The State Customs Service of Ukraine has been elected to the leadership of the Virtual Working Group of the World Customs Organization on Gender Equality and Diversity in Customs (WCO VWG GED). On June 4, a meeting of the WCO VWG GED was held, attended by over 65 delegates from 35 WCO member countries.
During the event, participants:
– received updated information on WCO initiatives in the field of gender equality.
– heard reports from gender equality coordinators from wco regional offices for capacity building in east and southern Africa and the Americas.
– learned about the experience of the Colombian Customs Administration in preventing gender-based violence and collecting disaggregated data to develop institutional capacity.
It is important to note that since 2022, Ukraine, particularly the State Customs Service, has been actively participating in the activities of the WCO VWG GED. This confirms its commitment to actively engaging in international initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and diversity in customs.
During the meeting, new leadership for the WCO VWG GED was also elected. The new leaders will have a rotational mandate for one year and will be responsible for chairing meetings of the WCO Working Group on Integrity. They will report on the progress of the WCO VWG GED to the WCO Capacity Building Committee and the WCO Gender Equality Network during customs meetings twice a year.
In a historic first, Ukraine not only participated in the WCO VWG GED meeting but also secured a leadership position. The country nominated Tetiana Korzhynska as a candidate for Vice-Chair of the WCO GED , and she was successfully elected to the role.
She is the Deputy Head of the Division of Canine and Veterinary Services within the Directorate of Canine Services of the Department for Specialized Training and Canine Services of the State Customs Service of Ukraine (WCO RTC, WCO RDTC (Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine)). Additionally, she serves as a member of the Working Group on Gender Policy Implementation of the State Customs Service of Ukraine and a Gender Equality Matters Trainer.
This significant achievement brings the State Customs Service closer to European standards, enhances its operational efficiency, and contributes to the formation of a modern customs system that meets contemporary and international standards.
