Applying HRBA and Gender Mainstreaming in UNDP-led Municipal Governance and Community Empowerment Programme, Ukraine Olena URSU, Monitoring and Communication Expert

Programme’s Genesis Purpose - to strengthen municipal governance and improve the living quality of citizens in urban Ukraine through promoting participation of the local communities (of citizens, educational institutions, NGOs, small businesses) in decision-making process on local development preparatory assistance phase demonstration phase consolidation phase Local self-government is a right and real ability of the territorial communities to solve local problems independently or at responsibility of the elected local self-government bodies and officials (Law of Ukraine “On Local Self-Government”, Article 2)

NO Associations NGO Network Associations NGOs Aca- demia Business School Network Business Network Municipal Sustainable Development Councils Network of Municipalities Local Authorities Action at Micro, Meso and Central Level Central Level City Level Micro Level Service Providing Agencies Ministries/Departments Other national agencies Municipalities Regional Administrations C I T I Z E N S Local Authorities Service Providing Agencies

Programme Activities Partner city councils Local communities (of citizens, academia, NGOs, businesses) Municipal Governance and Community Empowerment Programme Creation of participatory citizen-based organisations and bodies Capacity building on participatory development and sustainable development (training, ISO, strategic planning, ICT, other) Participatory planning and implementation of sustainable development projects and initiatives (commitment and cost-sharing) Raising public awareness on crucial human development agenda Creating enabling policy / legal environment National-level partners (associations, governmental bodies)

Specific Features of a Project 1.Strategic partnerships with local councils and national level agencies are established. 2.Capacity building and investing in organsiations. 3.Communities are active and direct participants of decision- making process regarding their own development. 4.The development process is locally owned: -Cost-sharing. -Local internalisation policies on self-help approach. 5.Sustainability (of the results, idea/technology, policy). 6.Synergy at each level. Building on what exists.

Using HRBA Tools Assessment and Analysis Capacity Assessment and Building Monitoring and Evaluation Local situation analysis (overall city situation) Vulnerability analysis (at community level) Training needs assessment Training package for municipal officials on community mobilisation for local sustainable development action Training package for community-based organisations on participation mechanisms Strengthening ICT capacities Creation of Municipal Sustainable Development Councils as forums of participatory planning and monitoring of local development initiatives and projects Quality Revision Committees Public audit of community projects Participatory assessment of CBOs

Using Gender Mainstreaming Tools Community organisations Institutional capacities Community projects’ realisation Public awareness Policy / legislation Membership, encouraging female leadership, success stories Introduction of gender component into training package, gender balance of municipal unit staff Gender-sensitive planning of community projects, reporting, evaluation Public awareness initiatives for wider outreach, preparation of specialised publication, involving experts Partnership with Parliament Project organisation Project document, manuals, annual workplans, budget, indicators

Project Results – HRBA and GM Impact Mindset of people at all level is changing: -Communities are ready to actively participate in governance -Municipalities are ready to involve communities into planning and implementation of development projects and initiatives -Government is ready to improve policy / legislation Level of municipalities’ and communities’ satisfaction and, consequently, national ownership increased significantly Institutional capacity of the partners is built and internalisation of the approach began for better service delivery and governance Strategic partners are committed for knowledge transfer all over Ukraine Preparation for national scaling up through 1) curriculum development and 2) human resource building activities