OSCE Project Co-ordinator supports regional discussions on civil society development in Ukraine
DONETSK, Ukraine, 26 November 2010 - The final of five regional seminars to discuss ways of enhancing the financial sustainability of Ukraine's civil society organizations (CSOs) and their confidence-building measures with state authorities started in Donetsk today with support from the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.
Representatives of local governments, CSOs and the business community as well as international and national experts will discuss how civil society currently finances its work and what are the most effective measures to build trust between the state and CSOs. The participants will also look at international best practices in these spheres.
The discussions follow OSCE-supported research studies on the above-mentioned topics.
"Sustainability is an important element for an effective and independent functioning of civil society in Ukraine. An adequate framework ensuring financial independence of civil society is a key factor for its sustainable development," said Ambassador Lubomir Kopaj, the Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.
The OSCE Project Co-ordinator organized earlier, similar seminars in Simferopol, Odessa, Lviv and Kyiv in partnership with the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. Those seminars as well as today's form part of two projects aimed at promoting sustainable civil society development in Ukraine.
Tatiana Andreichuk, the Head of the Civil Society Development Department at the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, added: "Fostering civil society development is the priority for the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. Taking into account the importance of creating conditions conducive to empowering civil society, the Government of Ukraine has started developing a legal framework to improve state mechanisms to support these institutions."
Following the regional seminars, representatives of the relevant ministries, representatives of civil society organizations and international experts will form a working group to develop a draft document on establishing efficient mechanisms for civil society financing in Ukraine.
The civil society development project is funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.