While walking down Kreschatyk, have you ever signed a petition for a cause you believe in? When a problem arose in your apartment building, have you and friends or neighbors written a complaint? Have you ever attended a local council meeting to learn about a new business being built, to discuss the cleanliness of a park, or voice concerns about how your taxes are being allocated? If so, you can now say that you are taking steps to advance a new form of democracy called “participatory governance.” And it does not take much more than concern about your community, a little initiative, and some spare time to be involved in participatory governance. This issue of Highlights focuses on CSOs’ activities to encourage participatory governance, engage with citizens, and educate them on issues that really matter. From partners’ efforts to inform the public on new police and public servants fighting corruption, to the protection of public spaces for enjoying a summer stroll, this issue of Highlights has you covered.
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The interest of Ukrainians in participating in public life has decreased to the levels reached in 2015. This is evidenced by the data of our Civic Engagement Poll. With respect to various forms of democratic participation, respondents are most engaged in the work of community committees (8.1%), public hearings (6.4%), peaceful assemblies (4.4%), reporting on infrastructural issues (5.2%), and lodging or signing electronic petitions (4.2%). Ukrainians are mostly interested in reporting infrastructural issues, either in-person or by phone (21.2%). Additionally, people show interest in reporting infrastructural issues online (20.1%), community work committees (17.2%), and submitting formal informational requests to state bodies (16.8%).
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Our Analytics
What is participatory governance and why are European leaders and political experts so encouraged by greater citizen involvement in political processes? In our brief analysis, we look at research from Carnegie and Civicus, indicating that more can be done by civil society and government to ensure that mechanisms are effective in capturing all voices, sustainable, and effective. We also explore Ukrainians experience and perceptions of participatory governance activities. Read on to learn more about this emerging field and how it applies in Ukraine. Read more
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Partner News
Join the Contest “Your Authority. Know Your Place” by Centre UA
Centre UA announces All-Ukrainian poster contest “Your power. Know your place.” Through this contest, activists want to increase awareness of Ukrainians to the issue of their responsibility for the decisions of local authorities. According to the organizers, the competition should bring together artists and managers, businessmen and public activists, local authorities and community residents. The contest will run through July 30. Read more.
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CPLR Analyzes the Impacts and Implications of COVID-19 and Quarantine on Ukrainian Justice
The quarantine revealed significant problems in communication of the judicial bodies with all stakeholders, mainly citizens. According to the experts, the number of unresolved cases in the courts is growing rapidly (on average by 30-40%) due to the special regime of the courts’ operation in quarantine, which in the future could overload the courts. Experts stressed that with proper prediction of the negative consequences of quarantine and learning positive lessons, the Ukrainian justice system can emerge from quarantine with a strong potential for further development of e-justice, and enhanced operational capacity if it manages to deal with the “baggage” of unresolved cases and will establish a clear and sound system for communications with citizens. Read more.
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Edutainment From the #@)₴?$0 Show with Michael Schur
Did you miss the latest issue of #@)₴?$0 Show with Michael Schur? If yes, then we are providing you with the top Ukrainian news of the previous week presented in the show. In the news, president Zelensky explains reasons for the dismissal of ex-chair of the president office Andriy Bohdan; Svyatoslav Vakarchuk announces his resignation from the parliament again, but not politics; and there are also details of a criminal persecution of a famous civic activist and blogger, Serhiy Sternenko. Read more.
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TI Ukraine Examines New SAPO Prosecutor Candidates
Overall, 650 people filed for jobs as SAPO prosecutors, and 213 have successfully passed their tests and proceeded to the interview stage. This means that there are 59 candidates competing for one place in the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. Currently, 187 men and 26 women are in the competition. They work as prosecutors, NABU detectives, and defense attorneys, among others. The highest score received by a candidate in a general qualification assessment is 145 and the lowest score is 110 (12 potential prosecutors got that score). It is estimated that the interviews will take three to four weeks, which will result in the commission selecting 11 of the most worthy candidates. Read more.
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Police Reform: Mission (Im)Possible?
On June 15, in the framework of the series of its Zero Corruption Talks, USAID/ENGAGE activity partner AntAC held an online panel discussion titled “Zero Corruption Police: Mission (Im)Possible.” The event gathered international experts, prominent representatives of human rights NGOs, international organizations and MPs from different factions to discuss the experience of creating a zero corruption police in Finland and Ukrainian police reform. Discussion included topics on what was done after the Revolution of Dignity, what success stories and lessons were learned, and why scary incidents are happening with police and how to prevent them? Find more.
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Regional News
CSO “Freedom” Unites Youth Around Public Spaces
On June 20, our regional partner from Energodar – the CSO “FreeDom” – will conduct the youth event “DIY-party,” which aims to make a public space. During the event, volunteers, a project team, members of partner CSOs, teenagers, and local citizens will be creating a comfortable space near the youth hub “FreeDom” for future outdoor activities.
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“Legal Lotto: Join! Learn! Act!” by the CSO “Bureau of Legal Communications”
Our one more regional partner, this time from Sumy, released the game “Legal Lotto: Join! Learn! Act!” The CSO “Bureau of Legal Communications” created a type knowledge simulator about human rights and the potential for their protection. Activists say that it helps to discover basic human rights, its key concepts, regulations and institutions that guarantee the protection of those rights. Read more.
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Civil Society News
Society Feedback Against the Criminal Prosecution of Activist Serhiy Sternenko
ast week activist, Serhiy Sternenko, was declared a suspect in premeditated murder. About 300 people came to support Serhiy Sternenko at the Shevchenkivsky District Court of Kyiv. On the same day, the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union (UHHRU) released an open statement and described the criminal prosecution of the activist as politically motivated. According to the UHHRU, such actions by law enforcement officials are a flagrant violation of the principles of justice. The Union calls on the State Bureau of Investigation to verify and investigate media reports mentioning political pressure on the investigation in the case of Serhiy Sternenko. Read more.
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Discover the Latest News from the New Era Forum
Last weekend, June 13-14, a unique event took place: the New Age Forum “On the Borders.” 125 speakers, about 1,700 participants, as well as popular Ukrainian star performers met in a specially created virtual space to discuss how every citizen can make Ukraine better tomorrow. Read more.
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Environmental Activist Iryna Stavchuk is Appointed Acting Head of the New Ministry of Ecology
Ms. Staychuk will also serve as acting head of the Ministry until the parliament will appoint the new Minister. Previously, Staychuk headed the Center for Environmental Initiatives “EcoAction,” and was a public observer on the Board of Directors of the World Bank’s Clean Technology Fund. She has also worked at the National Ecology Centre and was the coordinator of the Climate Action Network in the region. Read more.
