The Recovering Ukraine Democratically programme originated in conversations between WFD and our partners in Ukraine about the democratic challenges posed by the war and recovery process. We believe it is vital that the democratic political system responds effectively to the desires and needs of the Ukrainian people, almost all of whom have, in some way, contributed to the war effort.

The Recovering Ukraine Democratically programme aims to introduce political practices which seek to make the political system more responsive to people’s needs, lived experience and expectations in the context of war and reconstruction. The focus is on inclusive problem-solving practices which improve understanding among political actors of problems faced by citizens so they can prioritise their actions adequately, create engagement between citizens, civil society, experts, power holders and political actors, and lead to concrete actions by those in power or seeking to hold power. To achieve this, WFD works with political parties, civil society and local communities. 

WFD worked to ensure governance in Ukraine is inclusive of all groups through its Inclusive and Accountable Politics programme, as well as supporting the parliament to ensure effective legislation.

WFD’s work through our Inclusive and Accountable Politics programme in Ukraine helped the parliament to strengthen its role in scrutinising government, improving accountability for legislative and financial matters, and making society more inclusive of women and underrepresented groups.

Ukraine required the rapid introduction of new emergency legislation and regulation to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many new laws were enacted in first months of the pandemic. Due to the necessary speed of the legislative process, there was not much time to scrutinise and analyse draft laws. What is more, Government decisions of the use of public funds related to COVID-19 have been challenged.

With WFD support, the VRU reviewed and assessed COVID-19 emergency legislation (the second economic package), made recommendations for improvements, and documented lessons learned to help the government design better policies and laws in future emergencies.

Sponsored by the British Embassy in Kyiv, WFD directly shared British democratic experience with the parliament through our MP’s Partnership Scheme, enhancing relations between members of the Verkhovna Rada and Westminster.

In partnership with GIZ Ukraine, WFD helped establish a Financial and Economic Analysis Office (FEAO) in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in 2015 to provide the parliament with accessible economic and financial information and help it monitor public spending.

The FEAO helped the Verkhovna Rada to oversee the actions of the executive by reviewing the use of public funds and providing independent financial and economic research and analysis. This supported the parliament in its role as an effective safeguard for service delivery for Ukrainian citizens and helped ensure that international standards for financial oversight are applied throughout the parliament’s operations, particularly when drafting bills or amending legislation.

The FEAO produced 300 research studies and pieces of analysis; 156 analyses upon the parliamentary committees’ requests, and 13 analyses relating to EU acquis legislative compliance for the Verkhovna Rada.