In a significant move towards gender equality, the Ukrainian Parliament, also known as the Verkhovna Rada, is set to register a bill on recruitment and mobilization that will treat men and women equally in terms of military registration and service. This development was announced by Ukrainian Member of Parliament Mariana Bezuhla on her Facebook page.
According to Bezuhla, women will still enjoy a unique exemption and the right to discharge, specifically during pregnancy. The politician clarified that if a woman becomes pregnant, she cannot be called up to the frontlines.
“However, at the same time, we plan to provide maternity leave as a right to deferment/discharge for both wives and husbands, depending on their choice,” she wrote.
Bezuhla also highlighted that women will have the option to voluntarily join combat roles, such as assault troops and other combat professions.
“In the case of military spouses with 1-2 children, one of them will have the right to deferment/discharge, and if they have three or more children, both will have this right. Additionally, if a male serviceman has a third child, he will be entitled to discharge,” the parliamentarian added.
Previously, a soldier from the Ukrainian Armed Forces expressed his confusion about the reasons behind the conflict in Ukraine.
