Projects Archives - Page 14 of 16 - Fellows eapcivilsociety.eu

Introduction of the institute of beneficial ownership in Armenia

The project aimed to combat corruption in Armenia and foster free economic competition through research, constructive dialogue, and awareness-raising training. In the beginning, Mariam organized the workshops on Introduction of the Institute of Beneficial Ownership in the Republic of Armenia in the five Armenian cities of Yerevan, Vanadzor, Gyumri, Gavar, and Kapan. Then, Mariam held a roundtable discussion in a public-private dialogue format to discuss the possibility of the introduction of the concept in the RA anti-corruption strategy. Finally, based on the international best practices, Mariam developed policy recommendations. In addition, Mariam carried out social media campaigns in the frames of which she produced awareness-raising publications. To enhance her skills and exchange ideas on the anti-corruption lobby, she participated in the 5th Open Government Partnership Global Summit in Tbilisi and did a study tour at the various anti-corruption institutions in the United Kingdom, as well as at the Centre for Policies and Reforms of Moldova.

Through the interactive seminars, the action raised awareness on the concept of Beneficial Ownership and improved the knowledge and understanding of 80 young lawyers, civil society and business representatives throughout Armenia. The latter was followed by a roundtable discussion in the Public-Private Dialogue format, engaging more than 100 participants from governmental bodies, international organizations, business, civil society organizations, youth associations, and media outlets. Due to the advocacy efforts during the discussion and under the project, in general, the introduction of the beneficial ownership registry has been enshrined in the RA Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2019-2022. The campaign and publications served as a tool to reach a wider audience and inform them about the anti-corruption measures. In addition, the social advertising video Together against Corruption prepared within the Action was selected among the best three works of the International Youth Competition organised among the 6 member states of the CIS. In this regard, Mariam was awarded a medal by the RA Prosecutor General for her endeavours and commitments towards fighting against corruption. Thus, the action built capacity for Mariam herself, as she was given the opportunity to advance her skills through the field visits in London, Chisinau, and Tbilisi.

Project in media:

Ինչու՞ է անհրաժեշտ բացահայտել ընկերությունների իրական սեփականատերերին

Ովքե՞ր են ընկերությունների իրական սեփականատերերը

Իրավաբանների հայկական ասոցիացիայի անդամ Մարիամ Զադոյանը՝ մրցանակակիր

Country	Armenia
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Team

Study on major impediments for women entrepreneurs and explore women’s rights gaps in business activity of Armenia

The project aimed to detect the obstacles in the major gender-specific areas for women-own enterprises and track the positive and negative trends. To achieve the above objective, Diana developed open-ended and structured questionnaires and conducted interviews with 100 women entrepreneurs. The respondents were either executives or business owners during the summer-autumn period of 2018, either from Yerevan (53,7%) or the other six regions (46,3%) of Armenia. The interviews were conducted in a face-to-face format. Diana collected the personal remarks, recommendations, and critics from the women entrepreneurs and finalized them in the assessment report.

The action explored the impediments for women-owned businesses in Armenia and defined further strategic activities to fill the gaps in the legislation and the business environment. The survey researched the business and sectoral diversification of the male-owned but female-managed and fully female-owned enterprises and revealed the trends; for example, businesswomen tend to operate in the field of services, retail trade, manufacturing, and wholesale trade, when the male-owned businesses cover the sectors of tourism, transportation, agricultural, and IT sectors. To raise awareness of the business, governmental and other strategic stakeholders, Diana organized a Public-Private Dialogue meeting and presented the survey results. Also, the research document incorporates a list of initiatives for improvement of the legal system, investment climate, and tax and customs services in Armenia.

