In 2015-2016, the UK has offered a substantial package of programme funding to help Ukraine make progress on reform, imporve communications, support national reconciliation and deal with the humanitarian situation.

Below you will find information about specific projects, funded under the Conflict Stability, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF), Good Governance Fund (GGF) and the Bilateral Programme Budget (BPB) in Ukraine in the UK fiscal year 2015-2016. Please note that a UK financial year runs from 31 March to 1 April.

Conflict Stability, Security and Stability Fund in Ukraine

The CSSF is supporting a range of security, stability, peace-building, communications, reform and energy projects in coordination with the government, civil society and the people of Ukraine. It has four thematic components, including communications, peace-building, recovery and energy.

Communications

The Communications component of the Fund is aimed at:

supporting the Ukrainian government to design and implement a coherent communications approach

strengthening and professionalising communications within government and improving communication with citizens

developing the capacity of civil society to promote positive narratives of issues related to Ukraine

improving media reporting through ensuring sensitive and balanced reporting of flashpoint incidents and contentious issues

Projects under the Communications component in 2015-2016

The CSSF supports the following communications projects:

Conflict in media, media in conflict: communicating sensitive issues by means of the media

Duration: August 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £82,152

Implementing organisation: The Ukrainian Catholic University (Ukraine)

This project aims to improve the quality of reporting on the sensitive issues, promote peaceful resolution of conflicts, stimulate a national dialogue and understanding of the issues with a high conflict potential. It will help conduct a comprehensive research to understand the triggers of the conflict; produce articles and videos about national reconciliation, IDPs and issues related to conflict-affected areas; and train at least 1,500 students of journalism at 15 universities across Ukraine in the sensitivities of reporting about these issues.

Further information

The Ukrainian Catholic University’s website and Facebook page

The UCU’s School of Journalism [website] (http://journalism.ucu.edu.ua/) and Facebook page

The Lviv Media Forum website and Facebook page

Stopfake.org – struggle against misinformation and disinformation about events in Ukraine

Duration: September 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £100,080

Implementing organisation: Media Reforms Centre NGO (Ukraine)

The purpose of this project is to help the StopFake project increase its impact in Ukraine and other countries targeted by disinformation campaigns. It focuses on improving reporting in Ukraine and abroad; promoting tools for fact-checking; easing tensions instigated by propaganda and misinformation; and enlarging the scope of true news spreading in social networks.

Further information

StopFake website

Supporting conflict-sensitive journalism in Ukraine

Duration: August 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £246,000

Implementing organisation: OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine

The project aims to build the capacity of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the media professionals. It will support the MoD Ukraine in launching a training centre on safety in hostile environments and provide safety training to at least 100 journalists and media workers.

Further information

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine website

Donbas calling: developing radio broadcasting for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions

Duration: September 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £243,094

Implementing organisation: Hromaske Radio NGO (Ukraine)

This project supports a newly established public radio service in becoming an information provider to the region. It aims to reach the audience of up to one million people in eastern Ukraine and provide quality news about political, security and economic situation; engage with the audiences on live talk shows; encourage listeners’ own judgement; and promote peaceful conflict resolution and reconciliation.

Further information

Building capacity for more effective communication to business in Ukraine on the benefits of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area

Duration: August 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £298,260

Implementing organisation: CTA Economic & Export Analysts Ltd. (UK)

The project aims to train business communications experts within the government, civil society and business organisations to communicate the benefits of the AA/DCFTA. It will work closely with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its regional representations as well as trade associations across Ukraine.

Further information

CTA Economic & Export Analysts Ltd. website

Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce of Industry website

Government Communications Development Centre

Duration: August 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £431,942

Implementing organisations: Whites Consultants Ltd. (Ukraine) in partnership with Ashley Public Relations Ltd. (UK) and Change Communication NGO (Ukraine)

The project aims to assist the Ukrainian government in developing means and skills to professionally engage in modern two-way communication, based on a consistent flow of reliable government information to national and international audiences. It will help provide a platform to effectively disseminate important and often difficult information on the national reform programme; incorporate new practices into the legislation and state standards system; and create capacity building training systems at the National Academy for Public Administration and the National Diplomatic Academy.

Stronger Together – EAST

Duration: August 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £69,916

Implementing organisation: Centre UA NGO (Ukraine)

This project aims to reduce negative perception of Ukraine’s democratic development amongst the communities affected by the conflict in eastern Ukraine. It will do so by providing accurate information on reforms and conflict-generating issues in cooperation with local public opinion leaders, media and authorities.

