Ukraine does not plan to mobilize women and abolish the deferral for parents with many children — CPD

Ukraine is not preparing to introduce general mobilization of women, as well as changes that would provide for the abolition of deferral from mobilization for parents who support three or more children.

This was stated by the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council Andriy Kovalenko amid the dissemination of information about the relevant electronic petitions.

“No mobilization of women is planned, nor are any changes planned for parents of three children,” Kovalenko emphasized.

What is proposed in the petitions

On August 10, the government portal began collecting signatures for petition No. 41/010515-26еп. Its author proposes to extend military service to able-bodied women who do not have children.

It is proposed to provide for exceptions for women who cannot perform military service due to health reasons or have other legal grounds for deferment.

Another petition — No. 41/010443-26еп — was registered on August 4. Its author proposes to cancel the right to a deferral from mobilization for men who are dependent on three or more minor children.

Registration of the petition does not mean changes in the legislation

The appearance of relevant appeals on the government portal does not mean that the Cabinet of Ministers or the Verkhovna Rada are already preparing relevant legislative changes.

For consideration by the government, an electronic petition must gain the required number of votes — 25 thousand signatures. At the same time, even achieving this indicator does not mean automatic adoption of the changes proposed by the author.

Earlier, a member of the parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Oleksandr Fediyenko, also stated that no changes regarding the deferral for parents with many children are planned in the near future.

Who among parents with many children is entitled to a deferment

Currently, the legislation provides for the right to a deferment from conscription during mobilization for women and men who are dependent on three or more children under the age of 18.

At the same time, such a right does not apply to persons who have arrears in alimony payments, the total amount of which exceeds the amount of the relevant payments for three months.

Thus, the emergence of petitions for the mobilization of women and the revision of the deferment for parents with many children are currently only public initiatives and do not in themselves change the current mobilization rules.