UKRAINE CONFIDENCE BUILDING INITIATIVE II

SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT

APRIL 2020 – SEPTEMBER 2020

SWIFT IV IQC AID-OAA-I-14-00006

TASK ORDER AID-OAA-TO-17-00009

October 2020

This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Chemonics International Inc. The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

CONTENTS

ACRONYMS II

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 1

UCBI II PROGRAM AREAS 1

UKRAINE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL COUNTRY CONTEXT 3 NATIONAL 3 REGIONAL 6

ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS 11

OBJECTIVE 1: BUILD ACCEPTANCE OF A DIVERSE UKRAINE 11

OBJECTIVE 2. INCREASE CONFIDENCE IN POSITIVE, DEMOCRATIC CHANGE 14

OBJECTIVE 3. INCREASE MEDIA NARRATIVES ABOUT UNITY AND POSITIVE CHANGES 24

PROGRAM EVALUATION 31

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ACRONYMS

ASC Administrative Service Center

ATC Amalgamated Territorial Community

BUR Building Ukraine Together

CATI Computer-assisted telephone interviewing

COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease 2019

DDGS Direct Distribution of Goods and Services

EU European Union

EECP Entry-Exit Checkpoint

FAA Fixed Amount Award

FGD Focus Group Discussion

IDP Internally Displaced Person

GCA Government Controlled Area

KPI Key Performance Indicators

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation

MP Member of Parliament

NABU National Anti-Corruption Bureau

NBU National Bank of Ukraine

NGCA Non-Government Controlled Area

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

OSCE Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

OTI Office of Transition Initiatives

SBU Security Service of Ukraine

SCORE Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index

SO Sub-Objective

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STTA Short-Term Technical Assistance

UA Ukraine

UAH Ukrainian Hryvnia

UCBI II Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative II

USAID United States Agency for International Development

USD United States Dollar

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of Transition Initiative (OTI)’s program in Ukraine, the Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative II (UCBI II), helps to ensure political stability and national unity in Ukraine by expanding acceptance of a pluralistic Ukrainian civic identity based on common values. While the program handed off its regional efforts in Donetsk and Luhansk to long-term United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programs in early 2019, OTI continues to implement confidence building initiatives at a regional and national level. In the Azov Sea region, OTI implements activities that mitigate the effects of Russian aggression by demonstrating the dividends of reform, inspiring confidence in economic transformation, and supporting media that counters disinformation. At a national level, OTI supports diverse and innovative media and communications activities, that promote national unity, raise awareness of reforms, and foster inclusive civic values.

In the past six months, UCBI II provided citizens with opportunities to play a more productive role in their communities by supporting civil society efforts to hold the government accountable and by using media as a platform to better disseminate balanced information and amplify public awareness as well as the impacts of reforms. This approach has required significant and ongoing dialogue with host authorities and communities, both in Kyiv and in the regions.

UCBI II adapted its programming early in March 2020 to quickly respond to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine by expanding on its current stabilization programming. This approach increases citizens’ confidence and media narratives around unity and positive democratic changes. Additionally, UCBI II supported local authorities in their efforts to mitigate the effects of flooding in Zakarpattia and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.

UCBI II assistance comes in the form of small, in-kind grants (goods, services, and technical support procured directly by UCBI II and provided to grantees) and fixed amount cash awards to a range of partners, including national and local civilian government entities, civil society organizations, and community leaders. UCBI II provides targeted assistance in order to:

1. build acceptance of a diverse Ukraine; 2. increase confidence in positive, democratic change; and 3. increase media narratives about unity and positive change.

UCBI II PROGRAM AREAS UCBI II’s overarching goal, to expand acceptance of a pluralistic Ukrainian civic identity based on common values, remains a valid guiding framework for the program, yet changes have been made to quickly respond to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen government and civil society’s efforts to address the crisis.

To achieve the program goal, the team has identified three objectives. UCBI II’s programming is guided by contextual analysis of local dynamics and geographic regions; activities addressing each objective vary based on the assessed needs and identified opportunities.

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The UCBI II’s strategic framework prioritizes the following program areas:

In response to this framework, UCBI II supported activities in Ivano-Frankivsk, Zakarpattia, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts during this reporting period as well as at the national level through support to multi-location or government level interventions and media activities.

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UKRAINE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL COUNTRY CONTEXT

Since taking office in spring 2019, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made ending the Russian- Ukrainian War his top priority. However, almost eighteen months into his presidency, he has little to show for his efforts. A ceasefire introduced in late July has succeeded in reducing the death toll in eastern Ukraine, but the Russian occupation continues and genuine breakthroughs towards a lasting settlement remain as elusive as ever.

President Zelensky’s commitment to peace was central to his success in Ukraine’s 2019 presidential and parliamentary elections. Despite this focus, his administration has yet to demonstrate a clear strategy for ending the six-year conflict. Instead, Zelensky has adopted a scattergun approach that has included numerous front-line concessions to the Kremlin and a conscious effort to downplay bilateral tensions.

Since the March 2020 dismissal of a largely Western-leaning reformist government, numerous figures from the discredited regime of Viktor Yanukovych and Ukraine’s previously marginalized pro-Kremlin camp have been appointed to senior posts. This trend continued in September 2020, with news that a lawyer with close ties to Russia’s main Ukrainian ally, Viktor Medvedchuk, had been appointed as the country’s new Deputy Prosecutor General.

Zelensky’s credentials as an anti-corruption politician have been further undermined by a series of developments in the escalating campaign against Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU). Controversial Constitutional Court rulings in late August and early September have left NABU in legal limbo and raised doubts over many other aspects of the anti-corruption reform agenda adopted since Ukraine’s 2014 Revolution of Dignity. Critics have slammed the rulings as politically motivated. This has sparked alarm within Ukrainian civil society and the country’s international partners.

Russian aggression in the east and south of the country are creating vulnerabilities that USAID is trying to address through UCBI II and other programs. USAID has made the Sea of Azov region a strategic priority and is building the appropriate mechanisms to advance national unity and effectively address the challenges of Ukraine’s media and communications environment.

NATIONAL Several key issues impacted the country context during the reporting period. NBU Central Bank Chief Submits Resignation The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Governor, Yakiv Smolii, submitted his resignation on July 01, 2020, in what was widely seen as a major blow to Ukraine’s reform agenda. In his resignation letter, Smolii cited “systematic political pressure” as the reason behind his departure. The nature of Smolii’s exit raises serious questions over the continued independence of the NBU, which has been credited as a key factor behind Ukraine’s macroeconomic stabilization in recent years.

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He was replaced by Kyrylo Shevchenko, a state banker with ties to the Zelensky team. In the aftermath of Smolii’s departure, three of six NBU board members resigned, not least, because they could not afford to stay in their positions without pay. In early October 2020, the Council of the NBU issued a reprimand and expression of no confidence in First Deputy Governor, Kateryna Rozhkova, and Deputy Governor, Dmytro Sologub, who happen to be the last two remaining members of the reformist NBU board established by former Governor Valeria Hontareva. Officially, this reprimand was for violating ethics and internal procedures by giving a joint interview to the Kyiv Post. However, most observers believe the real reason was their continued defense of reformist NBU policies.

Russia Is Quietly Occupying Ukraine’s Information Space In June 2020, journalists from the respected investigative Ukrainian TV show “Schemes” (a joint project by Radio Liberty and UA:First TV channel) reported that Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in Ukraine, the pro- Kremlin politician Viktor Medvedchuk, has a 24.66 percent stake in Ukraine’s most popular TV channel, 1+1. This claim, based on company records and Medvedchuk’s own asset statements, suggests that Medvedchuk is even more influential in the Ukrainian media industry than previously thought. Over the past few years, he has reportedly built up a formidable Ukrainian media empire via purchases fronted by partners and proxies. Acquisitions have included the TV news channels: NewsOne, 112, and ZIK.

Influencing the media environment in the rest of Ukraine has proven somewhat trickier for Russia. Since 2014, Ukrainian authorities have banned the broadcast of Russian TV channels and placed restrictions on Russian-produced TV content. Meanwhile, owners of Ukraine’s major media holdings have largely fallen in line with public patriotism and backed the country’s efforts to defend itself against Russian aggression. This has left the Kremlin with little choice but to acquire Ukrainian media assets of its own. TV channels associated with Medvedchuk have played a prominent role in recent campaigns to discredit Ukraine’s reform agenda and promote a spate of anti-American narratives.

IDPs Will Vote in The Next Local Elections in Ukraine Resolution № 88 on the procedure for considering a voter's appeal on the change of the electoral address, was introduced by the Central Election Commission on May 18, 2020. The resolution was adopted in relation to the new Electoral Code of Ukraine and amendments to the Law on the State Register of Voters.

