Natalia Lishchyshena is a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war who now works as a specialist, supporting military personnel and veterans to address legal and social issues, after she was injured by the body armour she was wearing on the way to a warzone.

Despite facing constant setbacks, Natalia has become the first woman in Ukraine to prove the harm standard-issue body armour , designed for men, can cause to the female body, after receiving official recognition from the medical commission. In this story, she shares why protective equipment needs to be adapted for women in the military.

“I was born into a military family. My father was a serviceman, and I always wanted to be like him. After he finished his service, our family settled in the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine. When Russia started hostilities in our region in 2014, I decided to stay in Luhansk region because my father was ill and needed care.

I dreamt of becoming a lawyer. At the age of 38, I started studying law.…