Facilitated Working Sessions: design phase of the pilot projects with the support of the Dutch Ambassador in Albania, Ms. Guusje Korthals Altes

’If this format of forums had been in effect since our independence, the war would never have come to eastern Ukraine.’

Mr. Sergui Gayday,

Governor of Luhansk Oblast

 

‘... thank you for the new knowledge, for suggesting specific steps that you can really use. Thank you for meeting wonderful women whose examples are inspiring. Many thanks to VNG experts Anastasiia and Maria for the special atmosphere of communication, for your kindness and support. We will work on the implementation of our plans so that at the next meeting we can show the real result of what you have invested in us.’

Ms. Natalia Vasilenko,

participant

building more effective public administration by strengthening democratic local government

VNG International actively contributes to the USAID’s Democratic Governance East program through city-to-city partnerships and various activities covering themes like municipal procurement, participatory governance, and gender.

Facing the Covid-19 challenges, we successfully adapted to implementing our activities either completely remotely, or in a blended format. Across all activities, we pair international experts with local experts to combine sectoral and thematic expertise with knowledge of and sensitivity to the local context. With the use of various online tools, we ensure that our trainings, workshops and other project activities remain inspiring for participants. We have maintained a high turnout and high participant engagement, even over the course of several months or weeks.

 

 

Results achieved:

 

• In August 2020 a large two-day forum was held with more than 150 representatives of municipalities in Ukraine, Poland, Germany and the Netherlands. They exchanged on topics such as municipal strategic planning and the involvement of youth councils. The Ukrainian participants gathered physically in Severodonetsk, and the EU partners in their respective countries. International exposure and exchange of experience was also established through a virtual study tour to Latvia.
• 30 female local government officials from Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts were empowered to participate actively in local decision-making, with the support of an online Women In Government program. They developed gender action plans which will serve as future roadmaps by outlining the necessary steps to achieve greater gender and social inclusion in local governance processes. As a result, for instance an internal gender working group was formed under the responsibility of the Deputy Mayor in Kramatorsk municipality, with an assured balanced representation of men and women. And in Mariupol city council, a standing commission on gender equality was established.
• Another concrete milestone, proposed by Lysychansk municipality participants, is to create a public council quota for women’s participation and to establish a code of ethics at the newly created civil-military administration.
• The majority of the proposed action plans are to be considered for implementation by the respective local government entities. This will be supported by a training of trainers programme for some of the female local government officials, to further strengthen exchange between reform-minded government officials in Ukraine.