For Power of Place, this story marks a continuation of its work with local communities and an opportunity to gain an insider's perspective. Iryna Mushtina, co-founder and director of Power of Place, joined the jury panel for a new nomination category.
According to her, reviewing the applications revealed that a purely formal female representation in local government is no longer enough:
“We were looking for examples where women’s participation genuinely impacts community development — ranging from security and reconstruction to the economy, social services, and international cooperation. This year’s award winners demonstrate precisely this kind of leadership.”
The experience of the Oster community is particularly noteworthy, where Svitlana Rak’s team worked on digitising urban planning documentation and integrating it into the state land register. Another compelling example comes from Chortkiv, where Yana Bondarenko developed the community's energy sector, which today features 16 solar power plants alongside international partnerships. These stories demonstrate that leadership begins when a person takes responsibility for a specific area and drives it through to tangible results.
On 22 September, the National Awards ceremony “Leadership of Equal Opportunities 2026” took place at the National Philharmonic of Ukraine. In a dedicated category, “Community Leadership,” three communities were recognised: the Kipti rural community in Chernihiv Region, the Rohanh settlement community in Kharkiv Region, and the Vinnytsia urban community. Meanwhile, a special prize from the Power of Place team — 50 hours of strategic communications and branding consultancy — was awarded to the Zhytomyr urban community.
The ceremony itself was merely part of a broader conversation regarding the role of women in territorial development. On the same day, Iryna Mushtina moderated a panel discussion titled “Communities as Spaces of Equal Opportunities”. Participants discussed how women’s involvement in decision-making transforms communities and how to foster an environment where diverse people can influence local development.
The panel took place as part of the project “Gender-Responsive Recovery in Communities: Women’s Participation in Decision-Making,” supported by East Europe Foundation and funded by the European Union.
For Power of Place, it is crucial to address equal opportunities not as an isolated social issue, but as an integral part of territorial development. Ultimately, it is at the local level that decisions affecting daily quality of life are made — from energy and urban planning to entrepreneurship, education, and social services. This year’s award has brought visibility to those who are already tackling these challenges through concrete action.
A dedicated focus on communities will be maintained in the coming year as well. The organisers plan to involve even more communities and highlight practices that can serve as valuable models for other territories across Ukraine.
