The USAID-funded Rada Next Generation (RANG) programme works in partnership with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (VRU). It was in the early phases of implementation in February 2022 when the Russian military invaded Ukraine.

It took a week for parliamentary partners to adapt to circumstances and for WFD’s team to relocate, but the programme has not missed a day of implementation. The VRU quickly communicated its revised needs and WFD, as a member of the consortium delivering the programme, adapted to them. 

WFD’s component of the programme focuses on the VRU’s institutional capacity, primarily around accountability and oversight procedures. The programme is delivering reports with recommendations on improving civil society engagement support to legal drafting, parliamentary research services, full policy cycle and post-legislative scrutiny (PLS). Responding to the outbreak of war, WFD also advised the VRU on hybrid and online procedures and policy-making in conflict settings.

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.