The procedure ensures internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as other mobile populations, are able to vote in local elections – recognizing these minority groups as contributing members of their community with a voice in local decision making. The procedure promotes fulfillment of the rights of IDPs and non- discrimination according to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. This critical legislative and regulatory amendments

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came after consistent joint advocacy and efforts by state actors, international partners, and national human rights organizations.

Full Truce Takes Effect in Ukraine The cease-fire, which entered into force on July 27, 2020, was agreed by negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). No casualties were reported, despite attacks with small arms, grenade launchers, and heavy machine guns. Ukraine's military insisted that it was continuing to observe the cease-fire. Separatists in Donetsk rejected Kyiv's accusation, saying they were strictly following their commitments in the truce. There have been more than 20 cease-fire attempts since the conflict in Ukraine's eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk erupted in 2014.

In Kyiv, several hundred people gathered on the evening of July 27th for a protest rally against the new cease-fire. "We will not disarm our army and turn our soldiers into helpless targets. Our army protects us every day. Therefore, our duty is to support our army," the organizers said.

Representatives of Occupied Donbas to Participate in Minsk Trilateral Group Meetings In June 2020, two journalists, Denys Kazansky and Serhiy Harmash; a doctor, Kostiantyn Libster; and a lawyer, Vadym Horan, served as representatives of Occupied Donbas at the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk, as the President’s Office reported. “For the first time in five years, the representatives of areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, temporarily occupied by Russia, are involved in the dialogue at the Trilateral Contact Group as members of the Ukrainian delegation,” the message said.

COVID-19 The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Ukraine is part of the worldwide pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have spread to Ukraine in March 2020, when a man who had travelled from Italy to Romania by plane crossed into Ukraine by car. After developing symptoms, the man was hospitalized in Chernivtsi Oblast and confirmed positive on March 03, 2020.

After a period of rapid spread, the Ukrainian government declared a state of emergency on March 20, 2020 and imposed quarantine restrictions to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission across the country, including in the conflict-zone of eastern Ukraine. In May, these restrictions began to ease based on the fulfillment of criteria adopted on both sides of the ‘contact line'.

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Beginning with the second stage of restriction easing, the Ukrainian government introduced an “adaptive quarantine” process, whereby regions are classified by color zones – green, yellow, orange, and red based on a combination of metrics including hospital load, the average number of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests, and projected rates of infection and viral spread. While adaptive quarantine allows for protocols and restrictions to be tailored to a given location based on its epidemiological reality rather than adopting a ‘one size fits all’ mentality, Ukrainian numbers have been on the rise since June 2020.

Considering the aggravating epidemiological situation, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine prolonged the adaptive quarantine until November 01, 2020 and closed the Ukrainian border to foreign nationals from August 29, 2020 to September 28, 2020. The temporary ban on the entry of foreign nationals to Ukraine has expired. As of October 02, 2020, there are 217,661 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The onset of the COVID-19 epidemic coincided with a government reshuffle in early March and the launch of its second phase of healthcare reforms (which began on April 01, 2020). Amid concerns that the reform in its current form could lead to the dismissal of 50,000 doctors and the closure of 332 hospitals in Ukraine, the President called for changes in its design to address these issues. On July 01, 2020, the law was amended to ensure that hospitals receive no less funding than last year, as well as to protect medical workers from dismissal.

The country faces shortages of medical supplies for acute care, such as masks, protective suits and ventilators. As of October 11, 2020, 17,700 healthcare workers in Ukraine had contracted COVID-19. At the start of the crisis, Ukraine had more than 3,500 devices for artificial ventilation. This amounted to roughly 83 ventilators per million inhabitants, compared with 302 per million in Germany. The total number of intensive care bed (ICU) units in the country was 1,716.

The rollout of COVID-19 testing continues to proceed slowly compared with most European countries, with only 0.78 daily tests per 1,000 people performed (compared with 2.35 per 1,000 in Lithuania and 2.75 per 1,000 in France). Testing capacity has begun to improve in the beginning of October and, as of October 16, 2020, Ukraine was performing 29,343 PCR tests per day, which is still one of the lowest in Europe.

UCBI II officially closed the office on March 16, 2020 and has not resumed in-office operations to date. The UCBI II team has effectively embraced the remote work configuration. Given the rise in cases, coupled with the impending elections, UCBI II continues to retain a cautious approach that prioritizes staff safety and empowers the team to feel that they have reasonable control and choice around returning to the office and undertaking travel. In August 2020, UCBI II, in concert with the Home Office Security Management Unit, developed a COVID-19 response plan to monitor indicators that will help UCBI II leadership to continually assess the environment for re-opening physical offices, and the protocols and

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strategies required in order to do so in a safe manner. As the COVID-19 pandemic situation is still unpredictable and the epidemiological reality in Ukraine continues to worsen, UCBI II’s plan will require ongoing updates in order to take into consideration new government, USAID, and Home Office recommendations, guidance and instructions.

Additionally, UCBI II develop COVID-19 guidance for all partners to ensure adherence with domestic and international best practices and in support of USAID and OTI’s efforts to be leaders in virus control and containments efforts.

REGIONAL

Zelensky Appointed a New Governor in Zakarpattya In April 2020, President Zelensky appointed Oleksiy Petrov, ex-chief of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) of Kirovohrad region, as the Head of the Zakarpattya Regional State Administration. The post had been vacant for six months since the rejection of Ihor Bondarenko. The new governor vowed to prioritize fighting corruption and the non-payment of customs at the Ukrainian-Hungarian checkpoint, Tysa. These actions would result in collecting an additional billion Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) to the budget. Also, Mr. Petrov made progress in waste management by initiating the creation of a waste sorting factory in the region, which is in much demand. Among other positive developments is the opening of the Uzhgorod Airport and lobbying financial support for the creation of the first Perinatal Center in Zakarpattya.

Ukraine and Slovakia Sign Agreement to Reopen Uzhgorod Airport Ukraine and the Slovak Republic have signed an intergovernmental agreement on the provision of aviation operational services by their Ukrainian supplier in a certain part of the Slovak airspace, relative to Uzhgorod airport. According to Minister of Infrastructure, Vladyslav Krykliy, the document was signed by him and Minister of Transport and Construction of Slovakia, Andrej Dolezal. “The full operation of Uzhgorod airport will be restored. Just now, together with my Slovak colleague, Minister of Transport and Construction of the Slovak Republic Andrej Dolezal, we signed an appropriate bilateral intergovernmental agreement. Finally, after so many months of inactivity, we will connect Zakarpattya by air service with other regions and abroad.”

According to the press service from the Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine, the signing of this agreement will also help strengthen mutual bilateral relations in the civil aviation sector between the countries and in terms of expanding the possibilities of international air transportation.

Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Hungary Met in Zakarpattya Despite the tense relations between Kyiv and Budapest in recent years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine deems it is possible to establish relations with Hungary in the future. Although, they admit that

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this process will be long. The reason for this prediction was a recent meeting of heads of diplomatic missions in Transcarpathia. On the afternoon of September 23, 2020, Ukrainian and Hungarian Foreign Ministers, Dmytro Kuleba and Peter Siarto, met in Uzhhorod, Zakarpattya. The Ukrainian head of the department invited his counterpart to Ukraine on September 14, to work out further steps to implement the agreements reached in the political, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. According to Mr. Kuleba, it was planned to discuss solving the problems of countries affected by the coronavirus pandemic. "Restrictions on the entry of foreigners in Ukraine and Hungary due to the spread of coronavirus impose certain restrictions on all citizens, regardless of status. Against this background, our meeting is a clear signal - both countries are ready to find mutually acceptable solutions without delay." - said the Foreign Minister of Ukraine.

Largest Flood in 50 Years Devastates Western Ukraine Widespread floods triggered by heavy rain affected the western oblasts of the country (particularly Ivano- Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Zakarpattya, and Lviv) on June 22 -24, 2020, resulting in fatalities and damage. In 15 districts of Ivano-Frankivsk region, 4,596 houses were flooded, 427 km of roads were damaged, and 90 bridges as well as 125 km of roads were destroyed. 11 health care facilities were flooded, including a hospital treating coronavirus patients. Three people died in Verkhovyna District (Ivano-Frankivsk) and 800 people were evacuated.

According to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, the 2020 flooding in the West exceeds the scale of the floods of the 1970s. On June 25, 2020, the Cabinet of Ministers signed off on 700 million UAH (approx. 26 million USD) to address the impact of flooding.

