In our media-on-steroids era, information is here, there, and everywhere, turning us from hunters to prey. Despite the relative freedoms of the web, we are cocooned by limitations and hidden pitfalls of misinformation. It has always been a focus of the Ukrainian civil society to educate, debunk myths and help citizens access verified and true information.
In this issue of our newsletter, we offer you a sneak peek of the internet liberties in Ukraine, think tanks’ endeavors to counter propaganda and disinformation, as well as a handful of opportunities for the development of civil society. Get engaged in our weekly digest.
****
Internet shutdowns and restrictions have a great impact on people’s lives and human rights. They deprive citizens of major communication channels and the opportunity to participate in political decisions. For Freedom on the Net 2022 report, Freedom House surveyed 70 countries, which account for 89 percent of the world’s internet users, and ranked 17 as free, 32 as partly free, and 21 as not free. Ukraine scored 59 on its 100-point scale and was ranked as a partly free country. Among the main obstacles for internet freedom are blockage of online resources, multiple arrests of internet users, and pressure to self-censor. Check our chart for more details!
****
DIF Evaluates the Impact of Russia’s Propaganda on Africa
Many African countries follow Russia`s narratives that the main reason for the war in Ukraine is the eastward expansion of NATO. Therefore, they raise the question of a compromise with Putin from time to time. The scientific director of the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation recently finished an advocacy visit to Nigeria and Ghana with a delegation of civil society representatives. Push the button below to find some key conclusions from this trip.
****
Case Ukraine Launches a Campaign to Protect the Rights of Taxpayers
On October 20, Case Ukraine started an advocacy and public awareness campaign to support a petition to the President of Ukraine aimed at ensuring the presumption of innocence for Ukrainian taxpayers. The authors demand to recognize at the highest political level the right of a taxpayer to the presumption of innocence to ensure the rule of law. The CSO believes that it will be a starting point for reviewing the entire tax and customs practice in Ukraine and revitalizing Ukraine’s economy
****
Center for Civil Liberties Launches a Series of Public Lectures Dedicated to International Humanitarian Law
Center for Civil Liberties and Public International Law & Policy Group is opening a series of public lectures dedicated to international humanitarian law (IHL) and law of armed conflict studies. On October 21, Dr. Gregory P. Noone delivered the first lecture on exploring international humanitarian law and its application during the war in Ukraine. Click on the link below to view the stream recording. Following the lecture, CSO also prepared a Q&A briefing paper to answer the most popular questions about IHL.
****
Razumkov Center Joins the European Think Tanks Conference
On October 19-20, 2022, the Razumkov Center participated in the international conference in Berlin that brought together think tankers and their partners from all over Europe. The conference was organized by the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). During the event, CSO raised issues of the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war and discussed the think tanks’ role in providing an objective assessment and finding optimal ways of post-war recovery.
****
EdCamp Launches a Series of Lectures on Information Hygiene During Wartime
EdCamp and the initiative “How Not to Become a Vegetable” launch a series of lectures, where invited experts will share how to filter information during wartime and how to maintain information hygiene. You can already check the recording of the first of the online lectures “Overwinter. How to Prepare for Winter and Not Become a Victim of Propaganda, Panic, Hysteria, and Marketing” online. The next conversation will take place on October 31 with Myroslava Barchuk, a leading Ukrainian journalist and TV presenter.
****
СSO Experts to Discuss Digital Tools for the Recovery of Ukraine
Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), RISE Ukraine and Prozorro.Sale invite everybody to join the online broadcast of the discussion “Digital Tools for the Recovery of Ukraine,” dedicated to solutions to ensure transparent and intelligent management of the reconstruction of Ukraine. The event will include a presentation of research on approaches to the reconstruction of Ukraine and the concept of RISE Ukraine on digital management of reconstruction. You can watch the event online in Ukrainian on October 28 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the KSE Facebook page.
****
Crimean Tatar Resource Center Analyzes Violations of Human Rights in Occupied Crimea
On October 26, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center presented an analysis of human rights violations in occupied Crimea for the nine months of 2022. According to the organization, during the reporting period, Russia`s security forces conducted 25 searches, 108 arrests/holds, and 124 interrogations, interviews, and conversations. The total number of arrests for nine months of the current year is 138. Most of the violations by the occupiers were committed against the representatives of the Crimean Tatar people. In addition, the analysis contains data on human rights violations in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions during the full-scale war. Push the button below for more information.
****
Job Alert: Program Assistants for Pact
Pact seeks Program Assistants for the five-year Public Health Systems Recovery and Resilience Activity. This activity will strengthen public health capacities, standards, outreach services, and access to essential healthcare services during crises such as COVID-19 and other health-related challenges. Program Assistants will provide support to the technical team of the project. To apply, please send a cover letter and CV to onechyporko@pactworld.org no later than October 31, 2022.
****
IREX Announces a Call for Applications for the Creation/Restoration of School Self-Government Bodies
IREX is looking for qualified organizations to develop and implement a program for the creation/restoration of school self-government bodies within the framework of the UNITY program. The selected organizations will cooperate with IREX in the implementation, deployment, and promotion of the program to ensure that schoolchildren aged 10-17 acquire skills in civic engagement and awareness, leadership and social influence, planning and development of solutions to create an effective system of school self-governance in the communities. The application deadline is October 31, 2022.
****
The Institute for Advanced Study Announces New Fellowship Call
The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS CEU) together with the partners are pleased to launch a joint call for applications for its inaugural fellowship program Revisionism and Falsification, Evidence and Proof for the academic year 2023/2024. Besides critical scholarly approaches, the call welcomes artists, working on representations of revisionist attempts and their real-life consequences or artistic import in various formats and media. The application deadline is October 30, 2022.
****
America House Kyiv Launches Camp Identity – an International Virtual Exchange Program
How do we form our identity and define nationality in a multicultural world? To find answers to these and other questions and explore identity, America House Kyiv and a network of American centers around the world are launching an international virtual exchange program that will bring together young people from Ukraine, the USA, Moldova and Georgia. Hurry up to register! The submission deadline is October 30.
****
