Action plan – Kyiv, Ukraine, 2025 – 2026

At-a-Glance

Duration

Dec 2026

Date Submitted

25th February 2025

Foreword(s)

Kyiv has a long tradition of cooperation between local authorities, civil society and business. Despite the difficulties caused by the full-scale invasion, Kyiv is actively implementing the principles of open governance, understanding the importance of involving citizens in city policies to create transparent governance. Kyiv is striving to become a modern European capital that responds quickly to challenges and provides comfort for its residents. The city has created conditions for cooperation with non-governmental organisations and implemented mechanisms of interaction to develop civil society.

The annual TOP-100 awards are held to recognise the best civic initiatives, as well as Kyiv city and district civil society development forums. One of the areas of development is the Vcentri concept, which combines open public spaces Vcentri HUB and an online platform for civil society institutions. Five public spaces are already in operation in different districts of Kyiv, and the electronic platform vcentri.com helps NGOs interact with the city authorities. Kyiv has more than twenty civic participation tools that enable residents to implement their ideas for improving the urban environment, including online surveys and petitions in the Kyiv Digital app and public dashboards with open dataBy opening up data and making it sharable and reusable, governments can enable informed debate, better decision making, and the development of innovative new services. Technical specifications: Polici... on the official website of the Kyiv City State Administration.

The Action Plan for 2025-2026 defines the city’s development priorities, including increasing transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, accountability and citizen engagement in decision-making. Implementation of this plan will promote inclusiveness, taking into account the needs of different social groups, strengthen trust in the authorities and increase the efficiency of city management. The plan will also expand the range of innovative services for Kyiv residents, strengthen civic engagement, and create conditions for participation in important decision-making processes.

Open Government Challenges, Opportunities and Strategic Vision

This subsection details the Open Government Strategic Vision in your local area that should guide the commitments for the action plan period.

What is the long-term vision for open government in your context and jurisdiction?

The long-term vision of open government in Kyiv is to create a transparent, accountable and inclusive system of urban governance that actively engages citizens in decision-making and promotes trust between the authorities and the community. This involves the introduction of modern digital technologies, the development of civic education, and the creation of platforms for effective communication between residents and the city administration.

In January 2025, the Kyiv City Council approved an action plan for the implementation of the Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More initiative for 2025-2026. The plan envisages the expansion of digital platforms for public consultations, the expansion of the Vcentri HUB network of public spaces, the development of civic education for young people, and the openness of the city government through increased access to public data.

Thus, Kyiv aims to become a city where the authorities and the community cooperate on the basis of openness, trust and mutual responsibility, ensuring sustainable development and improving the quality of life of its residents.

What are the achievements in open government to date (for example, recent open government reforms)?

Kyiv has made significant progress in implementing open governance principles aimed at increasing transparency, accountability and citizen engagement in decision-making. Key achievements:

1. Open data and information transparency: Creation of open data dashboards on the official website of the Kyiv City State Administration
2. Public engagement and accountability: Creation of the Vcentri HUB network of open public spaces; and the creation of the platform ‘Register of Civil Society Institutions’
3. Use of technology and innovation: Implementation of digital participationMany governments are creating online mechanisms for citizens to petition, call for action, and participate in making decisions on issues they care about.  Technical specifications: Refers to public p... tools such as e-petitions and online surveys in the Kyiv Digital app

What are the current challenges/areas for improvement in open government that the jurisdiction wishes to tackle?

1. Insufficient level of civic participation in decision-making
Lack of a systematic approach to public consultations and their mandatory nature in decision-making.
Insufficient involvement of young people in city policies.
Solution: Develop and implement the RegulationGovernment reformers are developing regulations that enshrine values of transparency, participation, and accountability in government practices. Technical specifications: Act of creating or reforming ... on Public Consultations in Kyiv.
Implementation of interactive civic education courses in schools, universities and vocational education.
Launch new digital platforms for communication between the authorities and the community.

2. Limited access to open data and digital tools
Lack of full access to public information in a convenient format.
Fragmentary updates of open data on city portals.
Lack of an integrated digital platform for citizen participationAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, citizen participation occurs when “governments seek to mobilize citizens to engage in public debate, provide input, and make contributions that lead to m... More in city governance.
Solution: Updating and expanding open data sets in a format suitable for analytics and public control.
Integration of electronic services into a single urban ecosystem.
Implementation of an electronic system for citizen feedback to the authorities.

3. Limited opportunities for civil society development
Insufficient resource provision for civic organisations and initiatives.
Insufficient institutional support for the development of the volunteer movement.
Solutions: Expansion of local platforms (Vcentri HUB) for training and cooperation of civil society organisations.
Institutional support for volunteer initiatives through programmes of cooperation with the city authorities.