COVID-19 The Ivano-Frankivsk oblast is among the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine. In April- May 2020, it was the region with the highest mortality rate due to COVID-19. On May 12, 2020, the region had 62 fatal cases related to COVID-19, accounting for 20 percent of the deaths from COVID-19, while representing only 2.5 percent of Ukraine’s total population. Throughout the summer, the region remained as one of the most affected by the pandemic in Ukraine, but other regions, mainly in West Ukraine, exceeded the Ivano-Frankivsk region in terms of the number of total cases and fatalities.

According to the experts from the Ministry of Health and other agencies monitoring COVID-19, a combination of factors contributed to the higher than average infection rate in the Ivano-Frankivsk and other Western regions of Ukraine. Those were: the higher mobility of residents of Western regions of Ukraine with many people from Western Ukraine working abroad. As the lockdown expanded across the world, many Ukrainians returned from countries like Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, which were the epicenters of the pandemic.

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Another important factor is that people in Western Ukraine are more family and community-oriented placing a big emphasis on families and religion. Some of the biggest spikes in the COVID-19 cases in the western regions were associated with weddings and church ceremonies, both of which are very common in the summer period in Ukraine. In addition, the data gathered by UCBI II's research partners, InfoSapiens, 56% of the residents of Western Ukraine believe in some kind of conspiracy about the origin of the COVID- 19, the highest among the regions of Ukraine, which can contribute to the non-constructive attitudes towards COVID-19 and quarantine measures.

As of October 01, 2020, the Ivano-Frankivsk region had 13,700 cases of COVID-19, with 314 fatal cases, placing the region in the top five regions in Ukraine with the highest number of cases of COVID-19.

Deputy Minister of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Inspected Checkpoints in the Administrative Border with Occupied Crimea On September 08, 2020, the Deputy Minister of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, Ihor Yaremenko, paid a visit to the Kherson region. He inspected the Kalanchak, Chongar, and Chaplynka checkpoints. Mr. Yaremenko expressed that the checkpoint in Chaplynka should be closed. In its current state, the checkpoint can’t ensure stable operation, so it makes no sense to keep it. He suggested that the Chongar checkpoint must be the main one. The decision to close such a facility can be made only at the governmental level. Mr. Yaremenko provided his recommendation to the Cabinet of Ministers to make such a decision as soon as possible.

The Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine also plans to make a pilot project at the Chongar Entry-Exit Check Point (EECP), the model of which will later be a model for all EECP's on the administrative borders of Ukraine and the temporarily occupied territories (including EECP's in Donetsk and Luhansk regions). According to the project, in addition to the regime zone, the EECP will be equipped with a service area for citizens with a cafe or dining room, an Administrative Services Center (ASC), banking services terminal (on this account, negotiations are currently underway with state banks), recreation room, mother's room, a medical center and so on. Mr. Yaremenko also stated that the reconstructed checkpoints will be mobile - so that after the de-occupation of all temporarily occupied territories they can be moved directly to the border with the Russian Federation.

Irina Verigina, representative of the Commissioner for Human Rights, also noted positive movements in the development of Kalanchak and Chongar checkpoints while the situation at the Chaplinka checkpoint remains critical. She also drew attention to the need to create conditions in service areas in front of the checkpoint, so that persons crossing the administrative border have the opportunity to be tested for COVID-19, since in the context of a global pandemic, this could simplify and accelerate the identification of patients with COVID-19 and will ensure timely provision of qualified medical care.

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Ecological Department will be Created in Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration after Activists’ Rally On September 19, 2020, an ecological rally "I have the right to breathe", took place in Zaporizhzhia. The event brought together around six thousand people. "This is a rally of townspeople. Thousands of people support us. We are out of politics. Today we will present a team of experts and a resolution. This will be the first popular resolution that we will submit to the Regional State Administration on September 21st. We do not want the factories to close. We want to reduce the amount of emissions, "said the head of the rally, Dr. Irina Loseva. The rally participants supported and signed the resolution, and a working group was created.

As a result of the rally, on October 01, 2020, the Department of Environmental Protection will appear in the structure of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration. It will employ 29 people. The corresponding order was signed by the Head of the Regional State Administration, Vitaly Bogovin. The new department is obliged to inform the population about the state of the environment, promptly notify about the occurrence of environmental emergencies as well as the progress of measures to eliminate them.

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GRANTS SUMMARY From April 01, 2020 to September 30, 2020, UCBI II initiated a total of 71 activities, including sub-grants, short-term technical assistance (STTA), and direct distribution of goods and services (DDGS) for a committed total of $6,362,354.44.

Figure 1 Number of grants cleared: April 2020 - September 2020

Figure 2 Dollar amount of grants cleared per month, April 2020 – September 2020

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ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS

Between April 01, 2020 and September 30, 2020, UCBI II issued grants to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civic initiatives, state and local authorities, and other organizations on the international, national, and local levels. UCBI II initiated activities in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Ivano-Frankivsk and Zakarpattya as well as interventions with national reach.

Examples of UCBI II activities, captured under the three objectives they work towards, are provided below.

OBJECTIVE 1: BUILD ACCEPTANCE OF A DIVERSE UKRAINE The Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index (SCORE) funded by UCBI II provides excellent insights to inform programming and to better understand the regions’ specific drivers of Soviet nostalgia in eastern and southern Ukraine, intergroup hostility towards the eastern regions, and far-right radicalization and political violence in western Ukraine. The Index also indicates that support for a Ukrainian identity that is ethnically and linguistically diverse is eroding in western and central Ukraine. These perceptions are directly related to anxieties concerning the war and a growing social distance between western and eastern Ukraine. These trends have also been confirmed through UCBI II’s initial programming in western Ukraine. The program has observed that the relatively forward leaning civil society in the west has a small constituency and is unwilling or unable to stand up against undemocratic trends in their communities. Those undemocratic trends, embodied by the growing ability of extremist national groups to function with little accountability, are decreasing the political space for a discussion about reintegration and national unity. UCBI II believes that by including a more diverse range of stakeholders, it can expand this pluralistic community and engage a significant proportion of both the polarized and disengaged segments of the population.

During the reporting period, the program has continued to support and institutionalize cross-regional exchange and relationships around issues such as civic engagement, local government, and youth causes. To increase political space for conversations about national unity and reintegration of eastern Ukraine, UCBI II supported activities of strategically selected organizations in western Ukraine, to expand their audiences locally and enable a more inclusive conversation about Ukrainian identity. UCBI II focused on regional networking of organizations in western Ukraine.

Civil Society Builds Connections and Promotes National Unity in Ivano-Frankivsk According to SCORE research, the Ivano-Frankivsk region and other regions in the West, are characterized by low acceptance of a pluralistic Ukrainian identity and higher than average intergroup tensions towards eastern Ukraine. Factors that positively influence social tolerance and decrease negative tendencies towards others include opportunities for multicultural experiences and expansion of inclusive civic engagement. This is especially important outside urban centers, where nearly half of Ivano-Frankivsk oblast's population lives and has limited access to civic engagement opportunities.

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UCBI II engaged a local NGO to conduct 14 (out of 24 originally anticipated) educational debate workshops in six target communities of the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Workshops were held in towns with less than 30,000 residents, meaning smaller semi-rural communities participated. "Debating" has demonstrated to be a successful tool for engaging pro-active youth aged 14-20. The grantee also theorizes that debating, as a tool of engagement, is accelerating constructive discussion on some of the sensitive social and cultural topics, even if those topics are not directly touched upon in the debate process. Participants are taught to articulate their problem statements and positions, listen to each other, and think widely about certain topics which is contributing to UCBI II’s strategy in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. As a result of the debate workshop in Dolyna, participants decided to establish a debate club which received support from the local Department of Youth as well as the Dolyna City Council. Dolyna-based local newspaper “Dobra Sprava” wrote: “…A tandem in teams, which involves discussion and certainty of ideas, arguments and evidence creates a real tense competition. But, in addition, it sets the tone for a clear and rational use of time, to express opinions succinctly, to specify the consequences, factors of influence, promising solutions to problems…”. Initially, the grantee was going to conduct a study tour to the East of Ukraine to engage debaters from West and East, however, due to COVID-19, the communication between debaters from different regions of Ukraine will be held online.

BUR Volunteer Movement Unites Ukraine The Building Ukraine Together (BUR) movement, managed by Lviv Education Foundation (LEF), UCBI II’s long-term partner, is increasing their engagement not only in national level youth advocacy, but also involving youth in the regions. This significant outcome shows how UCBI II’s objective to empower civil society to champion tolerance and pluralism, rooted by BUR, is gaining traction in the regions as well.

