Final Report: Citizens in Action Project

The project focused on enhancing the quality of relevant civil society enabling legislation and policy, increasing the capacity of public officials and civil society organizations to ensure effective implementation, and strengthening the technical and organizational capacity of the Ukrainian Center for Independent Policy and Reforms (UCIPR) as a leader in civil society legislative efforts. Key achievements of the project include the establishment of two networks of non-governmental organizations, training of over 700 individuals during 26 project events, and publication of 16 magazines and training materials for citizens. A hotline for registration of civil society organizations and charitable initiatives was also launched, providing 245 consultations. The project also contributed to the improvement of legal frameworks for civil society organizations, with two laws adopted and one bill blocked that would have worsened the environment for civil society organizations. The project's advocacy campaign led to significant results, including the collection of 25,000 signatures in Chernihiv to submit to the city council a draft resolution on the local initiative. The campaign also resulted in the saving of UAH 76 million by charitable initiatives and NGOs due to the improvement of the tax regime for non-profits. Additionally, the project ensured that volunteers no longer need to obtain special status with the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, saving UAH 7 million. The project also focused on training citizens, with over 7 million individuals trained through project trainings and information materials. The project's mission was to create a favorable environment for civil society in Ukraine, with the ultimate goal of having local authorities in all cities meet the criteria of transparency, accountability, and openness to citizens. The project's objectives were aligned with European standards, aiming to improve the legislative and political environment in line with these standards. The project's implementation period was from July 11, 2014, to July 10, 2019, and was funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The project's success was marked by the establishment of effective networks of non-governmental organizations in each region of the country, dealing with legislation for NGOs, financial stability of civil society organizations, local democracy, and rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and development of civil society. The project's monitoring activities focused on legal frameworks for civil society organizations, with two laws adopted and one bill blocked. Two Decrees of the Cabinet of Ministers were also adopted, and 10 regulations of the local authorities were passed. The project's plans for the next five years aim to have local authorities in all cities of Ukraine meet the criteria of transparency, accountability, and openness to citizens.