PROSTO Support to Services Accessibility in Ukraine
The project focuses on supporting municipalities (hromadas) in the establishment and modernization of Administrative Service Centers (ACSs) to improve citizens’ access to services on local level. The project is implemented between July 2021 and January 2024, and builds on SALARs experiences working with U-LEAD with Europe.
Decentralisation has been one of the top priorities in the extensive reform programme that the Government of Ukraine launched after the so-called Revolution of Dignity in 2014. Decentralisation and local government reform aims to develop Ukraine’s sub-national public administration structures and functions in line with the European Charter on Local Self–Government. The Swedish Government has supported these efforts since 2014 as part of its strategy for development cooperation.
The PROSTO project aims to improve the capacity of local authorities to deliver administrative services for the benefit of the residents in Ukraine. The project target group is all hromadas in the country, with a primary focus on those that do not have an ASCs and are legally obliged by the Law 943 to establish one.
In response to urgent needs identified on local level after the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, the project also focuses on Crisis and Recovery Support to Ukrainian municipalities.
The project’s main areas of activity are:
- Help Desk for hromadas– expert support providing consultations on how to establish or modernize ASCs, increase the quantity and quality of services provided.
- Training programs – training activities for municipalities, ASC management and staff for more effective provision of services.
- Policy and advocacy – support in advancing legislation and public policies to improve the availability and quality of administrative services in municipalities.
- Citizen engagement and information – strengthening the ability to inform about ASC services and to involve residents in the democratic processes in municipalities.
- Peer learning exchanges between municipalities. Since February 24, 2022, the project has focused on a relocation program for ASC staff in hromadas in occupied territories or close to military frontlines.
- Support to Starostas that play a significant role in providing services in most remote settlements.
- Crisis and recovery support to hromadas – material support to hromadas, which suffered most from the war, with focus on improving public (mainly administrative) service provision to residents.
Gender equality is a cross-cutting issue and the Project promotes and directly addresses gender equality in project activities and management
General overview of Project’s progress and activities, 2022
Monitoring of service provision and local needs after 24 February 2022
In order to understand the preconditions for ASCs to provide administrative services to the residents in Ukraine under war circumstances the projected has monitored the situation in two occasions, one in March-April and one in October-November 2022. The two reports included 140 + 75 hromadas and focus primarily on the ASCs’ conditions to provide services in general and to IDPs in particular. They also include monitoring of the humanitarian situation and access to basic services in hromadas.
Analysis of the situation for the Ukrainian ASCs in wartime March – April 2022
Analysis of the situation for the Ukrainian ASCs in wartime October – November 2022
Background
The PROSTO project is based on SALAR’s experience in implementing the EU commissioned programme U-LEAD with Europe: Ukraine Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development Programme 2016-2021.
More information
Contact
Alexander Mazurkin
alexander.mazurkin@skr.se
Sanna Rosén
sanna.rosen@skr.se