As reported by the grantee, despite budget cuts in 2020 due to COVID-19, they managed to BUR volunteers helping Zinchenko family in Prymorsk receive funding for two camps from the Ministry of Youth and Sports. They also gained support at the local level in Zakarpattya, where Mukachevo City Administration partially funded the organization of a camp. This proves that the UCBI II-supported BUR model, is attaining recognition with Ukrainian authorities. With UCBI II support, BUR continues to strengthen its reputation as an independent influential nationwide civil society organization, with robust regional branches providing Ukrainian youth an alternative from joining radical movements.

BUR’s volunteer movement constantly gains more influence in society by providing trainings to new volunteers on project management. Thirty teams from all over Ukraine have already applied for BUR.LAB

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2020, despite the pandemic and uncertainty regarding public events and transportation. Most projects submitted include the creation of youth centers or included some entrepreneurial business components. The creation of youth centers in different parts of Ukraine helps to engage young local citizens in positive forms of cooperation.

When the nationwide quarantine was announced, BUR’s team launched a flash mob initiative – “Stay at Home” for partners and followers. They designed special stickers, printed and online versions, with the slogan “Building Ukraine at Home”. From March 30 - April 04, 2020, the BUR team organized an online BUR camp for all BUR branches and partners. More than 120 people participated. On April 02, 2020, former Minister of Health, Uliana Suprun, hosted an online session with 70 participants. Among activities organized during the lockdown included: BUR-Camp Online 1.0, BUR-Camp Online 2.0 – a series of online events for youth. BUR also organized conversations about important topics online - “BUR Talks” (“BUR Balachka”). In Lviv, the BUR team joined the Lviv Social Service initiative and delivered food kits to the most vulnerable groups. In Kyiv, a BUR volunteer was involved in making and delivering free coffee to hospitals to support medical frontliners. Local BUR initiatives to support people in need and medical staff took place in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv and Zakarpattia.

Breaking Stereotypes and Sharing Common Values When COVID-19 quarantine measures were adopted in Ukraine, UCBI II grantee, NGO "Misto-Sad” (City- Garden), was finalizing their suite of art and media activities about common stereotypes. This intervention was aimed to find a common understanding of actual values as well as help to overcome negative stereotypes that are shattering the modern Ukrainian society. At the final stage of the activity, a short motivational video was produced about the Ukrainian common identity and elements that unite citizens. It was envisioned that this video would be screened for a month in intercity trains. However, during the quarantine lockdown, all train connections were suspended in Ukraine. As a result, UCBI II revised the scope of the activity to remove the video broadcast. When train travel renewed, Misto-Sad negotiated an agreement with Ukrainian Railways for a no-cost screening of the abovementioned video. The video screening was launched in all intercity trains on July 17, 2020 and will last till December 31, 2020. Intercity travelers will now have an opportunity to view the video and form their own vision about positive and diverse cooperation among different regions.

Increase Resilience to Political Radicalism Among Vulnerable Groups Based on SCORE results, UCBI II continued to monitor political extremism in Ukraine and, in particular, assess the effect that such groups have on demographics who are vulnerable to narratives and actions (veterans and young people in parts of western/central Ukraine and large cities in eastern Ukraine) that could destabilize the peace process.

UCBI II engaged an organization to map radical groups in Ukraine and monitor top radical actions, groups, and their leaders’ activism. The organization provides a weekly monitoring report of activities of

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approximately 20 radical and extremist groups and behavior of other extremist or non-extremist groups. The reports detail extremist groups’ actions, plans, what leaders and opinion makers of the radical groups are reporting, posting, and discussing in social and traditional media; the response to these actions and statements by media, civil society, authorities; public perception and sentiment of extremist groups; recruitment and "push and pull factors"; and connections with veterans, military, police. The monitoring enables UCBI II, Ukrainian policy makers, and other relevant stakeholders to better design programs that mitigate consequences of radicalization in Ukraine.

After six years of conflict, Ukraine struggles to care for and reintegrate the 385,000 Donbas veterans and volunteer combatants, who often struggle to adapt without proper support. A lack of legal and psychosocial support for veterans creates a critical void in Ukraine’s national security and hobbles its transition to democracy. In particular, the appearance of such movements as “National Militia”, “C14”, “National Corps” and others, which directly or indirectly engage veterans in their activities and rallies and declare values that contradict the European choice of Ukraine, indicate that veterans are vulnerable after returning to peaceful life. This issue becomes especially important considering the reinvigoration of the Minsk peace process and the "anti-capitulation" response by radical nationalist groups, as it may become the factor that destabilizes the situation and threatens democratic values.

UCBI II supported a civil society organization, Studena, to launch a web-portal, BezBroni.net (meaning “without armor”). This easily accessible database provides useful information for veterans including recommended psycho- social, legal, educational, and human resources- assistance services (with more than 1,000 geo- mapped organizations). Upon requests for legal support received through the web-portal and Facebook, legal experts have been providing counseling to veterans. The web-portal also has a news section and an opportunities section with useful information about work, trainings, study programs, and other opportunities, and BezBroni – the main source of useful information for veterans service roadmaps. A mobile version of the web platform was created and since then bezbroni.net has become even more user-friendly platform.

The Ministry for Veterans Affairs has marked BezBroni as a trusted web-portal with useful information. Retention rate on the web-platform has increased from 12% in August 2019 to 20.2% in August 2020, which means that more veterans have gained access to BezBroni informational materials, consequently directing a large number of veterans towards moderate constructive behavior patterns.

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OBJECTIVE 2. INCREASE CONFIDENCE IN POSITIVE, DEMOCRATIC CHANGE

During the reporting period, a significant portion of UCBI II’s programming focused on eastern and southern Ukraine, including a limited continuation of programming efforts in Kharkiv and an expansion of programming in the Azov sea regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

UCBI II’s approach in the region uses civic engagement and culture to strengthen and empower pro- reform communities and help mitigate the region’s isolation, anxiety, and vulnerability to Russian misinformation. UCBI II's approach includes building civil society linkages through community development activities and festivals, supporting youth entrepreneurship, improving local government service delivery, and strengthening the ability, capacity and willingness of local media to provide information about local political, economic and cultural issues, and reforms.

To reduce feelings of isolation, particularly in the Azov sea region, and to raise the profile of reform communities in eastern Ukraine, UCBI II continues to invest in opportunities for citizens to come together, improve their communities, and engage in modern Ukrainian culture.

Building Networks of Engaged and Innovative Citizens Disruption of positive trends in civic engagement is an output of Russia’s aggression in the Azov Sea region. UCBI II’s approach in the region aims to mitigate this disturbance and leverage the program’s success in eastern Ukraine by using civic engagement and culture activities to strengthen and empower pro-reform communities. Based on UCBI II experience, general mistrust of the local authorities contributes to low levels of civic engagement and undermines a sense of agency among the local populations in the Sea of Azov region.

One activity supported by UCBI II was a two week-long, socially distant, Book Toloka Literature Festival in Zaporizhzhia, coupled with a series of pop-up events in Melitopol and Skadovsk, as well as the creation of an online book marketplace. Literary festivals provide opportunities for discourse about modern Ukrainian culture. On August 19, 2020, as part of a trip to the Zaporizhzhia region, President Volodymyr Zelensky; Minister of Culture, Oleksandr Tkachenko; Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhaylo Fedorov; the Head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional President Zelensky choosing a book at Toloka Festival Administration, Vitaliy Bogovin; and the mayor of Zaporizhzhia, Volodymyr Buryak, visited the main location of the Book Festival Toloka. Officials examined books published by popular Ukrainian publishing houses, such as “Fabula,” “Publishing House

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of Stary Lev” and informational stands by local cultural institutions, including the Zaporizhia Regional Universal Scientific Library and Zaporizhia Regional Museum of Local History.

During his visit, President Zelensky remarked that on the previous day, he signed a decree on the development and implementation of measures to support culture and cultural heritage, as well as, the development of creative industries and tourism within the framework of "Capital Construction.” Minister of Culture Tkachenko, announced that budget funds would be allocated to the reconstruction of the Museum of Cossack History and for the development of the Khortytsa National Park in Zaporizhzhia. The trip culminated at a visit to a historical exhibition “Incredible Zaporizhzhia”, featuring photos collected from state archives as well as sent in by residents about the city’s development in the 20th Century.

