14-15 September 2017 representatives of more than 50 NGOs and Kyiv public authorities, Council of Europe experts and the project team discussed the proposed concept of public participation academy and NGO platform (including an online platform) and endorsed the project work plan at the project coordination group meeting, envisaging, inter alia, a deeper stakeholder needs assessment and investigation of the strategies of citizens involvement in the decision-making process in Kyiv, tailoring the content and focus of trainings for representatives of NGOs and public servants, functionality and modes of organisation of NGO Platform, its interaction and cooperation with the city authorities in decision-making process.

Ensured opportunities for civil participation in decision-making serve as a key component of sustainable good governance. Participation requires all involved to honestly and sincerely exchange viewpoints to ensure that the positions of civil society are effectively taken into consideration by public authorities with decision-making powers, according to the new Council of Europe Guidelines for civil participation in political decision making*. Civil participation is an essential element of any democratic society. When the level of participation decreases, this is often because there is a lack of trust in democratic institutions. Local government is the level closest to citizens and such proximity should convert into increased levels of civil participation in local affairs.

The Council of Europe project “Promoting civil participation in democratic decision-making in Ukraine” is aimed at reinforcing and promoting wider civil participation in the decision-making by the Kyiv public authorities through effective communications and consultations, strengthening mutual exchange between public officials and NGOs, and among NGOs working on related priority policy areas/challenges – in the framework of the project implementation a concept of the online platform will be developed and presented, which could be the one-stop place for consultations and civil participation at all stages of decision-making by city authorities.

*The Council of Europe has unique standard-setting instruments aimed at promoting civil participation in political decision-making in the Council of Europe 47 member states. The new guidelines (Guidelines for civil participation in political decision making adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 27 September 2017 at the 1295th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies) together with other existing texts such as Recommendation (2007)14 on the legal status of non-governmental organisations in Europe and the Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process now form a solid basis for governments and civil society to work together to strengthen democracy.