A
round table discussion was held in Kyiv February 19, 2007 following
an important international conference held in New Delhi, January
29-30, 2007, bringing together Nobel laureates, top notch
politicians, leaders and celebrities from all over the world,
including Desmond Tutu, Lech Walesa, Hernando de Soto, Muhammed
Yunus and others. Leader of the ruling coalition of the Indian Lok
Sabha (parliament) , Ms. Sonia Gandhi addressed the delegates. To
read her speech, click here.
A
declaration was adopted by all the participants, and
to view it click here.
Program
of the Round table discussion held on Febrary 19, 2007 in Kyiv
Introduction
by Mridula Ghosh, EEDI Board Chair
Gandhism
and non-violence
К.
P. М. Raman, First Secretary, Embassy of India in Ukraine
Gandhism
in the foreign policy of India
Olena
Bordilovska, Ph.D. Senior Researcher at the Institute of
International Relations of the Kyiv Taras Shevchenko University
Peace
and non-violence today – the relevance of Gandhi's
Philosophy - fresh impression from the international conference in
New Delhi
Prof.
Mikhailo Kirsenko,
D. Sc. Kyiv Mohyla Academy and Diplomatic academy of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
Self
perfection as the main basis for Satyagraha
Pershina
Svetlana, World Spiritual University Brahmakumaris
Politician
and Gandhism
Kononov
Vitaliy, Chair of the Political Council of the Green party of
Ukraine, EEDI Board member
Discussion
Summing
up and conclusions
Human
Rights
and Governance
Systemic
Reform, Elections and Individual Rights and Freedoms in
Ukraine
This
project
draws on results of past EEDI projects and focuses on the following
issues:
·
Constitutional
(political) Reform and the system of representative democracy
– merits and demerits of a proportional system of voting and
representation at all levels. (Based on research of experience and
data gathered before and after the 2006 elections in
Ukraine
)
·
Constitutional
(political) Reform and Political parties –
Will it enhance transparency and accountability of political
parties? (Strength and weaknesses of political parties in Ukraine,
role of opposition and ruling parties, in view of the fact that sympathies
and considerations around concrete personalities and economic
interests continue to play greater role and make policy debate not
issue-based but personality-biased.
How far transparency and accountability issues are central to
political parties and how far that will make political parties
enhance their human rights dimension?)
·
Constitutional
(political)
reform
will call for overhauling of various state bodies, especially those responsible for law enforcement,
accountability and human rights
(Accounting Chamber, Ministries of Interior and Justice, Ombudsman,
Parliamentary Committees, Prosecutor’s Office etc.).
Performance of these institutions in drawing the line between the
political and administrative functions of the government - (how they
should operate under weak or slowly developing rule of law and
limited trust in public institutions, as well as how they might rely
on or resist ongoing informal social relations and networks that may
serve either as a resource or obstacle to public action):
their possible role (positive or negative) in
the context of the current political changes: constitutional
amendments and the coming elections;
·
Constitutional
(political) Reform and local self government reform
(decentralization) – Will
this reform have an impact
on delivery of basic needs and services (health, education and
social protection) as human rights and not an entitlement or
privilege to the individual?
·
Constitutional
(political) Reform and the politics of informing people – the
media and the third sector (what
regulatory changes are expected? Will this systemic change prove to
be better for the functioning of the third sector and media in
defense of individual human rights and freedoms?)
Results of the
project are publications
- Four analytical policy papers
and opinion poll data. To obtain them, please write a request letter
to publications@eedi.org.ua
People
and Governance: Topical issues for Ukraine
please click below to
download the chapters in pdf format...
CONTENTS
Part
1
(96.5 KB)
Typology
and Evolution of Principal Institutions of Governance: implications
for proposed Constitutional amendment to parliamentary form of
governance in Ukraine
Part
2 (455 KB)
Role
of the central executive institutions in governance – Ministry of
Justice, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Labor and Social
Policy, Ministry of Health Care
“New”
institutions – the Accounting Chamber, Ombudsman and the
Election Commission
Role
of local government institutions - city, village and town councils,
executive offices of local governments, local courts etc.
Role
of the third sector and the media
Role
of international organizations and the donors in promoting sound
governance in Ukraine
Part
3 (109
KB)
The
reality of people centered governance – results of a survey
Conclusions
and recommendations
(Expert
Team for preparation of the report: Serhiy Panzer, Denis Kovrizhenko,
Dmitro Sklyarenko, Semyon Gluzman and Mridula Ghosh
Translation
and edition: Dmitro Kalinin, Julia Shmarovoz, Lyudmila Kudryavkina,
Dan McMinn, Dmitro Sklyarenko
Organizational
support:
Yuri Prigarovskiy)
Human
Rights and Freedoms in Ukraine
"The
opinion poll showed a big difference between spontaneous and induced
(stimulated) knowledge of rights and freedoms, which proves the lack of
human rights in public awareness. In this sense there has been no major
change since 1999. At the same time citizens are aware of the ways of
protection of particular rights and freedoms. However, in a situation of
large scale violation of rights, people are passive and avoid seeking
practical protection. Trust in international institutions prevails, and
more needs to be done to internalize the process of human rights
protection at the national and local levels, processing of complaints
and redressing of grievances. National institutions need to base their
work on principles of openness and transparency. The issue of
transparency is also fairly well understood by people. Such issues as
role of civil society in protecting human rights, in promoting
transparency and accountability of state institutions are also well
comprehended. Survey results show the need to close the gaps between
policy and practice, gaps in communication between sectors and gaps
between available information/ facts, knowledge and awareness of human
rights issues and the ability to apply them..."
please click below to
download the chapters...
Introduction
(84 KB)
Chapter
1
Human
Rights and the National Instruments: Constitution of Ukraine, Civil
and Criminal Codes, other Legislation and International Obligations
of Ukraine (22 KB)
Chapter
2
Survey
and Opinion Poll: Methodological Approach, Analysis and Initial
Observations (227 KB)
Chapter
3
Results
of the Poll (1.18 MB)
Conclusions
and Annexes (196 KB)
