{"id":4188,"date":"2018-08-16T15:38:27","date_gmt":"2018-08-16T12:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ldn.org.ua\/?post_type=event&p=4188"},"modified":"2018-09-30T15:51:13","modified_gmt":"2018-09-30T12:51:13","slug":"experts-from-legal-development-network-and-ukrainian-helsinki-human-rights-union-received-first-results-of-local-self-government-monitoring","status":"publish","type":"event","link":"https:\/\/ldn.org.ua\/en\/event\/experts-from-legal-development-network-and-ukrainian-helsinki-human-rights-union-received-first-results-of-local-self-government-monitoring\/","title":{"rendered":"Experts from Legal Development Network and Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union received first results of local self-government monitoring"},"content":{"rendered":"

Experts of the Legal Development Network (LDN) and the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union (UHHRU) continue to carry out public monitoring of local self-government bodies in five regions\u00a0of Ukraine: Lviv, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytsky and Chernihiv. They primarily focus on respect for human rights. The monitoring is based on the methodology of the Local Human Rights Index (LHRI).<\/p>\n

The field work of the monitors is now complete\u00a0and it is\u00a0time to summarize the\u00a0results and outline\u00a0recommendations for the local self-government authorities. In addition, monitors working\u00a0in the region of Ivano-Frankivsk held a series of meetings in July where they discussed the results of the monitoring with the municipal police officers in the cities of Dolyna and Bolekhiv, as well as in the\u00a0Vytvytsk\u00a0Unified Territorial Community\u00a0(UTC).<\/p>\n

\u201cAll local governments were willing to cooperate: they provided us with information, sometimes even after work<\/em>, – says project expert Andriy\u00a0Maletyn<\/strong>. – We were all eager to work and see some kind of picture. However, the results of the monitoring have not completely satisfied everyone. On the side of local governments there are remarks\u00a0regarding the indexes themselves. The thing\u00a0is that a number of index criteria do not apply to cities of sub-regional\u00a0significance, so\u00a0a certain part of their activities is\u00a0difficult to assess. That means that\u00a0there is a need for better adaptation of the index to the local conditions\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\"\"In the p<\/i><\/em>icture<\/i><\/em>: expert of the project Andriy Malet<\/strong><\/i><\/em>y<\/i><\/em><\/strong>n<\/strong> during <\/i><\/em>the<\/i><\/em>\u00a0experiment in the Dolyn<\/i><\/em>a Administrative Services <\/i><\/em>Center<\/i><\/em>\u00a0<\/i><\/em>(Ivano-Frankivsk <\/i><\/em>region<\/i><\/em>)<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n

In addition to the preparation of monitoring reports\u00a0the experts of the Legal Development Network in Khmelnytskyi region analyzed the court cases of the Khmelnytsky City Council, the Dunaevetska UTC\u00a0and the Slobodsko-Kulchievetskaya UTC. They also held preliminary talks with the local authorities on the organization of meetings, where the results of the monitoring will be discussed.<\/p>\n

LDN\u00a0monitors working in the Chernihiv region conducted an additional experiment at school # 24 in Chernihiv.\u00a0As a part of the Local Human Rights Index, the “School” experiment includes a\u00a0number of indicators. Monitors collect data in the media, on-line resources, and directly at school. For example, they check whether the distance from the school to the houses\u00a0of the service area does not exceed 800 m, whether the students can use public transportation; they are also checking the media\u00a0for facts of non-compliance with the temperature regime. At\u00a0school\u00a0they check if there is a pedestrian crossing near the educational institution, the accessibility of the school for the for children with disabilities, the availability of a medical worker at\u00a0school, the condition of school premises (gym, assembly hall, etc) is also assessed. The monitors check whether there activities aimed at respect for diversity are being held at school. They also check other indicators, awarding the scores\u00a0respectively.<\/p>\n

\u201cRepresentatives of Chernihiv local self-government show positive attitude towards the monitoring, they are easy to contact<\/em>, – Iryna Biryuk, monitor in Chernihiv region, shares her\u00a0impressions. – Such monitoring, of course, is needed. It encourages better community work in the field. I think it is useful for local authorities. Each inspection gives their\u00a0conclusions, and everyone will think\u00a0again if\u00a0everything is done correctly, or maybe some mistakes were made that they might not have paid\u00a0attention to in everyday life. And when they\u00a0see these errors in the monitoring process, they correct them very quickly and appropriately\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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In the p<\/i>icture <\/i>from right to left: Natalia Kulikova<\/strong>, project expert, Irina Biryuk<\/strong>, project monitor in Chernihiv region, and Regina Gusak<\/strong>, <\/i>member<\/i>\u00a0of Chernihiv City Council, during an experiment <\/i>at<\/i>\u00a0one of the Chernihiv<\/i>\u00a0schools<\/i><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the tasks that monitors perform within the project is the study of websites, particularly\u00a0from the point of view of the availability of information contained therein for people with disabilities.<\/p>\n