UCBI II also supported an activity called, “What is Your History?”, that aimed to increase appreciation of, and engender pride among, Zaporizhzhia residents. The activity aimed to engaged residents in the creation of an exhibit about the history of Zaporizhzhia based on research and their family histories. For three months, more than 300 residents joined the project, shared their photos and family histories, and became active volunteers of the grantee’s organization. The Head of the City Department of Historical exhibition in Zaporizhzhia Culture, Sergiy Bilov, reflected on the positive impact of the project within the local community and recognized there is a demand for historical projects like this. Taking this into account, the Department of Culture allocated 169,000 UAH for the development and technical assistance of a new website called, “Zaporizhzhia Historical Library”. The website will operate as database, where everyone will be able to upload a photo or any other materials about their family, neighborhood or rayon in Zaporizhzhia. A specialist will communicate with site visitors and provide them with technical support. Based on materials collected, the Department of Culture, in cooperation with leading historians of the region, will conduct thematic excursions, lections, and roundtables. Website development has commenced, and it is anticipated the launch will take place in late Fall 2020.

In Kherson, NGO New Generation provides demand-driven consultations for the preservation of historical and architectural heritage sites in Kherson to local initiative groups and other NGOs. These consultations are typically the first step towards the preservation of the cultural monuments of Kherson. UCBI II supported NGO New Generation, in establishing a platform that coordinates efforts of Kherson NGOs, facilitates dialogue on the development of Kherson, and advocates for more effective involvement of civil society in local decision-making processes.

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On September 19, NGO New Generation organized local activists to conduct a street action – "Preserve the cultural heritage of Kherson!". The activists collected 3,838 signatures of Kherson residents under appealing to the mayor to develop a program and mechanisms for preservation of cultural heritage of the city. 20 representatives of various organizations, who are members of the NGO’s network, participated in the action. Natalia Kovalchyk, a local resident, stated: ''The destruction of architectural monuments is an urgent problem, not only for Kherson but also for other cities of Ukraine. I am very glad that this year, after the incident with the destruction of the house on Staroobryadnytska Street, so many people have become more active. It's cool that it does not just protest and outrage, but a systemic policy and a clear plan of action. Therefore, I signed the appeal to the mayor to initiate public hearings on the preservation of the cultural heritage of the city. I believe that a clear strategy and partnership can help us make a difference!''

Bringing Change at the Community Level by Supporting Small-scale Initiatives in Zakarpattia UCBI II partnered with Smart Point Hub, a non-governmental organization that operates an educational hub in Uzhgorod, providing local youth with civic engagement opportunities. This activity fostered the engagement of youth and adults in civil society initiatives and empowered them to bring positive changes to their communities. From August – September 2020, the grantee supported five local initiatives in Zakarpattia, after releasing an open call competition and selecting the best proposals for small local initiatives.

Two local initiatives are from Pryborzhavska and Dovzhanska Amalgamated Communities (OTG). The participants presented two initiatives: rehabilitation of the bus stop in Dovhe village; and the creation of a mini park zone for comfortable rest. This local initiative demonstrated that citizens united by a common goal can rally together quickly and efficiently.

Another finalist project was the first solar bench in Uzhgorod that appeared in the central part of the city. The solar panel placed on the bench accumulates energy to charge mobile devices. The idea was implemented by the NGO "Green Town". The idea is not just to install a bench with solar panels, but to demonstrate the benefits of alternative clean energy sources.

Similarly, UCBI II partnered with NGO Youth Space, an Uzhhorod-based organization which conducts region-wide activities and is one of the major civil society organizations in Zakarpattia with a national presence. NGO Youth Space has built a nascent network of youth leaders in the region, including in the target communities of Vynohradiv, Tyachiv, Irshava and Perechyn. UCBI II supported the capacity building of local youth representatives through a series of educational trainings and mini-project

One such mini project identified by NGO Youth Space was is an eco-project by "Khyzha Hub". Activists from "Khyzha Hub" decided to exhibit what it is like to live eco-consciously. They recorded a series of simple videos, where they explained step by step - how to sort waste and recyclable items, buy

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environmentally friendly goods, etc. “We went to the garbage processing station and showed how to collect and where to recycle sorted garbage. We launched a colorful challenge for popularizing eco bags instead of plastic bags.”

"Plastic bag - not a trend" is another mini-(eco)-project implemented by local NGO, Irshava. The activists organized several lectures on the proper sorting of different types of garbage. They engaged local residents as much as possible, even online. They promoted the movement through videos and posts on social media. As a part of the activity, bins for sorting garbage have been procured and placed in schools, cafes, etc.

A third mini project support by NGO Youth Space was the creation of an event space by "Ideas Workshop" in Vinogradov. A joint effort with residents, it was possible to realize the long-standing dream of Vinogradov's youth – a public space for community events. The project brought together students, teachers, community leaders, representatives of local council - to clear space, paint benches, make decorative paths and small mural. After the quarantine, they plan to hold outdoor classes, movie screenings and social gatherings.

Increasing Public Support for Local Reforms and Economic Change In 2019, Ukraine’s Ministry of Health embarked on a unified electronic health care system to improve the effectiveness of medical care provision throughout the country. The reform includes an informatization process, i.e. the adopting of information technology, which was successfully implemented at the primary healthcare level and will be carried out in territorial medical units (TMU) in 2020 as well. Based on the reform plan, implementation at the secondary health care level will require each TMU to automatize, establish a municipal enterprise, and fully digitalize their work processes, in order to sign an agreement with the National Healthcare Service by April 2020.

From November 2019 to March 2020, UCBI II supported the Berdiansk TMU (BTMU) by providing computer equipment for medical and administrative staff workstations as well as a Medical Information System (MIS) to help manage patients’ appointments, intake and the hospitalization process electronically. Through this intervention, the BTMU fulfilled the Ministry of Health’s requirements and enabled the medical unit to sign a general contract with the National Health Service of Ukraine in April 2020 for more than 149 million UAH. Computer equipment in Berdiansk TMU

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Consequently, due to UCBI II’s support and the Berdiansk TMU efforts, the BTMU is one of the leading medical units in health care reform implementation. As of April 2020, the BTMU is in third place among all specialized hospitals in terms of the number of services for which contracts have been executed. In total, the BTMU is ready to provide 19 types of medical services - obstetrics, acute cerebral stroke, neonatal care, early diagnosis of cancer, hemodialysis, HIV and much more.

With funding from a UBCI II grant, a local NGO in Kherson organized an Administrative Support Centers (ASC) Forum. The purpose of the event was to shares experiences in providing administrative services in the Kherson region and to present successful practices implemented in other ASCs across Ukraine. The event was attended by 58 representatives of ASCs from the Kherson, Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, and Sumy regions. The Head of the Kherson Regional State Administration and Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine were also in attendance and congratulated the organization on their first public event.

A direct outcome from the forum was that the Head of the Stanislavsky ASC heard a testimony on how another ASC was able to troubleshoot the installation of payment terminals. Thanks to this case study, Stanislavsky ASC has now established a protocol agreement for the installation of an EasyPay payment terminal. This will make the services more convenient and accessible for the residents of the community.

The same local NGO is cooperating with the Novorayske amalgamated territorial community (ATC) in designing the first industrial park in Kherson region. On September 02, 2020, an analysis of the territory where the industrial park will be located was conducted and the necessary measurements and calculations were prepared. As a result of the cooperation between the NGO, local authorities, and Kherson State Administration, on September 08, 2020, a memorandum on co-financing the "Industrial Park - Project Documentation" was signed. Novorayske ATC allocated 50,000 UAH (30%) of the project cost from its budget. Expected results of the project include 80 new jobs; the 15 hectares of the industrial park will generate an additional 6 million UAH in revenue to the community budget.

Improving perceptions about the delivery of basic government services among Crimean and Kherson region residents Kalanchak and Chongar Entry-Exit Checkpoint (EECP) are major crossing points in the border between Crimea and Kherson. During 2019, more than one million crossings were registered at the EECP. Since annexation, the Ukrainian government has had to reconstruct the EECP in order to create a comfortable service zone that includes an administrative services center (ASC).

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UCBI II established the ASCs at the Kalanchak and Chongar EECP and increased the quality of the most critical administrative services the ASCs would provide. UCBI II procured furniture and IT equipment for both ASCs to adequately meet the service needs of Crimean residents, such as issuance of passports and drivers’ licenses. In partnership with the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), UCBI II also supported business process optimization and series of training for ASCs staff. In addition, Modern ASC at the EECP with Crimea UCBI II supported a communications campaign about the opening of the EECP ASCs.

ASCs at Kalanchak and Chongar EECPs started to serve as the first point of contact for many residents coming from the occupied territory of Crimea and enabled local authorities to provide high quality administrative services and tangibly demonstrate to Ukrainian citizens that temporarily reside in the occupied territory a modern, democratic, pro-European Ukraine. In June 2020, 490 Crimean residents applied for administrative services at the new ASCs. Customers (both from the government-controlled area and non-government controlled area) have voiced their satisfaction with the provision of the services on social media (see below). Overall, this activity contributed to increase of public support for local reforms and economic change.

Svitlana: "You are doing great things for the population. ASC staff are real professionals”.

Man, 30 years old, resident of Crimea: “I just received my passport, I am satisfied with the services in general, and I met the deadlines. I would recommend this ASC to my friends in Crimea”.

Nikolay (customer of Chongar's ASC): ''It is very convenient for me that there's the ASC because I live in Chongar and I can quickly get the services I need. I used to go to ASC at Novotroitsk and stood there in long lines. I'm happy it's over!''

Promoting Kherson region as an undiscovered tourism destination The tourism industry in the Azov region suffered from the loss of Russian tourists after 2014 but is slowly recovering with tourists primarily from neighboring regions visiting the area during the summer months. In addition to seasonal leisure tourism, the Kherson region is an attractive destination for nature as well as health tourism, yet these tourist products are underdeveloped.

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As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions on international travel and negative economic effects curtailed vacations outside of Ukraine this year. The increasing demand for domestic tourism created a window of opportunity to increase the attractiveness of Kherson as a destination for tourists looking to explore new places safely and inexpensively. UCBI II partnered with NGO, “Oleshya Living History Center”, a co-founder of the Regional Tourism Organization, "Tourism of Kherson," and provided support in the development of quality online and offline content for tourists.

The national supermarket network "Silpo", one of the main players in the Ukrainian market, supported the promotion of this activity, with a strategic communication campaigned called "Watermelon - Ambassador of Kherson". 30,000 watermelons arrived in Kyiv on a barge before the Independence Day of Ukraine destined for 27 supermarkets in Kyiv, Stoyanka, Sofiyivska Borshchahivka and Brovary. By the end of September, another 130,000 watermelons with stickers arrived on the shelves of Silpo. Each watermelon had a sticker with QR code, that brought the Kherson watermelons with QR codes on the way to Kyiv shopper to the tourism website, where information about beautiful places in Kherson was available in several languages. "What could be more Kherson than watermelons? Every year, the whole of Ukraine watches the barge that takes them to Kyiv. We liked the idea that the Silpo chain could become an embassy in the Kherson region for a few weeks, and 200,000 watermelons would work as ambassadors and promote the region's tourism,” said Silpo Marketing Director Kateryna Oguryaeva. Her post on Facebook received more than 515 likes, 80 shares and 43 comments.

After the launch of the "watermelon campaign", the website received over 1,500 visits in one week. The most important effect of stickers was the direct visits to the website, which Google labels as “brand conversions”. Thus, the promotion campaign enhanced the goals of the entire project. Some tourism companies have expressed interest in being hosted on the website. It should also be noted that locals are quick to respond to posts on social networks, commenting and reposting. This allows us to speak about the positive perception of the beauty of their region and participation in the promotion of the tourist potential of Kherson region by each individual resident.

Requests from bloggers, portals, participants in the tourism market throughout Ukraine (Bohemia service, Chateau Trubetskoy, Green Terra, 4tourist and others), have reached out to the UCBI II grantee to use the content from the website on their social media platforms. The grantee also received an offer to arrange a photo exhibition at the Zhuliany airport (Kyiv), after its exposition in Kherson, and a request from the

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Kherson regional administration and city authorities to use the developed billboards for a project on exchange between regions and cities. This will further expand the reach of this activity to populations in these cities. Nova Poshta, the main Ukrainian company providing express delivery of documents, cargo and parcels, asked to use footage from this project to create its own social video "Travel across Ukraine".

COVID-19 response UCBI II adapted its programming in early March 2020 to quickly respond to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine by expanding on its current stabilization programming. The new sub-objective: strengthen government and civil society’s efforts to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on stability, national cohesion, and progress toward reforms, was added to the strategic framework.

UCBI II has been supporting a wide array of activities and community organizations in providing materials to make personal protective equipment (PPE), delivering food and medicine to vulnerable populations, and supporting front line workers by equipping and furnishing temporary rest quarters for doctors and nurses at hospitals. UCBI II has continued to work with its grantees who have activated their networks to provide community support throughout the crisis.

Empowering Healthcare Workers to Confront the Pandemic as a United Community During pandemics, healthcare workers have been recognized as "essential workers" across the board. In the Ukrainian context, numerous sources have noted an increase in the number of night shifts or longer shifts for healthcare workers dealing with COVID-19 patients. At the same time, healthcare facilities lack break areas that can be used for prolonged work shifts or momentary refuge.

With UCBI II support, a local grantee outfitted rest and recuperation areas in 16 healthcare facilities and provided staff with psychosocial support in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. The activity aimed to provide relief to medical workers on the frontline of the pandemic in one of the hardest hit regions in Ukraine, by ensuring decent conditions in the hospital rest and recuperation areas. In addition, the grantee conducted 16 psychological consultations on burnout to health care workers. Early estimates indicate that up to 2,000 healthcare workers will directly or indirectly benefit from this activity.

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Feedback received from health care workers:

Rozhnyativ Central District Hospital:

"Working in protective suits is very exhausting. We need to somehow relieve stress in order to return to our patients with renewed vigor. So, we found a free room in the Department of Surgery and began to equip it for our rest," said Deputy Medical Director Oleksandr Pytsky. "And thanks to the Moloda Prosvita and donors, the room has a new furniture, a TV set, a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a coffee machine. Such equipment is very necessary, because now you can heat food and drink coffee. Recuperation area for health care workers That helps to relax".

Yaremche Central City Clinic:

"At first no one believed that we would get furniture and appliances. And when everything started to come, we were very happy. Until now we did not have a rest room at all. The staff of the therapeutic department were forced to drink coffee at the work desk because they had no other place", - Nurse Oksana Rymaruk shares her impressions of the new room.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Kherson hospitals reported acute needs for PPE. The inability of authorities to adequately supply medical workers with PPE, as well as news reports indicating significant shortages at hospitals, created the possibility to undermine the credibility of medical institutions and local governments.

Foundation Zahyst initiated a “Stop the Virus” campaign to collect donations for the purchase of PPE for medical workers, COVID-19 testing kits, and artificial lung ventilation machines. UCBI II supported the local organization to procure materials for the production of protective suits for medical personnel, as well as scale-up the “Stop the Virus” informational campaign which in turn promoted fundraising. 5,000 protective suits were delivered to the hospitals designated to treat patients with COVID-19.

PPE for health care workers in Kherson region

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Medical workers expressed their gratitude for the suits provided. Ekaterina (medical worker of the Kakhovka hospital): ‘’Our medical team is very grateful for this help and support! In such difficult times, it is a pleaser [sic] to understand that people care, that they respect your work, and are ready to provide help! This is valuable for us and motivates us to work! Also, I would like to note that the protective suits are made of very high quality! And they are comfortable to wear for a long time.’’

Regrettably during the country’s lockdown, the number of appeals from victims of domestic violence to police increased significantly. From March 12 to April 07, 42,000 reports of domestic violence were reported to law enforcement agencies, according to the National Police of Ukraine. An average of 1,500 complaints are being reported in Ukraine per day. The Government of Ukraine's national hotline reported a 50% increase in the number of calls as compared to the pre-quarantine period.

The local hotline in Kherson, created with UCBI II support, has become an important deterrent in the growth of domestic violence within the region. Every week, hotline operators receive around 140 calls. Demand for these services in the period of quarantine increased, as the negative economic and other impacts of COVID were felt more severely at the household level, driving a surge in domestic violence. Given the prolongation of quarantine, the need for the local hotline and its promotion among potential and current victims remains strong.

The Kherson Domestic Violence Crisis Center was established by NGO “League of Socially Responsible Promo materials of the hotline Stop Violence Women” in 2019. It is currently the only shelter in Kherson for victims of domestic violence. After the launch of the local hotline during the pandemic, specialized services (social, legal and psychological) from May 07, 2020 to June 29, 2020 were provided to 1,128 people, and 10 women and eight children received shelter.

