Reanimation Package of Reforms

The Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition (RPR Coalition) is a voluntary association of non-governmental organizations whose purpose is to support and promote reforms to build an independent, democratic, legal Ukrainian state and a prosperous society with equal opportunities for development and self-realization of all Individuals, as well as promoting civil society consolidation in Ukraine.

Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition

Abbreviation	RPR Coalition
Formation	March 7, 2014
Type	Non-profit; Non-governmental organization
Purpose	promotion and implementation of reforms in Ukraine
Headquarters	9 office, 10 Kostyolna Street, Kyiv, Ukraine
Executive Director	Denys Denysenko
Website	https://rpr.org.ua/en/

As of 2019, the RPR Coalition brings together 25 NGOs, over 300 experts working in 21 profile teams and is partnered with 19 regional coalition.[1][2][3]

History

The association was created by the members of the informal Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition, which was launched in March 2014, following breaking events on the Independence Square in Kyiv (Euromaidan).

On March 7, 2014, they presented the first lines of work of the Reanimation Reform Package as a "coalition of public activists, experts, journalists and researchers, who pooled their efforts in the course of the Revolution of Dignity to transform the energy of protest into the energy of reforms to make changes in Ukraine truly irreversible."[4] The participants presented the working groups of the RPR: anti-corruption reform, decentralization, judicial reform, public administration, law enforcement, tax reform, electoral law reform, and media reform.[5]

Since 2015, the RPR Coalition has positioned itself as an association of NGOs, not individual experts. The Coordinating Council approved the Charter of the RPR – a charter that defines the functions of the Assembly, the RPR Council and the Secretariat and the general rules governing the platform's activities and internal relations and governance between coalition members. Besides, the Coordination Council found that its members are not just representatives from the groups, but their main experts.

The year 2016 was marked by the approval of the mission of the RPR Secretariat and the rules for the formation of the working groups. Since then, there have been updated rules: how to choose a lead expert and group manager, how a particular expert can join the working group. Since then, the composition of the working groups is formed exclusively by public organizations, which are the organizational basis of each working group.

On April 3, 2019, the Constituent Assembly of the Public Association "Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition" was held, co-founded by 25 NGOs [6]. On May 8, 2019, the Association was officially registered[7].

Principles

The principles of the RPR Coalition are set out in the RPR Strategy Paper.[8]

Strategic goals of the RPR:

• To make the expert community a subject of policy-making
• To consolidate and coordinate public efforts
• To guarantee the quality of proposals concerning reforms
• To advocate adoption and implementation of the reforms we developed
• To communicate the changes to the public and the international community.

Vision of Ukraine:

• Opportunities for corruption and abuse of power eliminated
• Opportunities for populism and its public support reduced
• Citizens know their rights and can realize them
• Transparent, open, accountable, and effective authority, parties, media, and NGOs
• Fair economic and political competition
• Fair justice

Values:

• Patriotism;
• Professionalism;
• Goal orientation;
• Responsibility;
• Political neutrality and independence of business interest

Activity

The Coalition has 21 working groups in different areas of work:[9]

1. Constitutional reform
2. Judicial reform
3. Law enforcement reform
4. Anti-corruption reform
5. Economical development
6. Tax and budget reform
7. Reforming the Financial Sector and the Pension System[10]
8. Electoral law reform
9. Media Reform[11]
10. Health care reform
11. Reform of education and science
12. Reforming the national memory policy
13. Culture
14. Youth Policy[12]
15. Public administration reform
16. Decentralization
17. Municipal development
18. Electronic democracy
19. Environmental protection and sustainable development
20. Reform of the energy sector
21. National security

At the beginning of 2019, the RPR developed an updated Reform Roadmap – an expert vision of the country's reform and development priorities for 2019–2023 in 21 policy areas[13].

Membership and Structure of the RPR Coalition

There are 25 NGOs-members of the RPR Coalition that form expert groups on reform areas. The RPR is open to the entry of reputable and experienced NGOs with impeccable reputations who are ready to engage in a joint expert, communication and advocacy work within the coalition.

The Coalition has a three-tier horizontal governance structure ruled by collective decisions.

• The General Meeting of the Association (hereinafter referred to as the General Meeting) is the highest governing body of the Association. The members of the Association have the right to decisive vote at the General Meeting. Each full member of the Association has one vote in making decisions. The General Meeting is convened at least once a year. The Meeting is deemed duly constituted if the majority of full members of the Association take part therein.

• The Board of the Association (hereinafter referred to as the Board) is the permanent governing body of the Association. The Board is elected by the General Meeting of 9 persons, unless otherwise specified in the decision of the General Meeting, for a term of 1 year by instant-runoff voting, from among the nominees proposed by the full members of the Association. Annually, the composition of the Board is updated by at least 30%. Board members perform their duties voluntarily, that is, free of charge. The Board adopts decisions by a majority of the general vote, except for the appointment and dismissal of the Executive Director of the Association, which is adopted by 2/3 of the votes of the Board. Meetings are held, as a rule, once a month, but not less than once every 3 months.