Thus Olena Romanova<\/strong>, member of the monitoring group in the Rivne region\u00a0and UHHRU expert, evaluated\u00a0the websites of Rivne and Ostroh city councils, as well as Piskovskaya UTC. The monitor concluded that the online resources of the Rivne and Ostroh City Councils did not meet the standards of access for users with impaired sight\u00a0and hearing\u00a0problems.<\/p>\n

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In the p<\/i>icture<\/i>: Olena Romanova, project monitor in the Rivne region<\/i><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to O.Romanova<\/strong>, this is due to the lack of monitoring by the State Committee for Television and Radio of\u00a0the local self-government bodies\u2019 websites. In addition, there is no explicit liability for non-compliance with the relevant legislative requirements.<\/p>\n

To resolve this problem, it is necessary to\u00a0distribute a direct order with the requirements to websites of executive authorities, including the\u00a0websites of local self-government bodies. In addition, a controlling authority should be defined. It need to have the power to hold accountable for non-compliance with the requirements for ensuring the availability of information for people with visual and hearing impairment.<\/p>\n

For more information on monitoring the\u00a0local self-government\u00a0websites from the point of view of the availability of information, please refer to Olena Romanova<\/strong>‘s article “Local Authorities’ Internet Sites as Availability Areas: Looking for an Answer within the Local Human Rights Index”, which is posted on the National Human Rights Index via the link https:\/\/bit.ly\/2MlR6Ka.<\/p>\n

Project participants note that the local self-government authorities\u00a0usually respond to their needs\u00a0providing all the necessary information. However, there are exceptions when the required data is\u00a0missing and public queries are ignored.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy does it happen? There are several possible answers\u00a0– from shame for their management or concealing\u00a0of shameful corruption practices – to inadequate explanations provided by the monitors on the benefits of monitoring<\/em>, – explains Andriy Galay, UHHRU expert and coordinator of the program “Local Human Rights Index” .- But the main question is not “who is to blame?” but \u201cwhat has to be done”? So it is necessary to continue monitoring\u00a0and to draw conclusions from it. Objectively and evidence-based. Therefore, we\u00a0need to try once again to explain to local top officials that you will not be able to\u00a0play\u00a0hide and seek. We have repeatedly emphasized – this monitoring is not against, but for the authorities. Effective and focused on people\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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In the p<\/i>icture<\/i>\u00a0from left to right: Andriy Galay<\/strong>, UHHRU expert, and Yevhen Poltenko<\/strong>, <\/i>LDN <\/i>Executive Director<\/i><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More details about the challenges during the monitoring are provided\u00a0in the article by Andriy Galay<\/strong> “No data – 0 points. Provided that they were looking diligently”. The article can be found at https:\/\/bit.ly\/2M8FUod.<\/p>\n

An important prerequisite for obtaining objective and impartial monitoring results is constant coordination and close cooperation of all project participants. On August 2, a meeting of the project expert group composed of LDN and UHHRU representatives\u00a0took place in Kyiv. The participants agreed on a joint approach to preparation of the final reports on each community based on the recommendations the UHHRU experts\u00a0have provided before. Once again, the experts emphasized the necessity\u00a0to adhere to such principles of the Local Human Rights Index as evidence-based and unambiguous interpretation of the index criteria. The participants of the meeting have also planned further steps to implement the project.<\/p>\n

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In the p<\/i>icture<\/i>: participants of the meeting of the expert group of the project, from left to right Andr<\/strong><\/i>i<\/i><\/strong>y Galay<\/strong>, coordinator of the program “Local Human Rights Index”, UHHRU expert; Yevhen Poltenko<\/strong>, <\/i>LDN <\/i>Executive Director; Maria Tsypyshchuk<\/strong>, project expert, UHHRU; Victoria Ilchyshena, project expert, <\/i>LDN<\/i>; Roman Likhachev<\/strong>, Project Manager, <\/i>LDN.<\/i><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the upcoming\u00a0months\u00a0the project expert group will analyse\u00a0the legal policies and practices of \u00a0the local governments from the point of view of respecting human rights and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups of the population, investigate the practice of implementing local policies and programs, and how citizens’ participation in decision-making is ensured on the local level.<\/p>\n

Based on the results of this\u00a0work, experts will identify top 10 best practices and top 10 violations. They will also develop recommendations for\u00a0local governments on how\u00a0to improve local policies and programs from the point of view of human rights protection. They will also prepare proposals to increase public participation in decision making and monitoring of local self-government\u00a0activities.<\/p>\n

The project of the Legal Development Network “Public Monitoring of Local Self-Governance: \u00a0Partnership in the Implementation of Human Rights” is being implemented with the support of the American people provided through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) within the framework of the New Justice Program.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Author: Sergiy\u00a0Rybak, Legal Development Network Communications Manager<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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