Participants in the “Women Leaders in Media” programme, including Mariya Frey, a member of the Managing Board of Suspilne Ukraine responsible for news and regional content, visited Stockholm on 18–24 October to learn from their Swedish colleagues and share their own experiences of working during the full-scale war in Ukraine. The visit took place as part of the second phase of the programme, implemented by the NGO Women in Media with the support of International Media Support.
“The greatest value of the programme lies in making the experience of women leaders in the media visible. We brought practical knowledge of managing media organisations during a full-scale war to Sweden. For me, it was particularly important to discuss the structural changes taking place within Ukraine’s media sector. Women are taking on an increasingly large share of responsibility in Ukrainian media while continuing to live through the war, balancing professional duties with caring for their loved ones and working under constant pressure. This programme helps women move beyond individual success stories towards a deeper understanding of what we can offer our colleagues abroad and how women’s leadership can help make the media more resilient, inclusive and sustainable,” said Mariya Frey.
“Women make up the majority of Ukraine’s media workforce, but this does not always translate into equal opportunities for career advancement or influence over decision-making. That is why it is important to support the development of women’s leadership. Programmes like this enable participants to exchange experiences, build professional networks and learn from practices that can make Ukrainian newsrooms stronger and more resilient. We are grateful to our partners at International Media Support (IMS) for supporting this programme and giving Ukrainian women in the media an opportunity to learn, share their experience and develop international cooperation,” said Lisa Kuzmenko, Head of the NGO Women in Media.
One of the first meetings was with Svitlana Zalishchuk, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Kingdom of Sweden. The participants discussed Ukrainian-Swedish cooperation, support for Ukraine and opportunities for exchanging experience between the two countries.
Meeting with Svitlana Zalishchuk
During the visit, the participants also visited several Swedish public service and commercial media organisations. They learned about the work of the daily newspaper Dagens ETC, Swedish Radio, the TV4 television channel and the newspaper Aftonbladet. The participants also met with representatives from the Fojo Media Institute, Swedish media development organization, the Swedish Union of Journalists and the Swedish Media Agency.
At a meeting with representatives of Dagens Nyheter, the participants discussed the ethical use of artificial intelligence in newsrooms. Topics included how AI can improve work efficiency while preventing greater gender inequality and ensuring that women’s voices are adequately represented in the media.
Particular attention was paid to journalists’ work during wartime. At a meeting with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), participants discussed the challenges faced by journalists reporting from the front line and the human cost of journalism. The meeting provided an opportunity to share with their Swedish colleagues the experience of Ukrainian media working during the full-scale war.
The participants also visited Ukraine’s Unity Hub in Stockholm, a space that supports Ukrainians in Sweden, helps them integrate into local society and maintain their ties with Ukraine.
Meetings with organisations working to protect women’s rights were another important part of the programme. The participants visited the feminist organisation Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation and the independent feminist online publication Fempers Nyheter.
* The NGO Women in Media runs the “Women Leaders in Media” programme to strengthen women’s role in the media, promote gender equality, inclusion and diversity, and foster professional networks and international cooperation.
In 2025, Women in Media implemented the programme’s first cohort in partnership with the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), with support from the German Federal Foreign Office. Ten women leading Ukrainian newsrooms took part in the programme and prepared the analytical paper “Girls Just Wanna Have Voice”. The document provides recommendations for strengthening gender equality, developing women’s leadership and creating an inclusive professional environment in Ukrainian media.
The second phase is being implemented in partnership with International Media Support. It aims to strengthen the professional community of graduates from the first phase, support the implementation of the recommendations in newsrooms, deepen cooperation among participants and expand international partnerships.
Suspilne Ukraine is an independent media company with a strong presence across all platforms: the TV channels Pershyi, Suspilne Kultura, Suspilne Sport, and a national network of local channels; the radio stations Ukrainske Radio, Radio Promin, Radio Kultura, Radiotochka. Find only verified news on suspilne.media, as well as on our national and local digital platforms. We broadcast in minority languages, represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest, develop the children’s platform Brobaks, and train media professionals through the Public Media Academy. Our Suspilne Mediateka platform offers unique video and audio archives dating from the 1920s to today. Defending freedom in Ukraine.
