Ukrainian media are undergoing rapid change under the pressure of war: in 2025, women journalists are increasingly taking on roles traditionally considered “male”, including technical and field assignments. At the same time, most newsrooms lack tools to record online violence, which experts say is widespread yet remains “invisible”. These are the key findings of the annual study Gender Profile of Ukrainian Media – 2025.

The war is reshaping staffing structures in the media, increasing workloads for women and heightening the risks of online violence. The Gender Profile allows for regular assessment of the situation and the development of effective equality and safety policies.

A total of 245 questionnaires were collected from Ukrainian media outlets employing 7,184 staff members, enabling an assessment of key trends and practices in the field of gender equality. The findings show both progress and areas requiring further institutional support and improvement. The results indicate that in 2024–2025 women journalists increasingly undertook tasks traditionally viewed as “male” - field reporting from hotspots, technical support for broadcasts, and work with heavy equipment. This shift is linked to the mobilisation of part of the male workforce and internal staffing reallocations. At the same time, media outlets that already apply gender-sensitive policies and the standards of the Council of Europe demonstrate a more balanced distribution of roles and better staff adaptation practices.

Particular attention was given to the accessibility of workplaces for people with diverse needs. Some newsrooms, including Hromadske Radio, have already introduced adapted technical solutions, flexible working conditions, and team support mechanisms in line with Council of Europe standards on equal access to employment. Notably, Hromadske Radio is developing an environment in which people with disabilities can work comfortably, while audiences with disabilities can more easily access content. Technical updates to improve website accessibility are being introduced, including an AI-based player that reads texts aloud for people with visual impairments.

One example is the experience of Volodymyr Pyrih, a fully blind journalist who works as a news feed editor. He curates website content and works with audio and video materials, images, documents, and PDF files, performing tasks on par with other journalists. He works remotely from Lviv while the newsroom is based in Kyiv and has been successfully carrying out his duties for over a year. In a short video he demonstrated how he uses AI to verify illustrations: locating images on Pixabay, checking their relevance via the Be My Eyes application, and adding them to news items - without relying on automatic editing, but manually ensuring accuracy.

The study also examined practices that hinder journalistic work. In this context, it is important to recall Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)4, which outlines four key components of journalist protection: prevention of pressure, effective protection, investigation and punishment, and the fostering of a culture of safety. The document stresses the need to respond not only to physical attacks but also to threats, online harassment, intimidation, and other forms of pressure. It also highlights the importance of adequate training for law-enforcement authorities, ensuring that a journalist’s professional activity is recognised as a significant motive and taken into account when responding to threats or attacks.

The project has already implemented several of these recommendations: Council of Europe experts have updated the methodology for monitoring hate speech for the National Broadcasting Council - an indicator of online violence; and, in co-operation with the Ministry of Culture and the Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech, a draft law and amendments to specific Ukrainian laws on combating SLAPP lawsuits have been prepared. In addition, training sessions for law-enforcement officers have been held on protecting journalists and effective communication with the media. In August, with the support of the project, Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine adopted and published its Concept of an Inclusive Approach to Content Production and Team Management - a strategic document aimed at promoting equality, accessibility and respect for diversity within the organisation.

The presentation took place on the platform of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine in a hybrid format and brought together media professionals, civil society organisations, research institutions and public-sector representatives. The study was conducted by the National Council in co-operation with the NGO Women in Media with the support of the Council of Europe project Protecting Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Ukraine – Phase II (SFEM-UA).

The Council of Europe Project “Safeguarding Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Media in Ukraine – II Phase” (SFEM-UA) is implemented by the Council of Europe  Division for Co-operation on Freedom of Expression in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026.