Victor Liakh
President
East Europe Foundation
Ukraine
vliakh@eef.org.ua
Ilona Khmeleva
Ph.D., Coordinator
of the Project “Ukraine in Europe”
East Europe Foundation
Ukraine
ikhmeleva@eef.org.ua
During the last decade, the civil society of Ukraine faced a difficult task. Despite Russian aggression, which began in 2014 with the occupation of Crimea and Donbas, Ukraine had to implement many reforms. These pro-Western changes in legislation and policies were a request of the Ukrainian people, formed during the Revolution of Dignity. And two years ago, the challenge became even greater. After all, no country in the world has the experience of implementing the institutional reforms necessary for European integration during a full-scale war. Civil society simultaneously became an indispensable assistant of the state and the military, providing a significant portion of humanitarian support, and continued to be a driving force behind legislative reforms and a source of high-quality expertise for the government. Activists and volunteers simultaneously established shelters for internally displaced persons, continued to prepare sophisticated legal analysis, provided effective international advocacy, and promoted systematic changes in public governance. Does this combination of tasks seem almost impossible? But during these 10 years, Ukrainians proved that almost nothing is impossible for them. This is the secret of Ukrainian resistance and sustainability.
At least three areas can be distinguished among the main achievements of civil society.
Democratic procedures
and transparency
The first noteworthy
accomplishment lies in the approval of democratic procedures and the promotion
of transparent state decision-making. Civil activists served as vigilant
watchdogs, overseeing government activities and contributing to successful
digitization. Ukraine, having achieved significant strides in digital transformations
(including corruption-free e-services, open data, and e-participation tools)
emerged as an “exporter of reforms”, sharing its experiences globally. The
commitment to democratic values became a cornerstone of Ukrainian resistance
and sustainability. For example, within
the framework of the EGAP Program, implemented by East Europe Foundation, the
development of the portal and mobile application “Diia” was supported. Civil
society experts in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation specialists
have developed more than 60 state services. All these electronic services were
simplified, digitized and appeared in the convenient form in which they are now
used by more than 20 million Ukrainians.
Humanitarian aid
and veterans’ reintegration
A second area of achievement
involves the provision of humanitarian aid to war victims, the reintegration of
veterans, and addressing the consequences of Russian aggression. Civil society
efforts extended to the establishment of shelters and bomb shelters, along with
educational initiatives on mine safety skills. For example, the Zrozumilo! Online Educational Platform set records
for views of a landmine safety course, facilitating and promoting
self-education among Ukrainians. The
commitment to the well-being of those affected by the conflict demonstrated the
compassionate side of Ukrainian civil society. One of the important examples is an initiative aimed at
restoring and equipping bomb shelters in schools and ensuring children’s access
to education despite the war. Thanks to the efforts of many organizations, such
as savED
or East Europe Foundation, more than 200 schools have been
properly equipped.
International advocacy
and image improvement
The third major accomplishment
is the impactful role played by civil society in international advocacy and
enhancing Ukraine’s global image. Non-governmental organizations spearheaded
international consolidation around Ukraine, leading to crucial decisions on aid
and support. Non-governmental diplomacy emerged as a unique and potent weapon,
ensuring the preservation of Ukraine’s statehood amidst global challenges. For
example, East Europe Foundation in cooperation with the Zentrum Liberale
Moderne implements the Project “Ukraine in Europe”, aimed to make a long-term
contribution to deepening the German-Ukrainian parliamentary dialogue and
strengthening the capacity of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to carry out
reforms for European integration.
Role of civil society
in shaping reform policy
The European Union’s decision
to open negotiations with Ukraine further underscores the increasing importance
of civil society in shaping reform policies. The 2023 Enlargement Package
recognizes the powerful reform dynamic created by granting EU candidate status
to Ukraine, with strong popular support despite the ongoing war. The positive
report reflects the significant contribution of civil society to Ukraine’s
progress, providing a robust foundation for democratic developments and effective
post-war reconstruction.
European
Commission’s view on civil society
The European Commission
acknowledges the vibrant role of Ukraine’s civil society, emphasizing its
engagement in reform processes and response to Russia’s aggression. Civil society
is recognized as a crucial component of the democratic system, maintaining
social bonds and contributing to overall societal resilience. Recommendations
provided include adopting a legal framework for public consultations, expanding
governmental funding for civil society organizations, and preventing pressure
and threats against civic activists.
The role of civil society in shaping Ukraine’s reform policy is becoming even more crucial given the EU decision to open negotiations with Ukraine. In 2023 Enlargement Package, the European Commission stipulated that the decision to grant EU candidate status to Ukraine created a powerful reform dynamic, despite the ongoing war, with strong support from the people of Ukraine. All in all, the 2023 Enlargement Package is very positive. It includes a profound reforms agenda, which will ensure democratic developments and effective post-war reconstruction. In general, the Report is rather complimentary for Ukraine. And this is a great merit of civil society.
The Report includes many provisions on civil society. The European Commission declares that “Ukraine’s vibrant civil society remains engaged in reform processes and in the response to the impact of Russia’s aggression. Volunteer movements and informal civil society groups often act as the backbone of humanitarian action across the country, including in the liberated and in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. In many respects they are key to the country’s resilience”. Moreover, it is stipulated that “an empowered civil society is a crucial component of any democratic system and is recognized and treated as such by state institutions. Civil society remains a key element of Ukrainian democracy, maintaining social bonds and fabrics, and contributing to the resilience of society at large”. Given such estimations, some recommendations are provided: 1) adopting a legal framework for public consultations; 2) expanding governmental public funding programmes for civil society organisations; 3) avoiding any pressure and threats against civic activists.
Future outlook
All
in all, this decision will motivate Ukrainians to move forward with all the
reforms. While criticizing some problematic spheres (including the judiciary,
SSU, etc.), the documents fully support the efforts of Ukrainian civil society.
Given East Europe Foundation’s previous experience (such as institutional
development of the parliament, support of democratic procedures, international
advocacy for European integration, ensuring digitalization, etc.), it will act
as a reliable partner for the implementation of the recommendations provided by
the EU. Another important goal is ensuring cooperation among the Ukrainian
experts and civil society organisations, developing their capacity and
sustainability. One of such success stories is the Crimea Platform Support
Program, launched by East Europe Foundation. Among other things, this
initiative enabled the Crimea Platform Expert Network to bring together
hundreds of representatives of Ukrainian and foreign non-governmental
organizations and think tanks, human rights activists involved in researching
the full range of issues caused by the Russian occupation of Crimea. This approach can serve as a model for involving civil
society in the development of transitional justice strategies.
Despite the challenges of the war decade, civil society remains a fundamental pillar of Ukrainian democracy and statehood. The next decade is poised to bring new challenges, including the pursuit of reforms essential for European integration, post-war reconstruction, and mitigating the negative consequences of Russian aggression. The unwavering commitment of civil society ensures its continued success in steering Ukraine toward a future characterized by success, peace, and European integration.