Further information

Centre UA NGO website

Stronger Together campaign website and Facebook page

Together: strengthening mutual understanding and civic knowledge among people across Ukraine

Duration: April 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £322,539

Implementing organisations: BBC Media Action in partnership with the National Television of Ukraine

This project’s goal is to provide mass audiences across Ukraine (in particular, youth aged 15-24) with access to editorially responsible, inclusive and representative content which reduces conflict-generating narratives, facilitates communication and builds tolerance between people. It supports production of a social drama series and moderated online and TV debates across fracture points in society.

Further information

BBC Media Action website

Social drama’s page on the NTU website, as well as on Facebook and VKontakte

Building bridges for the sake of reforms and trust

Duration: September 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £88,900 (Good Governance Fund)

Implementing organisation: Institute of Mass Information NGO (Ukraine)

The project will help raise awareness of the local communities on reforms, including decentralisation and anti-corruption, work of local NGOs, aiming to build greater public trust to them. It will aim to support local authorities in designing a better communication approach and improve participation of the local population in the decision-making and public control through better local media coverage.

Further information

Institute of Mass Information website

Ukraine’s Next Generation

Duration: September 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £10,500

Implementing organisation: 1+1 Production

This project supports production of a series of short videos for the audiences in Europe to showcase the diversity, enthusiasm and dynamism of young Ukrainian reformers. It will help build understanding of the challenges that Ukraine faces but also respect for the determination and commitment that many Ukrainians are demonstrating in their efforts to build a modern and successful society.

Further information

1+1 Production website

Peace-building and recovery

The Peace-building component of the Fund is aimed at:

improving relations between communities in conflict, or potential conflict, with each other

decreasing the isolation and marginalisation of those most affected by the conflict, especially IDPs and communities in the Donbas

preventing conflict and enhancing conflict resolution work in line with the ethos of UNSC Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women and Peace and Security

Projects under the Peace-building component in 2015-2016

The CSSF supports the following peace-building projects:

Ukrainian peace-building school

Duration: July 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £402,000

Implementing organisation: Association of Middle East Studies (Ukraine)

Building on the results of the first year, this project seeks to develop a longer-term strategy of conflict transformation and prevention in 5 borderland regions of Ukraine. It will support integration of IDPs into local communities; develop public communications to resist the information war and atomization of society; run peace-building education events to help deal with traumatic and divided past and develop a shared vision for the community specific models of local governance; and strengthen the network of peace-builders in Ukraine.

Further information

AMES website

Ukrainian peace-building school website

Turning protest into creative energy

Duration: July 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £276,585

Implementing organisation: Consortium for Enhancement of Ukrainian Management Education (Ukraine)

This project aims at peaceful and sustainable local development in target regions through an ongoing dialogue in communities at all levels. It will help raise capacity of local host communities and IDPs groups to mitigate conflicts; build confidence in target communities by involvement of teenagers from the liberated areas in peace-building process; use a “theatre of dialogue” approach for dialogues in communities; provide IDPs with knowledge and skills for adaptation and integration in a new environment; enhance dialogue between civil society and the government through training of bloggers and access to update information on a regular basis; and run peer-to-peer exchanges of activists within Ukraine.

Further information

CEUME website

Women and mediation

Duration: July 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £135,000

Implementing organisation: International women’s rights centre “La Strada-Ukraine” (Ukraine)

The project aims to build capacity of respective actors in peace-building and conflict resolution and mediation efforts among conflict-affected groups and communities with a focus on women and IDP girls. It will run trainings for trainers of the National Trainers Network in mediation and conflict resolution; cooperate with relevant state institutions, in particular, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and relevant local authorities.

Further information

La Strada-Ukraine website

Liaison office programme

Duration: July 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £400,479

Implementing organisation: Stabilization Support Services (Canada) with CrimeaSOS (Ukraine)

This project aims to increase accountability and capacity within the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine to deal with IDP and vulnerable community issues, particularly, those communities affected by the conflict in the Donbas. It will focus on improving IDP/host community relationship through local initiatives, designed to bring communities together; improving conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts via non-state actor mechanisms and reduce the propensity of violent outcomes; and improving relations between communities at conflict with one another through women-led peace-building and reconciliation workshops.