Mobilizing the Creative Sector to Combat COVID-19 In Kharkiv, UCBI II supported Garage Hub to develop and promote an online “makers" platform for engineering solutions to combat COVID-19. Thirty-three instructional guides, that can be used to replicate solutions at home or at a workshop, were published providing an opportunity to empower citizens to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. The flagship solution was the development of a powered air- purifying respirator (PAPR) helmet – a low-cost modern technological and used to safeguard workers against contaminated air. The grantee established direct connections with medical facilities and collaborated with several hospitals, doctors and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

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Support to Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Government to Mitigate Effects of Flooding In the wake of COVID-19 in Ukraine, the Ivano-Frankivsk region additionally suffered from disastrous floods in the last week of June 2020. According to observers and meteorologists, these floods were the worst to hit the region in the last 50 years, particularly in the districts of Galych, Tlymatch, and Verhovyna. UCBI II provided support to a foundation in its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable groups impacted by the floods. As a Volunteers with aid package for the affected population result of the quick-impact activity, 500 households received aid packages. As of July 2020, the foundation had delivered 28 tons of water to the residents of several villages of the Ivano-Frankivsk oblast. Also, the team helped more than 100 households to remove floodwater from their households. Lastly, volunteers from the foundation, held two workshops on water removal techniques in the two communities that suffered the most from floods – Mariampil and Dubivtsi. Water pumps procured and used under the activity were then donated to these village councils.

OBJECTIVE 3. INCREASE MEDIA NARRATIVES ABOUT UNITY AND POSITIVE CHANGES Ukraine's media industry, once a powerful and influential provider for the Russian language world, faces several challenges preventing it from playing a positive role on important social issues in Ukraine. The war in eastern Ukraine, as well as bans on the broadcast of Russian language content, have limited access to traditional markets for Ukraine's once thriving Russian language producers. While there is a growing demand for Ukrainian language content among audiences in Ukraine, and the Ukrainian state has taken steps to subsidize Ukrainian language "patriotic" content, broadcasters and producers are still less willing to take risks and experiment with new formats and more nuanced, niche content. Additionally, Ukraine's civil society, which has been the main engine of change since 2014, has not been able to effectively amplify their voice and messages through traditional media nor develop working relationships with the media.

UCBI II has taken an innovative and forward learning approach toward creating a more balanced narrative. USAID and its partners in the international and local media space increasingly recognize that the best defense against misinformation is well targeted, factual information that supports positive narratives. UCBI II’s objective is to influence media narratives and perspectives about unity, reform, and democratic change in Ukraine. The program employs several approaches to achieve that objective, as outlined below.

Develop, Underwrite, and Market Audience-Focused Social Impact Content UCBI II works with a broad range of media partners, including commercial broadcasters, independent media, social media outlets, and public relations firms to create content targeting specific audiences. In

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particular, UCBI II focuses on content that is emotionally resonant and audience-driven, including talk shows, entertainment, and marketing campaigns. In addition to financially supporting the creation and distribution of content, UCBI II employs international and Ukrainian creative experts, such as “script doctors”, social media experts, and public relations managers, to shape and market content.

PitchUA 2, a contest for socially relevant entertainment, educational, and cultural media content, was announced in December 2019. By February 2020, there were 184 concepts submitted and in May 2020, 12 projects were selected as winners. All 12 projects went through the initial "doctoring" process with media experts from Hollywood and Europe, and each of the concepts addressed one of the three themes for PitchUA 2: humanizing the conflict, communicating with the NGCAs, or activating PitchUA – the contest for content makers youth.

A drama series, “Chuma”, was one of the winners of the PitchUA 2 contest. It is an 8-episode series produced by the National Association of Media, which tells the story of a young doctor from Lviv, who is also an ATO veteran , that travels to a village in the "grey zone" in Donetsk oblast to meet his virtual love, Iryna. The scriptwriting team received technical assistance from an international media expert, engaged by UBCI II, in order to sharpen the script. The series will be broadcasted on various regional TV channels all over Ukraine, capturing a broad audience who may gain compassion towards the people from the occupied territories. A positive trend indicated by the selection of this series is that the industry is picking up the narrative of building dialogue with Ukrainians in the occupied territories, because it is a theme appreciated and will be consumed by wide audiences.

Communication Campaigns to Promote Positive Changes in Ukraine To ensure that UCBI II-supported media products have local legitimacy and ownership, and reflect genuine Ukrainian issues, UCBI II has built relationships between government actors, civil society groups, and media outlets. In most cases, UCBI II-supported media activities are supported in collaboration with, or on behalf of, the Ukrainian government or media outlets.

The last four years, Ukrainian authorities have been promoting the possibility to students from the NGCA the possibility of studying in Ukrainian universities. However, NGCA student enrollment is low despite communication efforts by the state. To find drivers for increasing the number of students, UCBI II engaged a research company to carry out in-depth interviews with first year students in Ukrainian higher education institutions, who moved from the NGCAs as well as with experts, who work in educational centers of “Donbas-Ukraine”. The data collected became a solid base for a comprehensive communication campaign.

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The communication campaign ran from July-August 2020, as a collaboration between the Ministry of Reintegration and the Ministry of Education of Ukraine. A working group, which included members of the two ministries, UCBI II, volunteers and NGOs, responded to targeted issues which potential NGCA students face. As a result of a coordinated effort, this was the first time the communication campaign did not include any ambiguous messages that would be rejected by residents of NGCA. In total, the campaign reached an audience of more than 1.5 million, attracted more than 35,000 visits to the website, and collected more than 600 emails. At the beginning of September 2020, Andriy Vitrenko, the Deputy Minister of Education, mentioned in his interview with the largest national Promo campaign for students from NGCA television channel, that number of students from NGСA has increased by 400, compared to previous year. Moreover, due to the country’s lockdown and closed check points with NGCAs, the deadline for applications was extended until October 23, 2020, thus UCBI II is expecting updated data at the end of October 2020 to corroborate the success of the campaign.

UCBI II since the beginning of the year has been supporting the creation of a new state television channel. Initially this channel was created on the base of UATV – Ukrainian Informational Platform. With Volodymyr Zelensky becoming President of Ukraine, the notion of commencing dialogue with the occupied territories because critical for the new administration. UCBI II started conversations with the channel’s management team and quickly responded to their needs. Due to UCBI II’s support, the new name - DI(O)M - and accompanying brand book for the channel was created and approved by the President of Ukraine. Broadcasting started in early April 2020 and though the channel is not easily accessible in the NGCAs, there is evidence that an audience from the occupied territories is tuning to the news and are responding to the information delivered.

To support the success and bring more people to watch DI(O)M, UCBI II developed another activity aimed to support the communication needs of the channel. UCBI II supported the creation of the channel’s online website as well as a promotional campaign. The promotional campaign started in the early September 2020 Promo poster of the DI(O)M channel and has already reached more than 5,000,000 people both in NGCAs and GCAs close to the contact line. UCBI II is continuing the support and is expanding it to include content development for the channel.

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The Ministry of Digital Transformation is a state body of the executive branch, which is responsible for implementation of government policy in the field of electronic control, informatization and digitalization of public authorities. The ministry's most important project is the so-called "state in a smartphone" project that aims by 2024, for all government services to be available online; 20% of services provided automatically (without the intervention of an official), and one online fill-in form to receive a package of services "in any life situation". The digitalization of public authorities is important to improve state services and according to SCORE research data, gain the loyalty and trust in Ukrainian state institutions decrease pro-Russian orientation. Despite not being included in the 2020 state budget, the Ministry launched Diia.gov.ua, the online portal for public services on April 02, 2020. This project was possible with support from the international donor community, including the UK-AID funded project “Transparency and Accountability in Public Administration and Services” and the USAID-funded Support to Anti-Corruption Champion Institutions (SACCI).

As the Ministry of Digital Transformation is the main implementor of state digital policy and proved its ability to fulfill projects in cooperation with international donors, UCBI II decided to support strategic communication efforts for two DIIA sub-brands – DIIA. Business and DIIA.Digital Education – in order to raise awareness of the platforms amongst citizens and to increase confidence of Ukrainians of the positive change in Ukraine. This activity met an unforeseen demand, as digital education and digital services are even more so required during COVID-19.

Informational commercials about the platforms are now being broadcasted on more than 32 local TV channels in Ukraine. Online informational videos were released on the Facebook page of the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Digital Transformation – Valeria Ioan – and shared on all the Ministry’s’ social media accounts. As of now, the videos have received more than 20,000 online views.

Creating Content About Modern and Vibrant Ukraine UCBI II supported the production of the “Europrinciple” TV series – a comedy series about a progressive schoolteacher from Netherlands, who comes to Ukraine to integrate a modern European approach to education in an ordinary school. As educational reform in Ukraine is built on the successful approaches applied in Europe, this series was a unique opportunity for UCBI II to promote that reform in the educational system is possible through entertaining content. UCBI II partnered a Ministry of Education and Science expert with the creative production team of the series, to highlight the reality and implementation of the reforms in schools. The cooperation was a resounding success, with the expert not only assisting the team to understand the policy processes, but also was able provide feedback on way Ukrainian schools look like, providing an authentic feel to the school sets.

