For women
Women on contract: terms and rights
What the law and the Regulation on military service say. No promises: the commission and the commander decide.
The law
On equal terms with men
Women perform military duty on equal terms with men; the only exceptions concern maternity and childhood protection and the ban on sex discrimination.
In wartime the law allows women on the military register to be called up for military service on a voluntary basis only. The decision about a contract is yours. Maternity and childhood are covered below.
The law is a framework. Whether you are accepted, a recruiter will tell you after a conversation; the final decision is made by the military medical commission and the unit commander.
Pregnancy and children
What happens if you become pregnant or have children
Maternity leave under the Law "On Leave": 70 calendar days before birth and 56 after (70 after birth for two or more children or a complicated birth).
If a contract expires during maternity leave or childcare leave, its term is extended until the leave ends, unless a discharge request is filed.
During martial law, a servicewoman on a contract may be discharged from service because of pregnancy if she has not expressed a wish to continue serving. The choice is yours: to say that you want to keep serving, ask the recruiter.
We do not state here how much is paid during leave. Ask the recruiter before you sign.
- standard leave for pregnancy and childbirth: before and after the birth combined
- 126 days
- standard leave for pregnancy and childbirth: before and after the birth combined
Source: Закон «Про відпустки» 504/96-ВР · Figures verified:
Step by step
From first contact to contract
The procedure under the current Regulation on military service. How long it takes depends on you, the commission and the recruiter’s workload.
Step 1. Your contact
No fixed time limit. Depends on the recruiter’s workload. We do not promise an exact time.
- You
- You leave your name, phone number and a messenger. It is the start of a conversation, not a signature on a contract.
- The brigade
- A recruiter will write or call. You do not have to sign anything. We never ask for money to join. If someone writes to you from an unknown number or account, check them first.
Step 2. Conversation with a recruiter
No fixed time limit. Depends on you. You can take time to think it over.
- You
- You tell them about your experience, education and family circumstances. You ask any questions, including about pregnancy, children and living conditions.
- The brigade
- The recruiter explains which contract may suit you and says whether there are suitable positions now. The final decision depends on the commander and the unit’s needs.
Step 3. Military medical commission
No fixed time limit. Depends on the commission and on whether further examinations are needed.
- You
- You go through the commission. Fitness for service on health grounds is determined by the commission.
- The brigade
- The recruiter will tell you what is known about the procedure. Fitness is determined by the commission, not by the recruiter.
Step 4. Contract
No fixed time limit. Depends on you: you sign when you are ready.
- You
- You sign a contract only when you have decided yourself and have answers to all your questions.
- The brigade
- Which contract suits you depends on your age, military registration, the commission’s finding and the position. The recruiter will tell you.
This is not legal advice. For legal questions, ask the territorial recruitment centre or a lawyer. A conversation with a recruiter does not commit you to anything.
Positions
Which positions are open to women
In June 2024 a Deputy Minister of Defence stated, as reported by the Ministry of Defence, that any position in the Armed Forces of Ukraine is open to women.
This is a statement by the Deputy Minister, not a law, so we do not promise that such a position is open in the brigade now. The recruiter will tell you which positions are open.
Read also
What else to read
Contract: terms and pay
Types of contract, pay and the signing procedureSee the termsSupport units
If the commission found you fit for service in support units: what it means for the contractFind out what it meansCheck that it is really us
The brigade’s official channels and the signs of scammersCheck the channels
Questions
What people usually ask
Are women accepted on contract?
Women are admitted to contract service and serve on equal terms with men, except in cases provided by legislation on maternity and childhood protection and the ban on sex discrimination. The final decision depends on the commission’s finding and the commander.
Do I have to be on the military register to sign a contract?
A woman who is not on the military register may enter contract service on the general conditions set out in Article 20 of the Law.
Which women must register?
Women who are fit by health and age and have obtained a medical or pharmaceutical specialty are subject to registration as persons liable for military service. Women with a specialty or profession related to a military-registration specialty on the Ministry of Defence list are registered at their own request.
Can I be called up without my consent?
In wartime the law allows women on the military register to be called up for military service on a voluntary basis only.
Are there separate terms or separate pay for women?
Cabinet Resolution No. 153 on the 18–24 contract does not distinguish between men and women: it sets no separate terms or payment amounts for women. Resolution No. 768 on the motivational contract likewise sets no separate terms or payment amounts for women: it is written for servicemembers and citizens of Ukraine in general. Pay depends on the position and the type of contract. The recruiter will tell you whether the motivational contract suits you if you are not on the register, and will give you the current terms before you sign.
What if I have a child?
During martial law, a servicewoman on childcare leave until the child turns three (six if medically required) may be discharged on family grounds if she has not expressed a wish to continue serving. Under the Law on social and legal protection of servicemembers, servicewomen enjoy all benefits provided by legislation on the social protection of women and the protection of motherhood and childhood.
What are the living conditions?
We do not promise specific conditions on the site: they depend on the unit. Ask the recruiter about living conditions in the conversation, before you decide anything.
Next step
A conversation with a recruiter commits you to nothing
Leave your name, phone number and a messenger. The recruiter will write or call and answer your questions about the contract, pregnancy, children and living conditions. You decide yourself whether to continue.