What are the medium-term open government goals that the government wants to achieve?

• Increase the level of civic participation in decision-making
  – To introduce an effective mechanism of public consultations.
  Target: adoption and implementation of the Regulation on Public Consultations in Kyiv.
  – Expanding the network of Vcentri HUB public spaces for active interaction between residents and the authorities.
  – Launching interactive civic education courses in schools, universities and vocational schools to raise awareness among young people about the mechanisms of participation in city politics.
• Open data and digitalisation of urban governance
  – Expanding access to open data (in the field of cultural monuments protection).
  – Expansion of urban services on a single e-platform for public services.
  – Integration of city digital services into a single system for the convenience of users.
• Increase the transparency of the authorities
  – Regular reporting of the city authorities to the community (as part of the implementation of the commitments of the local Action Plan).
  – Strengthening the capacity of civil society
  – Support for volunteer initiatives and development of mechanisms for cooperation between civil society organisations and the city authorities.
  – Resource support for civil society organisations to increase their capacity to influence city policy.

How does this action plan contribute to achieve the Open Government Strategic Vision?

The Kyiv Local Action Plan is a tool for the practical implementation of the Open Government Strategy at the city level, as it
– Ensures civic participation through the mechanisms of public consultations, civic education and public spaces.
– Improves government transparency through open data and reporting.
– Uses digital innovations to improve urban governance and integrate electronic services.
– Promotes the development of civil society by expanding opportunities for civic initiatives and volunteering.

How does the open government strategic vision contribute to the accomplishment of the current administration’s overall policy goals?

• Increasing public trust in the city authorities
  Creation of mechanisms for public accountabilityAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, public accountability occurs when ”rules, regulations, and mechanisms in place call upon government actors to justify their actions, act upon criticisms ... More of the authorities to the community.
  Improving access to open data.
  Implementation of effective mechanisms of anti-corruption control and public monitoring.
  Increased public trust in the city authorities and the formation of partnerships between the authorities and residents.
• Improved efficiency of municipal governance
  Implementation of digital services for residents (online records, e-services, citizen appeals).
  Development of participatory governance mechanisms (public consultations).
  Optimisation of urban management processes.
• Active involvement of citizens in city management
  Expanding public participationGiving citizens opportunities to provide input into government decision-making leads to more effective governance, improved public service delivery, and more equitable outcomes. Technical specificatio... in urban policy-making through public consultation mechanisms.
  Development of a network of public spaces (Vcentri HUB) for communication between the authorities and the public.
  Raising the level of civic education through interactive courses and information campaigns.
  Active interaction of residents with the city authorities, increased community responsibility for the development of the city.
• Strengthening international cooperation and integration of European practices
  Implementation of the best European practices of open governance.
  Participation of Kyiv in international open governance programmes.
  Strengthening of Kyiv’s cooperation with European cities, attraction of additional resources for city development.

Engagement and Coordination in the Open Government Strategic Vision and OGP Action Plan

Please list the lead institutions responsible for the implementation of this OGP action plan.

• Department of Public Communications of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State)
• Department of Education and Science of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State)
• Department of Information and Communication Technologies of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council
• Department of Cultural Heritage Protection of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City)
• Municipal non-profit enterprise of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Admin)
• Municipal enterprise ‘Main Information and Computing Centre’ Municipal Research Institution Research
• Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University
• Institute of Postgraduate Education of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University
• District state administrations in the city of Kyiv

What kind of institutional arrangements are in place to coordinate between government agencies and departments to implement the OGP action plan?

In Kyiv, the Department of Public Communications of the Kyiv City State Administration is responsible for the implementation of OGP measures. This department coordinates the interaction between different structural units of the city administration, ensures communication with the public and monitors the implementation of the commitments set out in the action plan.

What kind of spaces have you used or created to enable the collaboration between government and civil society in the co-creation and implementation of this action plan? Mention both offline and online spaces.

In the course of elaborating the commitments of the Local Action Plan for the city of Kyiv, one introductory session for stakeholders, one strategic session and a presentation of the Local Action Plan to the general public were held. The introductory session was held at the Vcentri HUB open public space in Obolon district of Kyiv. The strategic session was held in the columned hall of the Kyiv City State Administration. The presentation of the Plan to the general public was held in the presentation hall of the Kyiv City State Administration. In addition, the progress of the Action Plan development was widely covered both on the official Facebook page of the Department of Public Communications and in municipal media, such as Vechirniy Kyiv and Kyivinform.

What measures did you take to ensure diversity of representation (including vulnerable or marginalized populations) in these spaces?

Understanding the importance of broad involvement of different segments of society in the development of the local Action Plan, representatives of the city youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ... government and NGOs that work with socially vulnerable groups were invited to participate. Structural units of the KCSA, the media, representatives of the scientific community and youth of Kyiv were also invited to participate.