The series was anticipated to air in April 2020, but because of COVID-19, the premier was moved to August 2020. More than 1.5 million people tuned in to watch the television series. “Europrinciple” is also gaining popularity on YouTube, with almost 200,000 views of the first episode, and more than 100 comments with positive reactions about the characters of the show and the changes visible in the school. YouTube

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comments include: “[I] want to work in the school with such a progressive director”; “Ukrainian teachers should watch this series as an example to change behavior”.

The reality show, “Mom's Startupper” was also one of the winners of the PitchUA 2 contest. It is a YouTube series which is hosted by Ukrainian celebrity - Volodymyr Dantes. Volodymyr is set to travel around Ukraine and meet different people that have started their own businesses. After the show premiered, the viewers started reaching out to the show’s creators, sharing their business stories and inviting the host to visit. Potential sponsors and fans of the show from all over Ukraine, as well as from abroad, asked how to donate in order to help the growth of the startups highlighted in the show. Such comments like "After your show I decided to implement my idea and to start a business,” signal the change of people’s notions about starting a business in Ukraine and their own potential in becoming successful.

The winner of the first PitchUA contest, “Borscht”, was broadcasted on television from early 2020 till the end of May. In many instances, “Borscht” had higher numbers than other sections of the morning show. Over 4 million people watched the show from their televisions and almost 200,000 on YouTube. But more importantly, this show highlighted the need to embrace borscht as part of the cultural heritage of Ukraine; as something that unites Ukrainians. The host of the show, Evgen Klopotenko, officially registered “cooking borscht” in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Ukraine. Moreover, after the success of the show, the team decided to make a movie that will be played in Ukrainian cinemas this autumn.

Amplifying Ukrainian Efforts to Address the COVID-19 Crisis and Promote Resilience Borscht promo poster UCBI II provided the Government of Ukraine with crisis communications support to raise awareness early during the global pandemic. From distributing 1.2 million pamphlets across the country to producing video content about the importance of staying home, UCBI II was able to expand the reach of the Ministry of Health and the Office of the President to inform people about how to stay healthy. UCBI II also supported local media in the hardest hit regions to provide timely and locally relevant content about COVID-19 and the effects of the crisis.

After the start of the quarantine, UCBI II was first to assist Ukrainian authorities with communications support. Right after the official safety measures were adopted in March 2020, the Office of President of Ukraine asked for support in developing videos explaining the need of citizens to observe safety measures. UCBI II was able to quickly respond and created five videos in less than two months. The most effective product was an animated video, that in just three minutes, explained how the virus appeared and why it

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is so dangerous. This video was a viral hit and was shared by the Office of President and Ministry of Health on all their social media accounts. This video was later shortened and put on air after the outbreak of COVID in Ukraine in September.

With the support from UCBI II, Ukrainska Pravda, one the most popular news outlets in Ukraine, partnered with NGO Misto Sad to conduct 61 interviews; produce 83 news pieces about COVID-19 in order to combat fake news in the Ukrainian media landscape; 16 human interest pieces; 30 informational materials available for download at special portal of Ukrainska Pravda; and 213 posts on Facebook. NGO Misto- Sad and Ukrainska Pravda in a series of interviews with people showed how people who lost their jobs and who are transforming their businesses are overcoming COVID-19 challenges. Readers saw that they are not alone, most people are also looking for ways to transform their business and survive. One person interviewed, Andriy Chukovskiy, said: “In general, the impressions from the publication of the interview are only positive. Not only from the PR side, but also as a certain moral support. It is interesting that some Ukrainska Pravda readers have contacted me directly with questions and expressed support." The activity also amplified the communication efforts of government authorities to “stay at home” and other important messages connected with the pandemic. In total, the grantee reported 1,635,095 people have been reached as Informational poster about COVID-19 a result of this activity.

UCBI partnered with the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation and Slukh Media, in hosting eight online concerts with performances from popular Ukrainian musicians. Concerts were broadcasted on YouTube with a slogan “Culture Unites”. These concerts were aimed to bring people together in these uncertain times and to show how artists from different regions have grown, thanks to their local musical communities, and also to highlight once again the importance of Poster of the online concerts and famous Ukrainian musicians being socially responsible and to stay at home during the pandemic. Each concert gathered an engaged audience of more than 130,000 viewers and received booming positive feedback. People in the comments section stated that the concerts really helped them relax and cheer up during the lockdown and on how much they love Ukrainian musicians.

Lastly, the Donetsk Institute of information, with support from UCBI II, was able to produce 58 media products including: documentaries, TV Shows, informational videos, audio podcasts, and small vlogs – all focusing on COVID-19 related issues. The target audience (especially residents of non-government-

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controlled areas) received comprehensive information, becoming more resilient to societal changes as a result of the pandemic. This activity also built a sense of unity between Donbas and Ukraine, where readers and viewers learned how the whole country was going through the same challenges and seeking protection against social and economic strife. Some products attracted a significant number of viewers explaining the new realities of the pandemic. For example, a podcast discussing the state of Donbas’ checkpoints received more than 25,000 views; the podcast in the NGCA of Donbas received more than 21,000 views. A video blog about the new reality for local businesses attracted more than 70,000 views, and the topic of education during the quarantine drew in almost 60,000 views.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is an integral part of project performance management systems, critical for learning, accountability, and outreach. UCBI II’s project evaluation is a systematic process of analysis, with a clear feedback loop generated during monthly activity site visits (both online and offline) performed by staff, regular M&E meetings, findings from an independent monitoring firm contracted by UCBI II, and media monitoring. Information gathered by UCBI II staff, and by external evaluators, is examined by the project development team and the senior management team who use it to make strategic programming decisions.

During the reporting period, UCBI II program staff conducted three to four activity site visits per month. Site visits also ensured that lessons learned are captured for future activity development.

At the activity level, the UCBI II team continues to hold monthly M&E meetings where the program and leadership team discuss the results of activities and lessons learned. These discussions help guide decisions about follow-on grants and ensure that lessons learned are incorporated in real time.

UCBI II continues to partner with a well-regarded local polling company, for cluster evaluations and to measure changes of public opinions about transformation processes among the demographics UCBI II engages. The company conducts public opinion surveys (in-depth interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) with participants of UCBI II activities: students, teachers, owners of local small businesses, participants of UCBI II events specialists from city council and other governmental institutions. This cluster evaluation identifies the levels of knowledge and skills received during trainings/consultations, which are useful for further activity development, as well as providing visibility on community perceptions to which UCBI II interventions can respond.

During the reporting period, UCBI II requested to conduct a cluster evaluation of media products. Testing of UCBI ІІ media products serves to a develop a more significant impact for both UCBI II and its partners on national communication for the unification of people and new Ukrainian identity. The research was conducted through online in-depth interviews and focus-group discussions with people from the cities in Southern, Eastern, and Western Ukraine. As a result of audience testing of UCBI II support media products

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and communication strategies, conclusions about the effectiveness and engagement of audiences were gauged and incorporated in the programming design.

The company also conducted a public opinion poll regarding the situation in the country during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. The survey was conducted using CATI (computer-assisted telephone interviews) based on random dialing of mobile phone numbers, and the sample covered more than two thousand respondents from all regions across Ukraine. The second wave of the polling took place in July. It showed that Ukrainians were most afraid of the failure medical systems in providing proper medical care, a decline in regular income and wrong actions by authorities. In general, Ukrainians were less worried about the coronavirus in July compared to March, and most concerned about the loss of income. The support to all institutions, in terms of their actions in the fight against coronavirus, has decreased with time. Another important finding of the research is that a significant portion of those who would like to be tested for coronavirus decreased in July, and, if there was a vaccine available, almost half of the population would not get vaccinated from COVID-19. This polling data has enabled UCBI II to consider these groups when developing activities related to sub-objectives 2.4 and 3.5. The third wave of polling will be conducted in November.

At the end of July, UCBI II had five, two-hour Rolling Assessment Sessions, where the state of the program, national and regional context, and further plans were discussed. This was a perfect chance to review the strategic framework, discuss how the program can be more efficient in a rapidly changing environment, remain connected to the social and political developments, and set targets to build on existing UCBI II successes and lessons learned.

UCBI II team has also updated the Beneficiary Handbook, Flowchart with M&E cycle, continues to prepare weekly outcome bullets, and preparation of the Learning Agenda.

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