In The Yavoriv District have started the project “The Policy for Ukraine Local Self-Governance ” (PULS)

The Local Economic Development Аgency of Yavoriv District, together with the Yavoriv Central District Library of Yuri Lypa, participates in the project “The Policy for Ukraine Local Self-Governance ” (PULS), implemented by the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC) in partnership with IREX / Ukraine (Council of International Scientific Research and exchanges) with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

From March 13 to 15, 2017, the training of PULS project was held in Khmelnitsky, which was attended by representatives of NGOs and representatives of libraries from three regions – Khmelnitsky, Lviv and Zakarpattya.

The main goal of the training was to involve community representatives who have a different level of knowledge of local self-government reform in order to share experiences, identify all the advantages and disadvantages of reform, and how to properly present all the necessary information to their communities, to make the reform as effective as possible.

The main issues that were considered during the three days were:

  • What is decentralization?
  • Why need decentralization?
  • What laws regulate decentralization?
  • What to expect from decentralization?
  • What will be the combined territorial communities and the conditions for the association?
  • What funds will remain in communities?
  • What are the benefits of decentralization?

The training program provided various activities such as presentations, team competitions, role-plays and practical classes that provided a platform for learning, sharing, discussion and interaction between NGOs, libraries and experts from different communities.

It is very important that the communities that have already been reformed or just begin to reform share experiences with communities that have not yet begun the process. Personal experiences, success stories have only exacerbated the effect of the training.

It is especially gratifying that the participants of this project, together with public organizations, are the library, since in recent years the role of the library in the society has decreased. This is a great opportunity to become a community awareness center in such a difficult period for the country, and there is great hope that this reform will help the Ukrainian people to improve their well-being and standard of living.

The Policy for Ukraine Local Self-Governance (PULSE) program supports Ukraine’s efforts to implement a sound decentralization policy. It strengthens local governance, improves conditions for community development, and promotes stability. IREX helps the reform process by providing information about its implementation in decentralized communities and by building sustainable engagement models for local governments, citizens, and media to promote local ownership of community resources and accountability.

Quick Facts

  1. IREX is working with 23 communities in 8 oblasts of Ukraine—Khmelnytskyi, Lviv, Zakarpattya, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Volyn, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy—to pioneer citizen engagement with local self-governments.
  2. In rural communities, 25 libraries and 20 civil society organizations (CSOs) received training on how to effectively educate and engage citizens regarding decentralization issues that affect their lives.
  3. During events facilitated by library and CSO partners, citizens receive answers to questions about how decentralization reform affects their schools, health care, roads and infrastructure, public services, and recreational facilities. They also learn about local budgets and resources that are available to them.
  4. IREX developed a series of materials for libraries, CSOs, and active citizens, including a hands-on manual about decentralization and a facilitator’s guide.