A heroine of Ukraine's Orange Revolution, Yulia Tymoshenko has been released after spending three years in jail, in one of several dramatic events to have swept the country she once served as prime minister.

The glamorous, fiery orator who helped lead Ukraine's revolt against a corrupt election in 2004, was convicted in 2011 of criminally exceeding her powers when she agreed a gas deal with Russia, seen to have disadvantaged Ukraine. She was given a seven-year sentence.

After breaking once again with President Viktor Yushchenko - her former ally during Ukraine's Orange Revolution - Ms Tymoshenko, 47, is clearly maneuvering herself to take his job.
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Lilia Ostapenko writes about the role of women in modern Ukrainian society. "Traditionally, as part of her Soviet heritage, Ukrainian woman always carried a hammer and a sickle alongside her man, picked up a rifle during war time, and laid train rails and asphalt, if needed, being an equal partner in every aspect of life.Things seemed to change with our new Ukrainian government, including a role played by the first lady."

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Ukrainian's women politicians occupy 8 percent of seats in Parliament (36 seats out of 450). According to Deputy Prime Minister Mykola Tomenko, changing the electoral system in country will lead to a reduction of female parliamentarians. The solution may be the optimization of  majority districts election procedure. This should double the chance of regional women candidates to enter the Parliament.