Further information

Stabilization Support Services website

CrimeaSOS website

Helping divided communities through theatre

Duration: July 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £171,590

Implementing organisations: South Bank University of London (UK) with the Moving Theatre of the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre (Ukraine)

The project is designed to raise awareness of conflict issues through the prism of theatre in vulnerable local communities in the Donbas and encourage dialogue and understanding. It will facilitate the capacity of divided communities to look objectively and empathetically at their own situation and attitudes, using the direct testimony of people on both sides of the conflict; encourage conversation and collaboration; produce an audio drama and associated workshop package; and build the capacity of the local creative team to build international partnerships.

Further information

South Bank University of London website

Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre website

Support to implementation of Recovery and Peace-building Assessment (PRA) in eastern Ukraine

Duration: September 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £196,700

Implementing organisation: PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC

This project aims to strengthen institutional capacity of the Ministry of regional development, construction, housing and municipal services of Ukraine and the Donbas Recovery Agency to coordinate the recovery and peace-building process in eastern Ukraine, and lead an efficient, transparent and well-coordinated process.

Further information

PwC Ukraine website

International Criminal Court and international humanitarian law reform

Duration: July 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £217,405

Implementing organisation: Global Rights Compliance LLP

This project’s aim is building institutional and human capacity for greater accountability under international humanitarian law (IHL). It will contribute to peace-building through promoting the ideals of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (‘ICC’), including advising on its ratification and providing a needs assessment of corresponding domestic transitional justice processes.

Further information

Global Rights Compliance LLP website

Ukraine: working towards accountability and access to justice

Duration: August 2015 to March 2016

Funding: £450,000 Implementing organisation: Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

This project seeks to increase accountability for human rights violations and access to justice for victims of these violations and other people affected by the conflict and improve legislative and regulatory framework to address human rights problems related to the conflict in the east. It aims to help decrease the isolation and marginalisation of those most affected by the conflict, including IDPs and communities of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Further information

UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine website

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights website

IDP and host community livelihood and stabilisation support in Ukraine

Duration: July 2015 to March 2016

Funding: £1,000,000

Implementing organisation: International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Mission in Ukraine

This project will support the long-term integration of up to 242 IDPs and assist members of host communities with up to 360 business development grants, including up to 40 with vocational trainings. It will help create new jobs and new services in these communities, supporting the economic situation. Also this action seeks to facilitate positive relations between IDPs and host communities across Ukraine.

Further information

IOM Mission in Ukraine website

CSSF Energy and UK Prosperity programme in Ukraine

Prosperity programme funds sustainable projects that work towards a low carbon economy and resilient energy markets and promote science and innovation as solutions to global challenges, such as securing transition to a low carbon economy, underpinned by a binding global climate agreement; reducing threats to growth from energy and resource insecurity; promoting use of science to reduce the risks posed by challenges such as resource scarcity, pandemic or natural disasters.

Strengthening energy security and sustainability through international cooperation and integration

Duration: August 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £2,500 (CSSF Energy-funded)

Implementing organisation: Kyiv Energy Research Institute (Ukraine)

This project aims to deepen the dialogue between Ukraine and EU countries on the safety and reliability of the electricity and natural gas supply, diversifying energy sources, expanding the zone of market competition outside the EU through the international Conference “Ukrainian energy infrastructure and legislation: Challenges and opportunities for practical integration with energy systems of Central European Countries”. The dialogue facilitates integration of high voltage electrical grids for international electricity trade between Ukraine and EU countries, and it will help to increase capacity for gas flow from EU to Ukraine

Further information

Kyiv Energy Research Institute website

Support to Energy Efficiency in Ukraine

Duration: August 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £31,310

Implementing organisation: to be tendered

The project will support sharing best practice of the UK’s Green Investment Bank in order to assess green criteria for investment and to set up and promote Energy Efficiency among target groups. Its main beneficiary is the State Agency on Energy Efficiency of Ukraine.

Support for the Energy Community Secretariat

Duration: August 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £150,000 (Prosperity-funded)

Implementing organisation: Energy Community Secretariat (Austria)

This project will support the Energy Community Secretariat in its work to adapt and transpose the Third Energy Package (TEP) in the area of electricity into Ukrainian law. It will provide legal assistance to the Ukrainian government bodies, responsible for regulation of energy, electricity and public utilities in development of legislation in compliance with TEP, including the one related to organisation and monitoring of the electricity market in Ukraine.

Further information

Energy Community Secretariat website

Ukrenergo website

Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine website

National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Public Utilities website

Reform of the coal industry: HR strategy

Duration: August 2015 – March 2016

Funding: £159,000 (CSSF Energy-funded)

Implementing organisation: Institute of Management Consultants of Ukraine (Ukraine)

This project aims at ensuring the Ukrainian government’s ability to solve the employment problem of redundant state coal employees by creating and running human capital restructuring mechanism accumulating labour market demand/supply options and identification of potential employment opportunities. It will undertake a social/HR strategy audit of the coal sector to accompany programme of closures. It is initial part of the 5-year comprehensive programme, aimed at attracting further funding by the Ukrainian government and international donors.