Study on Major Impediments for Women Entrepreneurs and Explore Women’s Rights Gaps in Business Activity of Armenia 2018

Country	Armenia
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Facilitating citizens’ access to e-Services in amalgamated communities (hromadas)

The project aimed to facilitate citizens’ access to e-Services in amalgamated communities (hromadas) of Ukraine. To identify high-quality and user-centered IT solutions for the local administrations, Karyna applied the research, monitoring, educational, and awareness-raising methods. To explore the most efficient electronic services for UTC residents, Karyna researched Public and Electronic Services for UTC Residents. The study was carried out through Data Mining & Analysis of IT-solutions to monitor public service in administrative units. The analysis was conducted from May 12^th to June 1^st, 2018, and comprised 24 regions. Apart from research, Karyna sent opinion polls to more than 700 administrative units. Based on the above findings, she developed e-Services online guide for hromadas’ citizens ‘OTG online’. To unify proactive administrative units towards e-Services Development, Karyna organized various gatherings, including One-Stop-Shop Interactive Panel (14 November 2018, Kyiv), Success Stories Gathering (September – December 2018), Cooperation via Online Platform (September – December 2018), and Practical Task on e-Democracy Tools (7 December 2018, Kyiv).

The project analyzed access to e-Services in the local Ukrainian administrative units. The action produced a bilingual research paper (English and Ukrainian version) – Public and Electronic Services for UTC Residents: Examples. Links. Statistics. The academic publication provides a big picture about the electronic services in UTC and analyzes information about electronic services, public services, and CDASs on official UTC websites (UTC centers); it identifies the main challenges and issues regarding the provision of electronic services in UTC. The research revealed that 500+ hromadas have at least 1+ e-Service and e-Participation (e-petitions & e-appeals) is the most widespread tool in respective units. However, 80% of implemented e-Services (including e-Participation tools) are not applied by the citizens. An online guide developed during the project serves as an instrument to raise e-literacy of the local people in Ukrainian hromadas. All in all, through electronic surveys, online platforms, and offline collaborative gatherings, the project united local administrative units and turned them into drivers of e-Service delivery.

Public services and electronic services for residents of Ukrainian Territorial Communities (in English):

Public services and electronic services for residents of Ukrainian Territorial Communities (in Ukrainian):

Country	Ukraine
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School Management in Georgia

The fellowship aimed to conduct qualitative research to identify the perspectives of school headmasters on key solutions regarding bullying in schools and report to the decision makers (e.g. Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of Georgia). To explore the bullying prevention instruments and mechanisms, George organized five consultation meetings with the mentors and did desk research; he conducted interviews with the 35 school headmasters from different regions of Georgia and five interviews with the field experts. The research findings (objectives, outcomes, and recommendations about the school management in Georgia) were published in the School Management Journal, which was distributed to the local public schools. Also, George held two regional meetings (a conference in Senaki, Journal presentation in Telavi) and two presentations in Tbilisi (event at the Tbilisi Classis School, a final presentation of the research deliverables). To discuss the bullying prevention tools on a global scale, George attended two International events: One in Kathmandu – The Global Campaign for Education conference and the other at Cambridge University – The London International Conference on Education.

The project produced a research paper introducing the perspectives of school principals, mentors, and field experts on bullying and suggesting a joint action to identify and tackle the issue. The academic document revealed the challenges faced by the secondary educational system, including a lack of a common strategy, action plan as well as a communication platform with partner organizations and school community members. The research findings evolved high interest in the professional circles affiliated with the educational field and stimulated policy discussions with the decision-makers. Apart from developing research-based expertise on bullying at schools, George brought the problem at the forefront of the public debates through the meetings on the local (presentations in Tbilisi), regional (events in Senaki and Telavi), and international (conferences in Kathmandu and London) levels. After the fellowship completion, George started a collaboration with his Azerbaijani colleagues to share the lessons learned and come up with a policy that would suit their environment.

Country	Georgia
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Women Leadership Club

The project aimed to identify and empower young women in the Armavir Region (Armenia) and establish a network of young female leaders – Women Leadership Club. To build the capacity of the young women, and change the social stereotypes in the local community, Ozheni held a number of activities. First of all, she mobilized 24 young women from the local community and organized team-building training. Then, she conducted master-classes on human rights and leadership to raise awareness of the attendees in the above issues. Finally, she hosted a movie screening event followed by a public discussion on the role of the strong and independent women, their stories, impact and reflection. To make the voice of the young Armavir women heard throughout Armenia, she participated in the panel discussion in Yerevan attended by the representatives of more than 12 leading non-governmental organizations. In addition, she published a guideline on how to run women’s leadership clubs and distributed among the interested parties.