• The Executive Director of the Association is the head of the Association carrying out operational management of affairs, property, and funds of the Association. The Executive Director is appointed by the Board for a term of 2 years and may be dismissed early as per Board's decision.

To ensure effective work within the common platform, there were developed the Team Rules that regulate the activities of NGOs and experts within the team, as well as the functioning of the team as a component of the coalition. The expert teams work in the form of open expert meetings to develop legislative initiatives and accompany their implementation. The purpose of the team is to implement the relevant reform, to develop a partnership between the authorities and the public, as well as to monitor the implementation of changes.

Results

Coalition organizations and experts have already achieved the following changes in public policy reform:

• Establishment of an independent system of high-level corruption investigation bodies: National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office)[14].
• Launch and maintaining of an online public procurement system Prozorro.
• Launch of National Anti-Corruption Agency[15]
• Introducing of a system of state funding for political parties and public control over the transparency of party finances.
• Launching of electronic declaration for income and property of Public Servants[16][17].
• Legislative development and support of association of territorial communities, significant expansion of their financial and administrative capacity.
• Setting the market price for gas for consumers, which paved the way for market relations in the industry.
• Transferring procurement functions from the Ministry of Health to recognized international organizations (UNDP, UNICEF, Crown Agents) as a consequence – increased competition, reduced purchasing prices and saving over $760 million
• Opening of state databases on owners of real estate, land and vehicles. Establishment at the legislative level of a new practice for obligatory disclosure of information on the ultimate beneficial owner legal entity in an open state register at the EU level.
• Participation in the development of constitutional and legislative changes to judicial reform, in particular to cleanse the judiciary from unscrupulous judges. Formation of Public Council of Integrity[18].

Financing

Since its inception, RPD has been funded through international assistance. Among the donors are the European Union, the international Pact organization headquartered in Washington, the European Endowment for Democracy, the International Renaissance Foundation, the Swedish Agency for International Development and Cooperation ( SIDA), United Nations Development Program, etc. RPR Coalition reports on funds received and results in annual reports [19].

Regional cooperation

At the beginning of 2017, the Reanimation Package of Reforms launched a Regional Cooperation Policy. The regional department of the RPR Coalition was headed by Ivan Omelian, who was previously the coordinator of the Open University of Reforms.[20] The main goals in the work were:

• to disseminate successful experience of RPG (coalition, expert work) among different audiences at the local level and initiate coalition formation;
• to build communication links between national organizations and created local coalitions;
• to build a network of regional coalitions and strengthen informal ties within it;
• to promote and facilitate the development of local reform roadmaps;
• to provide expert, advocacy and communication support to local coalitions;
• to strengthen cooperation between regional environments of activists, experts, journalists;
• to establish liaison between regional experts and experts of RPR groups;
• to establish systematic exchange of information (decisions, practices) between coalitions;

Results

As of July 1, 2019, the Regional Coordinator held 29 presentations of the RPR Regional Cooperation. These events gave rise to discussions on the feasibility of coalitioning organizations to support reforms. As a result, NGOs in 18 of the 29 cities in which the presentations were held united in a regional coalitions. In particular, as of September 27, on the basis of the Regional Cooperation of the RPR, there were:[21]

• Council of Reforms of Rivne
• Kharkiv Reform Coalition
• Reform Coalition of Bohuslav
• Ternopil Reform Center
• Reforming coalition of Chuhuiv region
• Council of Experts (Kropyvnytskyi)
• Sumy Reform Platform
• Khmelnytskyi Reform Council

• Association of NGOs "Poltava"

• Lviv Reform Council
• Zaporizhzhya Council of Reforms
• Odesa Council of Reforms
• Dnipro Reform Coalition
• Association of NGOs "Cherkasy"
• "Nika" League (Vinnytsia)
• Coalition of NGOs for Regional Development (Kherson)
• Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi Coalition of NGOs
• Coalition of NGOs "Civic Renovation Platform "(Kryvyi Rih).

A network of 18 coalitions has been created: it includes 169 NGOs, more than 500 civic activists and experts. Local coalitions have created 16 reform roadmaps, and are now developing a single local reform roadmap harmonized with the roadmap at the national level, actively advocated by RPR. Also, 17 national organizations and local coalitions have joined forces in various projects. In cooperation with local coalitions there was held a number of public seminars on communication of reforms in cities.[22] More than 50 changes (regulations, laws, etc.) have been advocated by local coalitions in their cities.[23][24] However, in order to understand the results of the activities, it is necessary to delve into the context of each coalition. For example, in Chuhuiv there is a great example of how the coalition has established communication with most sections of the local population through print newspapers and social networks.[25]The Bohuslav coalition also has a successful example of publishing its own newspaper and cooperating with the city authorities and the public.[26]

