Foundation for regional initiatives

Success story

• The beginning of activity (1996)

The Foundation for Regional Initiatives started its public activity with the implementation of large project “Mobilizing youth organizations in regions with low civic activity”. The project covered a number of regions in South Eastern and Western Ukraine.

Experts of the FRY involved the youth from the most socially vulnerable regions into the development of draft decisions of local authorities. Those decisions were aimed at mobilizing civic activity of the youth, creating working places for young people and securing multi-faceted development of the Ukrainian youth.

Besides that, project organizers conducted a number of public education events and published a series of manuals covering the work of non-governmental organizations at the national and local level. These measures were called upon to provide the youth with the understanding of the activity of non-governmental sector.

Independent vote count during elections. The first in the history of independent Ukraine (1999)

Project “Public Oversight over the Vote Count at the Elections of the President of Ukraine in 1999” was implemented jointly with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, electoral headquarters of seven presidential candidates and 42 regional non-governmental organizations of Ukraine.

The network of 225 well equipped regional computer centers were created throughout the country (one center per each electoral district). Project organizers collected, analyzed and made public voting results across Ukraine.

Total number of project participants exceeded 32 000 people.

During the first voting round the project made public voting results for 60% of voters, one day before the Central Electoral Commission did. During the second voting round voting results from all Ukrainian regions (one electoral district per region) were also published one day before the Central Electoral Commission.

Caring about rights of disabled voters (1999, 2004)

The project “Securing Participation of Voters with Sight Impairment in the Elections of the President of Ukraine” was initiated in 1999 by the FRI jointly with the Ukrainian Association of the Blind People (UToS) with the Central Electoral Commission.

Experts of the FRI developed special pattern forms on the basis of Braille method. Upon official permission of the Central Electoral Commission of Ukraine, they were sent to 500 voting districts in those Ukrainian regions where, according to experts’ estimates, the majority of people with sight impairment lived.

Besides that, special information materials with electoral programs of all candidates, their biographic data and other useful information were prepared and sent to all offices of UToS. They were also based on Braille method.

Taking into account the importance of this project for disabled people, experts of the FRI decided to apply acquired experience during presidential elections in 2004.

Experts of the FRI jointly with representatives of UToS prepared materials about new electoral system, political programs of all presidential candidates, their biographies for 60 000 voters with sight impairment (1^st and 2^nd categories).

Information was disseminated through information bulletins and additional issues of UToS newspapers as well as through audio-CD and tapes.

After the production of all information materials, experts of the FRI conducted large training seminar about new voting rules and differences between candidates. Two representatives from each region (one from UToS and the other from social security body) participated in the seminar.

As an outcome, the participation rate of voters with sight impairment in elections increased by two times. Each voter was given the opportunity to vote for the candidate of his choice.

Protection of human rights(2000-2001)

The project “Portrait of prison” was implemented in the prisons of Vinnytsja oblast. Special video documentary was produced about the reform of the penitentiary system of Ukraine.

Professionals from documentary studio of 1+1 TV channel worked on the documentary.

The documentary covering the destiny of more than 180 000 imprisoned Ukrainian citizens was broadcast by central and regional TV channels. Movie premiere was conducted in the Movie House. People’s deputy and heads of governmental bodies attended the event.

For successful implementation of the project, the Foundation for Regional Initiatives established fruitful cooperation with the State Department of Ukraine for Execution of Punishment, administrations of the penitentiary bodies, the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations. Recommendations and proposals were submitted for consideration to the Verkhovna Rada and the Cabinet of Ministries of Ukraine.

Contributing to the economic reforms 2000-2001)

The Foundation for Regional Initiatives was co-organizer of the program “Regulatory Reform in Ukraine” initiated in October 1997 by the USAID.

Information and coordination center for the development of entrepreneurship was set up on the basis of the FRI in Kyiv in September 2000. The center took on key function for preparing the draft of the regulatory reform. Similar coordination centers were also opened in Simferopol, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Odessa in 2001.

The goal of the FRI was to support entrepreneurs, assist them in launching successful cooperation with local authorities, lobbying their interests at the central level as well as in involving the public into decision making at local level.

Experts of the project “Regulatory Reform in Ukraine” developed in 2000 so-called “complex decisions” for local authorities and self-government bodies. Such decisions contained comprehensive proposals about restricting the influence of governmental bodies on the business in various sectors of the economy. One ‘decision’ was about regulation of land relations at the local level, another – about leasing municipal property.

Though high effectiveness of such ‘decisions’ was not recognized at the very beginning of the project by the public and entrepreneurs, the FRI succeeded in launching dialogue between local authorities and entrepreneurs’ associations. It allowed for the project covering the whole territory of Ukraine.

‘Complex decisions’ were presented in all city councils and state administrations of oblast centers of Ukraine. It was decided to lobby them in some regions and conduct explanatory work.

The FRI with experts of the project “Regulatory Reform in Ukraine” succeeded in adopting ‘complex decisions’ in Kharkiv, Donetsk and Lviv, despite unfavorable political situation and unwillingness of public officials to lose administrative leverage over private business

Participation in the development of the Land Code of Ukraine (2000-2001)

The Foundation for Regional Initiatives conducted a series of public hearings in Mykolaivska, Chernivetska and Chernihivska oblasts aimed at supporting civic initiatives in the sphere of the land reform and involving the public, independent experts.