The action established the Women Leadership Club – an open and sustainable network of young women leaders who are ambitious and endeavor to enhance their skills. The club is active up to date and contributes to fostering young women’s empowerment across the country. Through the six interactive training, movie screening events and discussions, the project educated young women in human rights and increased their leadership skills. As a result, Ozheni identified and empowered 24 young women leaders from the Armavir region. The guidelines published within the project served as an instrument to inform a broader public on the technical and strategic issues of the CSO management. Finally, the project positively affected the local clichés about female roles and built confidence in the young women to take ownership of their lives, goals, and aspirations.

Country	Armenia
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Social development- Sustainable development

The project: Social Development- Sustainable Development researched the social aspects of two different communities in Ukraine (Odesa districts) and Georgia (Imereti districts). Bohdan investigated the components of social dialogue, social service status on the example of “Integrated Model of Social Services”, and gender equality in both target municipalities. The project was a follow-up action of the study previously conducted by the partner non-governmental organizations in Ukraine (NGO Bureau of Social and Political Development, Kyiv) and Georgia (Research-intellectual Club Dialogue of Generations, Kutaisi). Along with research, Bohdan organized field visits, capacity-building training and collaborative roundtables with the local authorities.

The project produced an analytical summary exploring social aspects in the Georgian and Ukrainian communities. The research introduced new perspectives and tools for the sustainable development of both regions. Hence, the local authorities received a list of recommendations on how to apply changes in the working systems or ensure social justice and gender equality. Through the meetings and roundtables, the project increased the capacity of the civil society organizations and enhanced their dialogue with the local authorities.

When given the opportunity by the EU-funded Eastern Partnership Civil Society Facility to replicate project achievements at a larger scale, Bohdan contributed to the regional action: More Influence of Youth on the Local Environmental Agenda in Georgia and Ukraine as a coordinator in Ukraine. The regional project was implemented in collaboration with Mariam Khuroshvili (Team leader and coordinator, EaP Fellow from Georgia) and Tea Turashvili (Digital support, EaP Fellow from Georgia).

Country	Ukraine
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Enable Strategy XXI

The project: Enable Strategy XXI aimed to build capacity and enhance leadership skills for the core members of the local think tank Centre for Global Studies “Strategy XXI”. To achieve that, Andrii conducted a series of training on project management, gender equality, and team motivation. The project delivered special master-classes on liaising with the Ukrainian and European Public Officials in the Energy sector. To analyze the energy policies on the local and European level, Andrii proceeded with his extensive research as an intern at the Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association in Bratislava (Slovakia) and the Reanimation Package of Reforms (Kyiv).

The professional team of the Center for Global Studies improved the quality of their research and organizational management. Thus, the members enhanced their awareness in writing, reporting, supervising, and mentoring; they became more tech-friendly and started to apply the tech-tool in their everyday professional life. The workshops held within the training empowered a female colleague to initiate a project: Energy Security and Effective Strategic Communication between the Civic and Governmental actors: V4+Ukraine, and submit it to the International Visegrad Fund. Also, the think tank produced a guideline on information security according to the European standards. Therefore, Andrii’s participation at the international conferences and internships at the leading local and European institutions increased his visibility and research skills.

Project in media:

Що українці досліджують в рамках стипендіальної програми Східного Партнерства? (in Ukrainian), www.prostir.ua

Country	Ukraine
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Civil Society Involvement in Monitoring Tbilisi City Hall

The project studied the enforcement of Georgia’s political priorities (youth and women empowerment, environmental protection) by the local public administration. Through policy-monitoring research, Mariam assessed the budget and strategic documents of the Tbilisi City Hall from the perspectives of gender equality, environmental mainstreaming, and youth participation. The project also aimed to scrutinize public administration performance, accessibility to public information, and transparency of electronic governance. To investigate the local agendas in-depth, she applied different methodologies (desk research, interviews and content analysis). To raise awareness of the local administration, recommendations were then shared with the relevant departments.

