RADA PROGRAM Responsible, Accountable, Democratic Assembly in Ukraine QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE REPORT Year 5 (October 01 – December 31, 2017) Submitted: January 15, 2018 Cooperative Agreement No. AID-121-A-14-00001 Program Background The East Europe Foundation is pleased to submit the Quarterly Performance Report of its Responsible Accountable Democratic Assembly (RADA) Program in Ukraine for the period between October 01, 2017, and December 31, 2017. The Program was awarded by USAID to the East Europe Foundation and launched in Ukraine on November 26, 2013, under Cooperative Agreement No.AID-121-A-14-00001. The Program is being implemented in cooperation with the Ukrainian Parliament, the Ukrainian Government, local governments, regional associations and highly qualified civil society organizations. The RADA Program is designed to promote a representative, accountable and independent Parliament through (1) providing support to MPs to build constituent relations and improve their representation function; (2) expanding citizen education and monitoring of Parliament and MPs in order to increase their accountability, and improving civic engagement in the legislative process; and (3) promoting parliamentary independence to counterbalance the government by enforcing the rules and procedures that govern the body. The RADA Program is administered to the following three program objectives: i. Improved public presentation in the legislative process; ii. Expanded role of citizens in monitoring Parliament’s work; iii. Strengthened role of legislature in providing independent oversight of the executive branch of power. USAID RADA Quarterly Report, October 01 – December 31, 2017 Page 2 Approach to Implementation The RADA Program works in conjunction with partners to form an alliance of Ukrainian CSOs that offers the RADA program as USAID’s primary vehicle for achieving one of the three USAID/Ukraine Mission Development Objectives “More Participatory, Transparent and Accountable Governance Processes.” The RADA alliance partners implement innovative programmatic tools based on their vast experience of previous work in the Ukrainian context with government agencies at both national and local levels, plus a variety of emerging local CSOs. Alliance partners include Internews-Ukraine (IUA), OPORA, Agency for Legislative Initiatives (ALI) as well as Interns’ League (IL). Their projects are supported via a sub-grant mechanism. RADA’s approach is to institutionalize successful programs, such as the parliamentary internship program, citizens’ monitoring of the legislative process as well as MP and MP aides training programs with Ukrainian CSOs and VR’s constituent units. RADA builds strong double-sided relationships with the VR Secretariat, the VR Rules Committee, the VR Committee on Preventing Crime and Corruption, the VR Committee on Legal Policy, the VR Committee on State Building, Regional Policy and Local Self-Government, the VR Press Services and other structures of the Parliament to strengthen VR’s legislative capacity through effective cooperation with civil society. RADA’s alliance partners share their experience in effective participation and monitoring of the legislative and other government processes with emerging NGOs and regional civil society groups. They focus on raising the awareness and skills of regional constituents so as to reduce the political abyss between citizens and their elected representatives. Civic education efforts ensure more active civic engagement in the process of policy development and implementation at both national and regional levels. The RADA Program is guided by the USAID imperative factors (Anti-Corruption, Gender Equality and Local Capacity Building) when planning and coordinating all its activities. USAID RADA Quarterly Report, October 01 – December 31, 2017 Page 3 Acronyms ALI Agency for Legislative Initiatives (RADA Program partner) APDU Association of People’s Deputies of Ukraine AUC Association of Ukrainian Cities CM Cabinet of Ministers CMU Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine CoE Council of Europe COP Chief of Party CSO Civil society organization DCOP Deputy Chief of Party EEF East Europe Foundation EP European Parliament EU European Union IL Interns’ League (RADA Program partner) IPU Inter-Parliamentary Union IT Information Technologies IUA Internews Ukraine (RADA Program partner) LSG Local self-government MP Member of Parliament MPs’ aides Assistants to Members of Parliament NDI National Democratic Institute NF Narodnyi Front, political party NGO(s) Nongovernmental organization(s) ODIHR/OSCE OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights OGP Open Government Partnership OSCE Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe PIP Parliamentary Internship Program PPB Petro Poroshenko Bloc, political party PWD Persons with disabilities RPR Reanimation Package of Reforms CSO Civil Society Organization SMD Single mandate district SME Small or medium enterprise SMS Short Message Service via mobile telephones ToT Training of trainers UN United Nations USAID United State Agency for International Development VR / VRU Verkhovna Rada / Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Parliament of Ukraine) VRC Committee of Verkhovna Rada VRS Secretariat of Verkhovna Rada WG Working group USAID RADA Quarterly Report, October 01 – December 31, 2017 Page 4 Table of Content Program Background .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Approach to Implementation ............................................................................................................................. 3 Acronyms ........................................................................................................................................................ 4 Table of Content ............................................................................................................................................. 5 ACHIEVEMENTS AND SUCCESS STORIES ............................................................................................................ 6 ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................................................................... 7 OBJECTIVE 1: Improved public representation in the legislative process ...................................................... 7 Expected Result 1.1. Effective communication, outreach and constituency services developed ............. 7 Expected Result 1.2. Inclusive legislative practices established .............................................................. 11 Expected Result 1.3. Cooperation between MPs and local governments strengthened ........................ 17 Expected Result 1.4. Cooperation and communication between the VRU and VR ARC institutionalized and strengthened ..................................................................................................................................... 18 OBJECTIVE 2: Expanded role of citizens in monitoring the work of Parliament .......................................... 19 Expected Result 2.1. Civic education initiatives promoted to foster greater citizen engagement in the legislative process .................................................................................................................................... 19 Expected Result 2.2. Civil society monitoring of the VR fostered, including strengthening of lobbying groups ....................................................................................................................................................... 22 Expected Result 2.3. Reform legislation passed by partnering with other USAID programs ................... 24 OBJECTIVE 3. Role of legislature in providing independent oversight of the executive branch strengthened ................................................................................................................................................ 25 Expected Result 3.1. Anti-Corruption efforts strengthened including Parliamentary budgetary oversight .................................................................................................................................................................. 25 Expected Result 3.2. Parliamentary oversight strengthened through improved structural effectiveness .................................................................................................................................................................. 29 Expected result 3.3. Internship program institutionalized ....................................................................... 29 Anti-Corruption ............................................................................................................................................ 31 Gender Equity ............................................................................................................................................... 31 People with Disabilities ................................................................................................................................ 31 Local Capacity Building (institutions and/or civil society) ............................................................................ 31 Other relevant activities ................................................................................................................................... 32 Lessons Learned ..............................................................................................................................................