Who participated in these spaces?

Structural subdivisions of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Administration), Kyiv City Council, district state administrations in Kyiv, representatives of the scientific community, youth, representatives of CSIs in Kyiv

How many groups participated in these spaces?

5

How many public-facing meetings were held in the co-creation processCollaboration between government, civil society and other stakeholders (e.g., citizens, academics, private sector) is at the heart of the OGP process. Participating governments must ensure that a dive...?

3

How will government and non-governmental stakeholders continue to collaborate through the implementation of the action plan?

Each of the five commitments involves structural units of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Administration), municipal enterprises, as well as (upon consent) representatives of civil society organisations of Kyiv. In the course of implementation of the commitments, CSIs will monitor and provide expert support to the actions of structural units, as well as ensure broad coverage of the commitments in social media.

Please describe the independent Monitoring Body you have identified for this plan.

Implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Plan’s performance indicators are carried out by the Coordination Council for Civil Society Development under the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Administration).

Provide the contact details for the independent monitoring body.

• Nataliia Petrova, Director of the municipal non-profit enterprise of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv, hub.vcentri@gmail.com
• Dmytro Ruban, Deputy Director of the Department of Public Communications of the executive body of the Kyiv City Co, dsk.online1@gmail.com
• Svitlana Gryshchenko, Representative of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, kyiv@coe.int

What types of activities will you have in place to discuss progress on commitments with stakeholders?

• Regular public reports and consultations
  Format: Quarterly and annual public reports on the status of implementation of commitments.
  Meetings of the Coordination Council for Civil Society Development at the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Administration)
  Presentation of interim results in the format of open sessions with civil society representatives.
• Strategic meetings with key stakeholders
  Format: Roundtables with representatives of civil society organisations, business, and international partners.
  Closed working meetings with responsible executives – structural units of the KCSA.
  Interagency coordination meetings to coordinate actions between city authorities.
• Public events and interactive formats
  Format: Public discussions in the Vcentri HUB – discussions on the implementation of initiatives with broad community involvement.
  Educational workshops and trainings – explanation of key aspects of the Action Plan implementation and opportunities for residents’ participation.
• Online monitoring tools
  Format: Creation of an Open Government section on the official website of the Kyiv City State Administration to track progress on the indicators.
  Social media and the official website of the KCSA – regular updates on the implementation of commitments.
  Feedback through electronic services – surveys of residents on the effectiveness of the implemented measures.

How will you regularly check in on progress with implementing agencies?

Interim control over the implementation of the commitments of the Local Action Plan will be carried out on a quarterly basis in the form of closed meetings with representatives of the relevant structural units of the Kyiv City State Administration

How will you share the results of your monitoring efforts with the public?

The results of the implementation of the commitments of the Local Action Plan will be highlighted on the official Facebook page of the Department of Public Communications and Partners, as well as on the official website of the Kyiv City State Administration and municipal media (Vechirniy Kyiv, Kyivinform)

Endorsement from Non-Governmental Stakeholders

• Olena Artemenko, Civic Foundation,
• Serhii Hnatiuk, NGO ‘Scientific Association of Cybersecurity of Ukraine’,
• Tetyana Graban, NGO ‘Golda Meir Institute for Civil Society Development’,
• Rostyslav Dmytrus, NGO ‘All-Ukrainian Association ’Anti-Corruption Checkpoint’,
• Anna Dudnyk, NGO ‘Ukrainian Independent Centre for Political Studies’,
• Oleksiy Kovalenko, NGO ‘Civil Society Development Forum’,
• Polina Kravchenko, NGO ‘Institute for Development, Cooperation and European Integration’,
• Inna Krupnyk, NGO ‘Historical Platform’,
• Maksym Latsyba, NGO ‘Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research’,
• Oksana Marukhlenko, NGO ‘Mother’s Love’,
• Alisa Sukhikh, NGO ‘Innovative University’,
• Volodymyr Sheyhus, NGO ‘ISAR Ednannia’,
• Inna Dorn, NGO ‘Kyiv Defenders’,
• Tetyana Kostenko, NGO ‘Trinity Hub’,
• Maria Levonova, NGO ‘Centre for Common Actions’,
• Danylo Metelskyi, NGO ‘Centre for Social Transformations’,
• Yulia Panura, NGO ‘Ukrainian independent centre for political research’,
• Olena Sayenko, EGAP,
• Oleksiy Tretyakov, CEDEM,
• Igor Shlakhetnyuk, NGO ‘Institute of Political Strategies’,

 “Actions to implement the Partnership Initiative in Kyiv ” Open Government in 2025-2026 – English