Democracy Begins with the Community Charter: A New Project Launch

– Olga Donets

The Carpathian Human Rights Agency “Vested”, in partnership with the Grassroots Institute, the Faculty of Law of Uzhhorod National University, and the Research Institute for Fundamental and Applied Studies of European Territorial Cooperation, is launching a new project!

We are pleased to announce the start of an important initiative titled “The Community Charter as an Instrument of Real Democracy”, implemented within the framework of the “Democracy and Good Governance” program of the International Renaissance Foundation. This project aims to strengthen local self-governance and ensure real influence of residents over the life of their communities through the development and updating of community charters. After all, the charter serves as a foundation for effective interaction, transparency, and sustainable development.

The project will include several key stages:

1. Comprehensive legal audit and preparatory work for the development or updating of community charters;
2. Drafting of charter documents with active involvement of residents and the expert community;
3. Public consultations and advocacy for the adoption of the developed documents.

The project will be implemented in 4 communities of Zakarpattia region, each with its own specific needs:

• Uzhhorod City Territorial Community;
• Irshava City Territorial Community;
• Kamianske Rural Territorial Community (Berehove District);
• Zarichanske Rural Territorial Community (Khust District).

We sincerely thank the leadership of these communities for their openness to cooperation and readiness for transformative change.

Project Leadership and Experts Team

The project will be led by Dr. Olha Donets, PhD, Head of The Grassroots Institute Ukraine, and Associate Professor at the Department of Environmental Law of the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University. Other experts in the team include leading legal scholars and practitioners:

• Yaroslav Lazur, Doctor of Law, Professor, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Law, Uzhhorod National University;
• Mariia Mendzhul, Doctor of Law, Professor, Chair of the Board of the NGO “Carpathian Human Rights Agency ‘Vested’”;
• Tetiana Karabin, Doctor of Law, Professor, Head of the Department of Administrative, Financial and Information Law, Faculty of Law, Uzhhorod National University;
• Yuliia Fetko, PhD in Law, Associate Professor at the Department of International Law, Uzhhorod National University, Director of the Research Institute for Fundamental and Applied Studies of European Territorial Cooperation;
• Polina Malesh, Acting Assistant at the Department of Administrative, Financial and Information Law, Faculty of Law, Uzhhorod National University.

On April 15, our expert team held its first coordination meeting to discuss the detailed implementation plan, outlining the schedule of initial working meetings with community representatives, and effectively distributed the responsibilities. We are confident that through joint efforts, this project will make a meaningful contribution to strengthening democratic principles and local self-governance in Zakarpattia.

Stay tuned for updates!
Contact: mail@tgi.org.ua

Disclaimer:
The project “The Community Charter as an Instrument of Real Democracy” is implemented by the Carpathian Human Rights Agency “Vested” in cooperation with the Faculty of Law of Uzhhorod National University, the Research Institute for Fundamental and Applied Studies of European Territorial Cooperation, and the “Grassroots Institute”, in partnership with the Uzhhorod and Irshava city territorial communities, as well as the Kamianske and Zarichanske rural territorial communities, with financial support from the International Renaissance Foundation. The content reflects the views of the authors and does not necessarily represent the position of the International Renaissance Foundation.