The study produced a bilingual report researching the local agenda of the Tbilisi City Hall in terms of gender, youth, and environment. In retrospect, the project delivered significant tangible results in the field of environmental protection. To address the current climate challenges, Mariam recommended a list of transport regulations. Within two years after the fellowship completion, the Georgian Government introduced mandatory technical inspections on the personal vehicles. Thus, the local authority initiated a new transport policy and sustainable mobility program in compliance with her recommendations. The newly-initiated program promotes the sustainable and green development of the city. Therefore, all ongoing infrastructure projects have to follow the recommendations proposed by the international field-experts.

When given the opportunity by the EU-funded Eastern Partnership Civil Society Facility to replicate some of these achievements at a larger scale, Mariam initiated a regional action to research the local environmental agenda of six municipal administrations of Georgia (Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi) and Ukraine (Kyiv, Lviv, Kriviy Rig) in 2020. The regional project was implemented in collaboration with Bohdan Dyachenko (EaP Fellow from Ukraine) and Tea Turashvili (EaP Fellow from Georgia).

Report in English:

Report in Georgian:

Country	Georgia
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Enhancing Ethical Standards in the Legal Profession

The project aimed to raise awareness about deontology and the importance of ethical standards in the legal system of Moldova. To do so, Olga selected four target groups (high school students, law students, lawyers and lawyers’ trainees, and senior legal professionals) and organized three meetings for each audience. The workshops for high school students delivered vocational orientation training and included the simulation of a court trial. Then, the training for law students was held in Chișinău, Bălți, and Cahul and addressed the issues of professional and personal development. The seminars for lawyers and lawyer trainees were tailored to discussing different aspects of professional ethics including conflicts of interests, independence, lawyer-client and lawyer-lawyer relations, and confidentiality. The well-known lawyers in the country were invited to speak about their experiences, successes, and failures in the profession. Finally, the joint events for lawyers, judges, prosecutors, and other legal professionals brought senior professionals in a friendly atmosphere to share their perspectives about the ethical norms in the legal system. Following this, Olga organized a joint meeting for the European Young Bar Association, Moldovan Young Lawyers Association and representatives of the European Association of Lawyers.

The project delivered 12 workshops for different audiences interested or involved in the legal system. Within the framework of the action, 150 high school students raised awareness about professional ethics in the legal system. Also, 100 law students in three major cities of Moldova became more aware of professional standards and personal development. Besides, 100 lawyers and lawyer trainees discussed different aspects of professional ethics. Via the salon meetings, 50 senior legal professionals shared their viewpoints concerning the issues of ethics in law. In general, the above activities promoted ethical standards in the legal profession to enhance trust in the system of Justice in the eyes of the public and guarantee the protection of human rights. Therefore, the action enhanced international collaboration among representatives of the European Young Bar Association, Moldovan Young Lawyers Association, and the European Association of Lawyers.

Country	Moldova
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CPR Advocacy to Investigate Financial Crimes

The project investigated the financial accusations of the Government of Moldova in money laundering of 22 billion USD to the European Union and the theft of approx. one billion USD from the National Bank of Moldova currency reserves. The action researched the ramifications of the above issue and advocated for an effective international investigation. Through desk research, Dumitru analyzed the legislation and identified the main institutional failures. To explore more information about the Moldovan authorities’ pledges, he reviewed all official documents at the national and international levels. Also, Dumitru organized joint events and consultancy meetings with other watchdog organizations to monitor the advocacy efforts. Apart from the research and scrutiny, the action developed a 30-minute documentary with multimedia elements, explaining the cause and effect of the stolen billions and money laundering on the Moldovan economy, society, and administration.

The action raised awareness of the local population and the international community about money laundering and banking thefts in Moldova. By analyzing the official documents and practices, the Center for Policies and Reforms proposed an alternative assessment of the situation that has resonated in the media. Thus, the project mobilized local civil society organizations to exchange information, develop a joint advocacy concept and be more effective in demanding accountability from the government. Multiple visibility activities and an investigative documentary film reached a wider audience and spread fact-checked information about the much-discussed financial crisis.

In Kyiv and Chisinau, Citizens Thirsty for Reform But the Governments Aren’t, article by Dumitru Alaiba in Atlantic Council

Country	Moldova
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