On September 16, the USAID RADA: Next Generation Program organized a civic-parliamentary Democratic Lawmaking Forum to bring together representatives of the Verkhovna Rada and the government, as well as international experts, non-governmental organizations, and donors to jointly address the challenges that Ukraine's parliamentary democracy has faced.
We managed to engage more than 130 participants in this important discussion, including
Andriy Kulakov, the moderator of the event and communications director of the RADA: Next Generation Program, opened the event by thanking the soldiers who are currently on the front lines defending Ukraine's democratic development. The audience also honored the memory of the fallen soldiers with a minute of silence.
Mårten Ehnberg, Director of the RADA: Next Generation Program, set the tone for the discussion: “Ukraine is not only defending its borders, but also its right to democratic development. Every day we face hybrid threats, including disinformation campaigns and attempts to divide society. Under such conditions, institutions, including the Parliament, must remain resilient, democratic, open and accountable. Therefore, we are here to exchange ideas and practices. I believe that by the evening we will know how to increase public participation, improve transparency and trust in democratic institutions, as well as how to find solutions to the existing challenges.”
Oleksandr Korniienko, the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, addressed the participants with a welcoming speech: “Democracy Day is a professional Ukrainian celebration. No one in the world is fighting for democracy like Ukraine. No other nation has ever faced such magnitude of challenges on the path of democracy. We remember all the Maidans, starting with the Revolution on Granite, as a kind of inoculation against undemocratic practices. Today, the greatest celebration of democracy that can be is the Ukrainian victory.”
Theodora Dell, deputy Mission Director of USAID in Ukraine, assured that the United States will continue to help Ukraine fight against aggression and strengthen democracy: “Russia has been trying to undermine Ukraine's independence not only through a decade-long war, but also through decades of harmful influence. However, it has not succeeded and will not succeed. Ukraine remains democratic and free even after brutal attacks. This demonstrates the unity and determination of the Ukrainian people. This commitment is exactly what the aggressor country fears and what the whole world admires. The United States is your steadfast partner in supporting this democratic path. We are proud to help the Verkhovna Rada to strengthen its interaction with constituents, fulfill its supervisory function, and improve the quality of legislation.”
At the same time, Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, believes that the Parliament and society are prepared for a new social contract and are open to changes. In her opinion, the trust in the institution can be regained through successful parliamentary reform, youth education, development of women's leadership, enhancement of the VRU's subjectivity, and at the core of everything should be a dialogue with society: “Ukrainian democracy is the greatest achievement of our independence. It is very important to communicate with society now, and therefore there should be some new communicative strategy, how the state should interact with people. The task is quite challenging, but we need to understand how society responds to our communications.”
The forum also included special video messages from international partners:
Moderated by Ihor Kohut, Senior Strategy Advisor, USAID RADA: Next Generation Program, the keynote speeches on the state of parliamentary democracy in Ukraine were presented by:
During the first panel, experts discussed present-day challenges for parliamentary democracy. The discussion was moderated by Andriy Shevchenko, USAID RADA: Next Generation Program Advisor on Government Communications, and included:
In the second discussion panel, Andriy Shevchenko asked Ukrainian MPs from different factions and non-factional parties to share their vision and experience of cooperation with the public during martial law. The following speakers expressed their opinions:
The Forum of Democratic Lawmaking also discussed successful practices of engaging citizens, which parliamentarians implemented with the support of the USAID RADA: Next Generation Program. The participants shared their experience:
