A panel discussion on “How to introduce gender approach in the work of service institutions?” took place in Kyiv on 18 December 2018. During the event, the manual on “Integration of gender approach in the work of the Administrative Services Centres” was presented (DOWNLOAD).

The manual is the first in Ukraine comprehensive collection created by the leading Ukrainian and Swedish experts of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme’s support to improved administrative service delivery that contains conceptual principles and practical recommendations for integrating the gender approach into the ASCs’ work. The collection contains seven practical recommendations for implementing gender policy in hromadas, as well as templates of documents and gender assessment tools to be used in the work of an ASC. In fact, the manual is a road map for the AH management to provide the highest quality administrative services to various groups of hromada residents.

On the occasion of the manual presentation, Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, addressed the heads of Administrative Service Centres: “Introduction of gender component allows creating safe, convenient and accessible public spaces taking into account the needs of the inhabitants, and actualises inclusiveness. With decentralisation, attention is focused more on a particular person, his/her needs and peculiarities. Therefore, today there is a public demand for the creation of gender-sensitive services offered by the ASC as the closest link to the population.”

Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, said: “Several years ago it was desirable, but not realistic to imagine that we would talk about introducing gender policy in ASCs. And today, all central executive authorities have their commissioners for gender equality. Such persons should be in each structure in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities of Men and Women”. We want the principles of gender integration to penetrate all areas of public work, because it is the instrument that makes the country successful and prosperous.”

Martin Hagström, Ambassador of Sweden to Ukraine, noted: “In Sweden, we have a long history of analysing and taking the perspectives of both women and men into account when we develop policies and offer public services. The experts of U-LEAD’s Support to improved administrative service delivery team has done a great job in adapting the complex recommendations and instruments to the Ukrainian context. In the final analysis, this work is about ensuring that all members of society are treated fairly and equally.”

“ASC is a place, where citizens receive the widest list of necessary administrative services in the one-stop shop format. It is the ASC in hromadas that serves as the main meeting platform for the authorities and citizens, therefore, equal involvement of women and men in all stages of the Centre's activities is necessary both for the proper work of the ASC and for the sustainable hromada development,” added Susanna Dellans, head of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme’s support to improved administrative service delivery.

The presentation was also attended by the heads of ASCs from more than thirty hromadas from all over Ukraine. In addition to being involved in the discussion, they took part in the training on the implementation of the manual’s recommendations regarding the ASC’s work.

Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, Martin Hagström, Ambassador of Sweden to Ukraine, Stephan Dahlgren, Head of Migration and Security Sector, EU Delegation to Ukraine, Taras Tokarskyi, Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine on European Integration, and Susanna Dellans, head of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme’s support to improved administrative service delivery, took part in the discussion of the principles of creation of gender-oriented service institutions in Ukraine.

You can download the Manual directly on the website of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme’s support to improved administrative service delivery: https://tsnap.ulead.org.ua.

It should be mentioned that the 3^rd Round of selection of the Roll-Out Phase for the establishment and modernisation of ASCs is currently ongoing. Unlike previous rounds, the current one involves amalgamated hromadas of cities of oblast significance with a population of more than 50 thousand residents.