NGOs monitored activities of the executive power bodies in the regions of Ukraine
NGOs themselves identified relevant areas for public examination for each region. Thus, for example, in Kyiv NGOs monitored activities of the local executive power bodies concerning improvement of the quality of housing and public utility services provided to the residents of Rusanivka district. Also Kyiv community initiated public examination of the performance of the current legislation on counteracting tuberculosis. In Lviv, NGOs examined activities of the officials for improvement of public participation in policy-making; in Kherson, public examination concerned implementation of gender policy at the local level. In Chernivtsi, with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation, public monitored implementation of the program of national and cultural associations; in Rivne – activities of the State Recordation of Voters body. Luhansk human rights organization examined activities of the authorities in reforming housing and utilities sector.
In total, 10 public examination projects were conducted in Ukraine, with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. According to Oleksiy Orlovsky, Director of the Civil Society Impact Enhancement Program of the International Renaissance Foundation, “public examination is an important instrument of public influence on the policies of state authorities. Ukraine became the first state where the issue of public examination has been legislatively regulated. At the same time, the International Renaissance Foundation has been supporting various initiatives of civil society aimed at strengthening public examinations from the very beginning. We will continue to provide such support in future”.
By implementing such projects, each NGO gained valuable experience in working with the state authorities, which may be of interest to organizations of other cities and regions of Ukraine. NGOs shared their experience and recommendations in various information materials, brochures.
One of the most interesting brochures is “Public examination of executive power bodies’ activities (theory and practice)”, published by the Committee of Voters of Ukraine during the implementation of the project “Public examination of activities of the State Recordation of Voters body”. This brochure is interesting due to that presents step by step stages of public examination (preparation, holding etc). In addition, it contains recommendations what should be done if state authorities do not respond to the query, how to draw up a query, and how to start the examination.
A similar brochure-guide “Public examination of executive power bodies in Ukraine: organization and conduct” was prepared by Dnipropetrovsk Oblast NGO “Dnipropetrovsk Coordination-Expert Center for Regulatory Policy”. The guide contains a specific algorithm for conducting public examination of activities of state authorities, based on the gained experience.
More information about names and contacts of NGOs that implemented the projects, is available here.