Further information

Institute of Management Consultants of Ukraine website

Bilateral Programme Budget

The UK Foreign Office uses the Bilateral Programme Budget (BPB) to support the work we’re doing to deliver our policy goals of furthering democracy and supporting reforms in public institutions in Ukraine.

In 2015-2016, the BPB supports projects in the following areas: * fair local elections * protection of human rights * supporting Ukraine in implementation of the Open Government Partnership (OGP)

BPB projects in 2015-2016

The BPB supports the following projects:

Local elections on Kyiv-controlled Donbas territories: establishing public dialogue

Duration: September 2015-March 2016

Funding: £10,000

Implementing organisation: Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation

This project aims to use local elections as an instrument for establishing meaningful dialogue between local communities and local authorities on solving most urgent problems of the region. It will run a number of activities, including a research into the most important problems of the region that could be solved on the local level; setting up an agenda for newly elected local officials on the main issues and instruments of communications with local communities; and running a post-electoral round table with newly elected local authorities and local NGOs on addressing local issues, followed by recommendations on solving the region’s problems.

Further information

Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation website

Reduction of civil conflict and struggle against the information war during local elections in the south of Ukraine

Duration: September 2015-March 2016

Funding: £9,982

Implementing organisation: Odessa Regional Affiliation of All-Ukrainian NGO Committee of Voters of Ukraine

This project’s objective is to enhance the impact of local journalists and civil society activists to reduce civil conflict and the struggle against information war in local elections in the south of Ukraine and further development and control of policies at the local level.

Further information

Committee of Voters of Ukraine website

Annexed property. Human rights in the context of property rights in Crimea: policies, tendencies, forecasts

Duration: September 2015-March 2016

Funding: £8,870

Implementing organisation: Ukrainian Centre for Independent Political Research (Ukraine)

The project aims to develop recommendations for the Ukrainian government and the international community regarding policies on private property protection and business activities on/within the occupied Crimean peninsula, based on the study and analysis of relevant government decisions, expert discussions, factual information gathered from open sources both on the Ukrainian and the Russian side and information from the Ukrainian authorities.

Further information

Ukrainian Centre for Independent Political Research website

International conference on LGBT issues and European integration of Ukraine

Duration: September 2015-March 2016

Funding: £10,000

Implementing organisation: LGBT Human Rights NASH MIR centre

The project seeks to intensify a constructive dialogue on LGBT equality in the Ukrainian society on the path to EU integration via holding an international conference in March 2016 and disseminating conference materials to a wide range of stakeholders.

Further information

NASH MIR (Our World) centre website

Road Map of E-Democracy of Ukraine (OGP)

Duration: September 2015-March 2016

Funding: £8,215

Implementing organisation: Podolian Agency for Regional Development

This project will develop a Road Map on e-democracy in Ukraine (which is a requirement of the OGP Action Plan for 2014-2015), following extensive discussions with NGOs and the State Agency for E-governance and the Cabinet of Ministers; and form a platform for monitoring and evaluation of e-democracy trends in Ukraine and set up a model of efficient cooperation between civil society institutions and government.

Open governance is a reality in the regions

Duration: September 2015-March 2016

Funding: £10,000

Implementing organisation: Transparency International Ukraine

The project aims to increase citizens’ participation and transparency of the local government, by helping implement 2 regional OGP Action Plans in cooperation with local NGOs and regional state administrations. These plans will be available on the websites of the Cabinet of Ministers, the State Agency for E-governance and TI Ukraine. Action Plan implementation of the chosen regions will be monitored and citizens made aware of OGP initiative benefits and how they can participate.

Further information

Transparency International Ukraine website

State Agency for E-governance website

Engaging civic activist and experts in CEB administration reforming process

Duration: September 2015-March 2016

Funding: £10,000

Implementing partner: Civic Platform “The New Country” NGO (Ukraine)

This project aims to ensure civil society activists and experts’ participation in the civil service reform, working with the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service and public experts. The project will help establish public control over the open competition in civil service recruitment process, provide civic activists with the appropriate methodology and necessary knowledge. This, in turn, will help fight corruption and implement long-expected changes via broad consultations, gathering public feedback and close cooperation between the government and civil society.

Further information