Financing

Support is provided under the project - "RPR and Local Coalitions: A Synergy of Cooperation", implemented by the Civil Society Institute in conjunction with the RPR Coalition. The project is part of the Community Engagement Program "Engage" funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Pact in Ukraine.[27]

Open University of Reforms

From 2015, the Reanimation Reform Package, together with the Center for Democracy and Rule of Law, implements the Open University of Reform Educational Project (SDS) to train young people seeking reform countries, the implementation of social projects and involvement in the activities of the RPR, its participants and partners. The project is to provide the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to create change in the public or public sector.[28]

The educational program at the Open University of Reform takes place in the form of lectures, trainings, discussions, work-shops from leading RPR Coalition experts, well-known journalists, public figures, diplomats and government officials. Starting with the fourth set of SAAs, project participants also undergo training in leading NGOs and centers of expertise. During the project, Open University of Reforms conducted 9 such educational programs.

Publications

• Reforms under the Microscope (as of April 2017) / ed. V. Miskyi, Kyiv: Sofiya-А, 2017. – 132 p. Illustrated. ISBN 978-617-7031-61-0
• Roadmap of Reforms 2019–2023 / ed. by B. I. Yatsun, – Kyiv, 2018. — 76 p
• Roadmap of Reforms for Ukraine (September 2016 — December 2017) / ed. V. Miskyi, O. Halushka — Kyiv, 2016. — 72 p. Ill.

References

1. "Co-founders of the Public Union "Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition"". Retrieved May 8, 2019.
2. "RPR Exeprt Groups". Retrieved May 8, 2019.
3. "Регіональна Співпраця РПР". Регіональна Співпраця РПР (in Ukrainian). Retrieved September 27, 2019.
4. "ВолиньМедіа / Громадськість вимагає реалізації першочергових 13 реформ, які мають реанімувати та об'єднати країну". ВолиньМедіа (in Ukrainian). Retrieved August 29, 2017.
5. "Our History". Retrieved September 27, 2019.
6. "Reanimation Package of Reforms coalition has been registered as a public union". Retrieved August 5, 2019.
7. "About Us". Retrieved August 5, 2019.
8. "RPR strategy". Retrieved May 8, 2019.
9. "RPR Exeprt Groups". Retrieved May 8, 2019.
10. [http: //pensii2017.info/show/eksperty-rpr-pidtrymuiut-zakonodavchu-initsiatyvu-uriadu-shchodo-reformuvannia-solidarnoho-komponentu "Experts RPDs support legislative initiative ... – Pension Reform"] Check |url= value (help). pensii2017.info. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
11. [http: //cedem.org.ua/news/media-reforma-rpr-vklyuchena-do-tekstu-k/ "RPR Media Reform is included in the text of the Coalition Agreement | Center for Democracy and Rule of Law"] Check |url= value (help). cedem.org.uk. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
12. [http: //www.kmu.gov.ua/control/en/publish/article? Art_id = 249664321 & cat_id = 244277212 "Government portal :: Representatives of the Ministry of Youth and Social Policy discussed draft Government of Ukraine mid-term priority action plan for 2020"] Check |url= value (help). www.kmu.gov.ua. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
13. "Roadmap of Reforms for 2019–2023". Retrieved August 5, 2019.
14. "Центр – Центр Протидії Корупції". Центр Протидії Корупції – Корупція завжди має прізвище (in Ukrainian). Retrieved August 30, 2017.
15. "В НАЗК дообрали двох членів. Агенція може розпочати роботу". Українська правда. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
16. "Запровадження електронних декларацій: чергова "підніжка" від чиновників". Юридичний вісник України (in Ukrainian). Retrieved August 30, 2017.
17. Україна, Анастасія Зануда ВВС. "Електронне декларування: все запрацює по-справжньому?". BBC Україна. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
18. "Громадська рада доброчесності: що це таке?". Комiрець. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
19. Річні звіти – сайт РПР
20. "Секретаріат РПР" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved September 27, 2019.
21. "Коаліції РПР" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved August 6, 2019.
22. "«Людина має бути здоровою»: у Черкасах розбиралися в медреформ" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved August 6, 2019.
23. "Нагородження переможців, обговорення минулого та напрацювання на майбутнє – як відбувся форум "Синергія Коаліцій"" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved August 6, 2019.
24. "Сила в єдності: підбито підсумки 2 років роботи Регіональної співпраці" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved August 6, 2019.
25. "Достукатися до людей: інструменти комунікації в Чугуєві" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved August 6, 2019.
26. "Як у Богуславі коаліція працює над змінами" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved August 6, 2019.
27. Olga, Tkachuk (September 13, 2019). "Активісти з Херсону, Миколаєва та Корсуня пройшли стажування в Києві". Інститут громадянського суспільства (in Ukrainian). Retrieved September 27, 2019.
28. Open University of Reform – Center for Democracy and Rule of Law