Ukraine’s path towards a full and prosperous democracy has been threatened by Russia`s unprovoked and unjustified war, forcing citizens to sacrifice some of their rights in pursuit of victory. In this issue, we offer you to check our infographics with fresh data on the impact of the war on democracy in Ukraine. We also highlight the inspiring efforts of our civil society partners and offer employment and grant opportunities for you to get engaged. Please, enjoy the read and share our news with your partners and constituencies!
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In February 2022, Russia`s military invasion caused a significant deterioration of political rights and civil liberties in Ukraine. According to Freedom House’s report, Ukraine’s freedom score dropped from 61 in 2022 to 50 in 2023, placing it among partly free countries. The score was based on two key factors – political rights and civil liberties – both of which experienced a decline from 26 and 35 in 2022 to 22 and 28 in 2023.
In addition, the latest 2022 edition of Freedom House’s Nations in Transit report classifies Ukraine as a transitional or hybrid regime based on its democracy score, which stands at 3.36 out of 7.
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Civil Society News
Oleksandra Matviichuk Recognized among Time’s Most Influential Leaders of 2023
On April 13, Time magazine recognized Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and leader of the Center for Civil Liberties (CCL), with the “Most Influential People of 2023” award in the category of “Leaders.” As noted by the magazine, Oleksandra and the CCL team have strived to make Ukraine more democratic and document Russia’s war crimes against civilians.
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Chair of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center Calls for the Exclusion of Russia from the UN Security Council
On April 17, representatives of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center Eskender Bariev, Chair of the CSO, and Liudmila Korotkykh, the CSO`s project manager, participated in the opening ceremony of the 22nd Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. In his speech, Bariev called for the exclusion of Russia from the UN Security Council. Throughout the week, activists will provide updates to the international community regarding the ongoing persecution of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people by the occupiers in temporarily occupied Crimea and southern Ukraine.
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New Europe Center Explains Why Ukraine Needs a New Strategy for NATO Relations
With the escalation of the full-scale war, relations between Ukraine and NATO have undergone a significant shift, requiring a fresh approach. In their recent publication, Aliona Getmanchuk, Director of the New Europe Center, and Serhiy Sydorenko, Editor of the “European Truth,” explained why Ukrainian politicians need to propose a new vision for these relations instead of relying on the outdated Membership Action Plan (MAP) and the decision of the 2008 Bucharest Summit, which is based on the notion of granting Ukraine the MAP.
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Center of Policy and Legal Reform Shares Insights on Absentia Processes for War Crimes in Ukraine
The Institute for War & Peace Reporting released a study on absentia processes for war crimes in Ukraine based on insights from specialized experts. In particular, Yevhen Krapyvin, an expert at the Center of Policy and Legal Reform, emphasized that a major issue of absentee justice is that victims and their families can be disappointed when they see guilty verdicts with low probabilities of resulting in the actual serving of the sentence. Read more by the link below.
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CHESNO Movement Reveals Collaborators among Mayors and Heads of Territorial Communities
On April 12, CHESNO Movement released a list of 16 mayors and heads of amalgamated territorial communities identified as collaborators with Russia. Most of the individuals are affiliated with the banned pro-Russia political party “Opposition Platform – For Life.” The CSO also continues to identify pro-Russia politicians within its Register of Traitors, which contains 1,150 entries on alleged traitors and collaborators.
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Activists to Host an Online Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine
On April 25, RISE Ukraine and the International Institute for Sustainable Development will hold the online conference “Rebuilding Ukraine: Navigating a Sustainable Recovery and EU Candidacy.” Ukrainian and international experts will discuss ways to achieve a sustainable, resilient, and equitable recovery while addressing the ongoing challenges. Register by the link to join the event.
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Opportunities
Explore Our Opportunities!
We are excited to offer a variety of new opportunities for job seekers, civil society actors, and service providers:
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Qualified specialists interested in our job openings are encouraged to visit our website and review the listings – https://bit.ly/3UKgGN7
- Additionally, we have extended our request for applications for civil society initiatives to provide even greater institutional and project support – https://bit.ly/3GUdk4e
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Finally, we are pleased to announce three Requests for Proposals for service providers – https://bit.ly/3onSy6I
Visit our website for additional information and to stay up-to-date on future opportunities and news.
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ISAR Yednannia Announces Grant Competition for the Participation of CSOs in the Processes of Recovery and Development of De-Occupied Territories
ISAR Unity invites civil society organizations to participate in the grant competition “Strengthening the Capacity of CSOs to Take the Lead in the Processes of Recovery and Development of De-Occupied Territories.” The application deadline is May 31, 2023.
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What We Read
Ukraine’s Reconstruction: Questions and Common Grounds
The post-war reconstruction of Ukraine has drawn immense attention and a number of publications have been released to outline specific views or recommendations. To help ongoing discussions on how the reconstruction should look, CASE Ukraine and Vox Ukraine experts co-authored an article that highlights commonalities and differences across the developed proposals.
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