Ukraine’s civil society is a powerful catalyst for change, striving to fortify democracy and implement innovative ideas. This newsletter, replete with insightful updates from our partners, stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication to this goal. In this issue, you will learn about civil society’s stance on the recently enacted law on political figures, read the comprehensive research on anti-corruption infrastructure, and learn about upcoming events that may pique your interest. We also encourage you to stay tuned for announcements on our website and read the inspiring story of our partner who fosters youth activism in Ukrainian communities during the war. Stay with us and learn more!
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Most Ukrainians do not support holding nationwide elections in 2024. The Razumkov Center`s survey revealed that 64% of citizens feel negatively about this matter. The main reasons cited are challenges tied to wartime circumstances, including financial constraints (36%), legal limitations during martial law (32%), and concerns about security (31%). Adhering to democratic standards during martial law is also a concern (29%), along with logistical difficulties in occupied territories (26%) and for displaced persons and refugees (24%).
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Civil Society News
Verkhovna Rada Passes Bill on Enhanced Financial Monitoring of Politically Exposed Persons
The Verkhovna Rada passed bill No. 9269d on October 17, which aims to enhance the financial monitoring of politically exposed persons (PEPs). This legislative development has generated a mixed response within civil society. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the implications of this law and the potential longevity of PEP status, we recommend watching the latest video explainer provided by our partner, the Anti-Corruption Action Center.
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Global Teacher Prize Ukraine 2023 Awards a Graduate from the Ukrainian Leadership Academy
Petro Sitek, a graduate of the Ukrainian Leadership Academy’s Kharkiv branch, is currently a debate teacher and mentor at a school in Lviv. Petro’s lessons are characterized by lively discussions among students, active group work, and a relaxed atmosphere. Yet, the topics he covers consistently address pressing societal issues. In acknowledgment of Petro’s distinctive teaching methods that integrate mentorship elements, he was honored in the “Young Teacher” category by the Global Teacher Prize Ukraine 2023.
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School for Policy Analysis Defines Key Messages of Russia’s Propaganda in Temporarily Occupied Territories
The School for Policy Analysis has published its monthly monitoring report on Russia’s propaganda activities on Telegram channels operating in the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine. These regions include Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea. The sample includes 35 channels that produce content targeting all the aforementioned territories. The key messages disseminated through these channels in September include allegations of Ukraine mistreating civilians in newly liberated territories and the establishment of new, “legitimate” authorities in these territories, among others.
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Center for Innovations Development Fosters Citizens’ Engagement in Reconstruction
On October 12, the Center for Innovations Development concluded a series of workshops on modeling optimal business processes for transparent and democratic engagement of citizens, activists, and CSOs in reconstruction management. Participants developed and presented potential models of operation for the e-democracy module eDem within the digital reconstruction management system (DREAM). This will serve as the foundation for the technical specifications of the module. The next phase involves developing a technical task for the eDem module based on the developed models, received recommendations, and conducted research.
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International Center for Ukrainian Victory Co-Hosts “Crimea Global. Understanding Ukraine Through the South” Conference
From October 13-16, the USAID/ENGAGE partner, International Center for Ukrainian Victory (ICUV), co-organized an international conference titled “Crimea Global. Understanding Ukraine Through the South.” The event brought together experts from around the world to establish direct connections between Ukrainian civil society organizations, the Ukrainian government, and the Parliament. It aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the Crimean Peninsula and Ukraine’s resilience against aggression and encourage collaboration on potential joint projects and initiatives.
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Transparency International Ukraine Presents Study on Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Infrastructure
On October 12, Transparency International Ukraine (TIU) released the second study on the capacity, integrity, and independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure. Compared to the 2020 study, anti-corruption authorities improved their average overall score, which increased by 0.5 points from 3.4 to 3.9 (with 5 being the highest score). The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) achieved the highest score of 4.6 points, while the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) received the lowest score of 3.4 points. The CSO also provided recommendations to enhance the performance of anti-corruption institutions.
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Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation to Host a Festival Commemorating the All-Ukrainian Day of Human Responsibility
In celebration of the All-Ukrainian Day of Human Responsibility on October 19th, the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation is organizing the Silent Festival of Responsibility. The festival aims to unite Ukrainians around shared values of responsibility and cooperation. It features a traveling exhibition of illustrations created by “Pictoric” illustrators, who creatively reinterpret the 15 points of Bohdan Hawrylyshyn’s Declaration of Human Responsibility. The exhibition will run from October 20th to November 5th at the Ukrainian House in Kyiv. Additionally, the festival will tour other cities in Ukraine, including Rivne, Chernivtsi, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Lviv, and Vinogradiv.
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Center for Political and Legal Reforms to Host Youth Analytical Forum
The Center for Political and Legal Reforms invites young individuals interested in state-building processes, actively engaged in civic affairs, and eager to contribute to nation-building to participate in a Youth Analytical Forum. The event will be held on October 30, 2023, in Lviv, offering both offline and online participation options. Registration is open until October 28th.
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Opportunities
Stay Tuned for the Upcoming Releases on the ENGAGE Website
As ENGAGE continues to grow alongside Ukraine’s civil society, we’re gearing up to release an updated Request for Applications for civil society initiatives. This will offer even more comprehensive institutional and project support. Stay tuned for the upcoming release on our website!
We are about to release our Civic Engagement Poll. For the first time since 2017, we will delve into how different war-affected contexts influence awareness of and engagement in civil society activities, as well as the understanding and perception of reform processes among three population groups: non-displaced Ukrainians residing within Ukraine, externally displaced abroad, and internally displaced citizens. Stay tuned for the upcoming release on our website!
Qualified specialists interested in our job openings are encouraged to review the listings – https://bit.ly/3UKgGN7
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USAID Unity Program Launches Community-Led Youth Policy Project
The USAID Unity Program is calling for communities to participate in the project “Creating Youth Policy in the Community Together with Youth.” This initiative seeks to assist communities in creating or enhancing local youth development strategies based on the specific needs and data of young people. Applications are accepted until November 3, 2023.
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What We Read
Ukrainian Antiquity Fosters Youth Activism by Revitalizing Youth Spaces in Ukrainian Communities
Since its establishment in 2019, the USAID/ENGAGE partner, Ukrainian Antiquity has been dedicated to empowering proactive youth and equipping them with strong civic competencies. Through various activities like volunteering, scientific pursuits, and cultural heritage preservation, the organization built a thriving network of enthusiastic teenagers committed to enhancing their civic skills and making a positive impact.
However, when the full-scale invasion unfolded, Ukrainian Antiquity had to halt its offline activities for safety reasons. Undeterred, the organization found a way to keep youth engaged in civic activism. Follow the link below to explore our partner’s resilient efforts in maintaining civic engagement among Ukrainian youth during wartime.
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