At the Civil Society Home, ISAR Ednannia presented the CSO Meter report, where expert Maria Krasnenko shared key achievements and challenges faced by Ukrainian civil society in 2024. The report was conducted in the framework of Action “CSO Meter: Empowered for Action”, in which ISAR Ednannia has become a partner this year.
Among the achievements of 2024 is the adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine 'On Local Self-Government in Ukraine,'" which ensured greater transparency in the decisions made by local authorities and increased citizen access to their work. This has strengthened trust between communities and the government. Additionally, the participation of CSOs in the European integration of Ukraine processes has grown. CSOs have also actively contributed to the work of coordination hubs, supporting resolving issues related to displaced Ukrainians and the rebuilding of liberated territories.
However, challenges remain — such as the formal approach to implementing laws at the local level, unstable funding for CSOs during the war, and violations of freedom of expression for activists and civil society representatives, all of which require attention.
"Despite the full-scale war, Ukrainian civil society has demonstrated extraordinary strength, serving as the cornerstone of democracy and a key force in maintaining social cohesion," said Asier Santillán, Head of Section European Integration, Governance and Rule of Law, Civil Society at the EU Delegation to Ukraine.
To improve the environment for the civil society sector, researchers identified seven priorities, including digitalizing services most in demand by CSOs through the Diia portal, considering the specific needs of CSOs in public procurement processes, ensuring better access to banking services, reviewing the provisions of the Law of Ukraine "On Public Consultations," and amending the Tax Code to support volunteers.
The Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Public Relations, Head of the Division of the Cabinet of Ministers, Natalia Oksha, and expert from the Ukrainian Independent Centre for Political Studies, Maksym Latsyba, also shared their conclusions and recommendations.
Participants also discussed, in groups, the necessary next steps for effective advocacy of the priorities proposed by the report, aiming to form a shared vision among representatives of Ukrainian civil society for 2025. These contributions will complement the CSO Meter.
Recording of the presentation.
We encourage you to join the public discussion of the CSO Meter report. You can submit your comments and suggestions until December 3. Based on these suggestions and those developed during the presentation, ISAR Ednannia will update the CSO Meter report and publish the revised version on its platforms.
This event is organised within the framework of the Action “CSO Meter: Empowered for Action”, funded by the European Union. The Project is implemented by the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting (ECNL) and its partners: Transparency International Anticorruption Center in Armenia; MG Consulting LLC in Azerbaijan; Civil Society Institute in Georgia; Promo-LEX Association in Moldova; and the ISAR Ednannia in Ukraine.
