a proportion that has soared from 40% before the war to 61%. Women also occupy an important position in the drone industry, with female employees accounting for more than 38% of private drone manufacturers.

These women-led industries not only meet the needs of the war, but also silently reshape Ukraine¡¯s economic structure.With their innovative thinking and resilience, they have pioneered their own cause and injected new vitality into the economic development of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Education of Ukraine has extended the enrollment of vocational education until October 1, 2025. Currently, nearly 70,000 people have applied, including 34,449 men and 31,731 women. The gender distribution is almost equal.

The training program mainly focuses on skills that are much needed in wartime, such as welding and electronic assembly, which provides new employment avenues for women.

By participating in these training courses, women will be able to master their skills and thus become more competitive in the labour market and better adapt to the needs of the wartime economy, supporting the economic recovery and development of Ukraine.

Many Ukraine women now work two or three jobs at the same timeThey work hard in dilapidated factories during the day, sew military uniforms at night, and take care of sick elderly people in the early morning.

Community workers describe them as "like rubber bands that have been pulled to the limit and may break at any time." Long-term high-intensity work and life pressure have caused more than 40% of women to experience depression symptoms.

They are under both physical and psychological pressure, but they are still trying to support the operation of their families and societyTheir tenacity and performance is admirable, but they also need more attention and support from society.

Difficulty in fertility and policy ¨C the difficult choice of population reconstruction

Ukraine has become one of the countries with the lowest fertility rate in the world, which means that Ukraine's population is decreasing, the problem of population aging will become more and more serious, and the future social burden will be even heavier.

The conflict caused the collapse of the Ukrainian medical system.By 2023, 23 out of every 100 mothers will have an abortion due to war.Pregnant women and new mothers face multiple sources of stress, such as financial difficulties and concerns about their loved ones¡¯ safety.

The disruption of social support networks also further affected their mental health.The lack of proper care and support during pregnancy and after childbirth poses a threat not only to the mother¡¯s own health, but also affects the health and survival rates of the newborn.

Although UN Women has assisted 180,000 women, the support rate is only 2.7% in the face of 6.7 million people in need. There are billions of dollars in funding gaps for generators, hygiene products, postpartum care, and more.

The West¡¯s ¡°weapons priority¡± aid model ignores the basic needs of women.Women in Ukraine have endured tremendous pain and pressure during the war. They need more practical help and support to improve their living conditions and restore physical and mental health. However, assistance from the international community has not fully met their needs.

The real key to solving the plight of Ukrainian women lies not in short-sighted policies restricting emigration or forced childbearing, but in creating an environment in which they can voluntarily stay and have children - economic opportunities, safety and psychological support are equally important.

Source:

1. US media disclosed: The war exhausted the male labor force in Ukraine, and more and more women entered the traditional male industry-Observer. com

What happened to Ukraine - New People's Evening News