More than 70% of proposals received at public hearings were included into the new edition of the Land Code of Ukraine. It happened thanks to the close cooperation of the FRI experts with the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Agricultural Policy and Land Relations.

Experts of the Foundation for Regional Initiatives proposed oblast and raion state administrations to set up special advisory councils with private farmers and activists from non-governmental organizations. These councils would become the platform for discussing and adopting transparent decisions in the sphere of land use at the local level. They would also inform key target audiences about main clauses of the draft Land Code of Ukraine.

Preparation of public ombudsmen on human rights (2001-2004)

The project was implemented in close cooperation with the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Human Rights and the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations.

The project was supported by the grants of the National Endowment for Democracy, the Delegation of European Union to Ukraine and the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights.

The goal of the project has been to introduce European system of human rights protection through the institution of the public ombudsmen.

The key function of the public ombudsman was about coordination of efforts of regional human rights protection organizations aimed at the effective representation of their interests in governmental bodies and improving the services provided to citizens.

At the very beginning the project covered five Ukrainian regions: Zhytomyrska, Luhanska, Chernivetska, Chernihivska oblasts and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Active work of project initiators and achievement of project objectives contributed towards project expanding to 12 oblasts. Information and coordination center of the public ombudsmen was set up in each oblast.

The group of FRI experts visited 9 Ukrainian regions and produced documentary “Protect yourself”. It was broadcast by local TV channels.

Conducting “Transparent Elections” (2002)

In 2002 the Foundation for Regional Initiatives initiated all-Ukrainian program “Transparent elections-2002” which involved 386 non-governmental organizations from all Ukrainian regions.

Program participants created the system which allowed for court or extra court protesting any violations of the constitutional right of the voter, the party, electoral block or candidate during elections, not after them, when nothing can be changed.

Program centers were set up in each oblast, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, cities of Kyiv and Sebastopol. They were created on the basis of local non-governmental organization sharing principles of transparency, the rule of law, unbiased attitude towards all parties, electoral blocks and candidates, regardless of their political affiliation. Such NGO should also have had technical capacity to realize program objectives.

Besides that, Information and coordination center was set up in Kyiv. Thus, this center together with regional centers formed united network which was active during 90 days of electoral campaign.

Public Oversight over parliamentary elections (2002)

Experts of the Foundation successfully implemented the project “Public Monitoring of Violations of Rights of Electoral Process Subjects during Elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and Local Self-Government Bodies in 2002”. The project was implemented in close cooperation with the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the Secretariat of the All-Ukrainian Public Monitoring Committee.

Public offices were created in all Ukrainian regions. Public ombudsmen and qualified lawyers worked in these offices.

The project was called upon to fight violations of rights of electoral process subjects by monitoring violations, giving legal assistance to voters, political parties, electoral blocks and candidates whose rights were violated.

More than 2 500 Ukrainian citizens addressed offices of public ombudsmen. Over 10 000 Ukrainian voters and subjects of electoral process received public education materials about preventing violations of electoral legislation.

Learning foreign electoral experience. Observation over elections in the USA (2002-2003)

The project implemented by the FRI with Ukrainian Congress Committee of America included organization of observation over elections to the Congress and the Senate (one third of Senate members) in Ohio, New Jersey, New York and Washington.

Besides observation over secret voting, project participants evaluated the electoral race, actions of US political parties and their representatives, candidates. They also communicated with public officials and local civic associations.

Project participants revealed a number of violations of the US federal electoral legislation. It demonstrated some legislative shortcomings in the electoral system of the most sustainable democracy in the world.

Besides that, Ukrainian observers identified several legal “uncertainties” in the legislation of some states. The use of them at the local elections might seriously undermine the trust of American citizens into their democracy as the most advanced in the world.

Representatives of Ukrainian non-governmental organizations had the chance to learn instruments of protecting electoral rights used during elections in the USA.

Improvement of the migration management in Ukraine (2003-2007)

The project started on December 12-13, 2003 with the round table “Interethnic Tolerance – the Basis for Fulfillment of Rights of National Minorities”. It was held in Kyiv under the support of the Council of Europe, and jointly with the Kyiv National University named after Taras Shevchenko and the Institute for Ethnic, Regional and Diaspora studies. The round table was aimed at discussing the draft report of experts of the Council of Europe about identification and liquidation of discrimination and inequality in Ukraine. The report was prepared within the framework of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe.

The FRI project “Improvement of the Migration Management in Ukraine” included the work of consultation centers which provided legal assistance to migrants on such issues as legal employment, prevention of human trafficking, protection of human rights and freedoms, in accordance with Ukrainian legislation. The project was implemented under the support of the European Commission and the International Organization for Migration in 2005-2007.

More than 2 000 citizens of Ukraine and other countries addressed consultation centers in 2005. They received all necessary information, legal consultations or advices about legal migration. They were also provided with information materials about protection migrants’ rights in the European Union.

Training NGO observers at parliamentary elections in 2006

The Foundation for Regional Initiatives conducted the training of more than 270 observers from 54 non-governmental organizations to observe elections at voting districts in 12 Ukrainian regions. Representatives of non-governmental organizations received consultations about their role in electoral process as observers and mechanisms to uncover and prevent violations.

To be continued…

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