UN-Ukraine Cooperation for 2006 - 2010

In August 2005 the Government of Ukraine and UN Country Team operating in Ukraine signed the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF).

UNDAF is a strategic document that spells out cooperation between Ukraine and the United Nations in Ukraine for years 2006-2010. It is designed to provide support and assistance to Ukraine as it moves toward a sound democracy, full protection of human rights, and a strong economy. UNDAF is the foundation for all the activities to be conducted by the organization in partnership with the Ukrainian authorities.

In 2004 Common Country Assessment was conducted to identify Ukraine's the most pressing challenges. UNDAF is the result of this thorough study presenting the overall response by the United Nations to these challenges and describing the goals to be met on these issues over the next five years.

Using this research, the United Nations in Ukraine, together with the Ukrainian Government, and representatives of other international and local organizations, civil society and the private sector identified 4 areas in which the UN will assist Ukraine for the next five years:

(1) Institutional reforms - in this area the United Nations will provide support and technical assistance to the Ukrainian Government and people to:

• develop and implement policies, regulations and laws which include everybody, and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, age or another quality;
• strengthen those institutions which safeguard and advance human rights;
• support government operations that benefit the people and are transparent;
• increase people's access to government institutions and public services.

(2) Empowering civil society - The United Nations will support the development of civil society in Ukraine by working to expand the effectiveness of civil society and grass-roots organizations. Specifically, the UN will work to:

• establish networks of gender education centres, and will strengthen existing gender-oriented civil society organizations, in order to empower women and fight against gender discrimination;
• strengthen civil society organizations which provide legal and social aid to vulnerable groups;
• make the general public more aware of both their own political, civil, social, economic and cultural rights and how to exercise these rights fully;
• support a diverse and free mass media hat addresses all forms of discrimination and inequality;
• make a special effort to protect the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS, and to strengthen national networks of people living with HIV and AIDS.

(3) High-quality, accessible health care for all - By 2010, the United Nations will support Ukraine to:

• strengthen the national response to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and maternal and pediatric health needs, with special attention paid to vulnerable groups, ensuring the right to prevention, treatment and control of diseases in a manner consistent with international standards;
• increase access to and use of quality treatment and medical services by mothers and children, people affected by HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, youth, and vulnerable populations.

(4) Poverty reduction - The United Nations will work with the Government to reduce poverty in Ukraine by 50 percent and help to:

• develop policies and programmes that take into account the needs of the poor strata of the Ukrainian population, especially rural populations and members of vulnerable groups, who may not have access to government services;
• continue agricultural and rural development reform;
• strengthen the social services system, so that every person will have access to these services;
• develop a large-scale urban employment programme which provides public works, vocational training, and support to small-and medium-sized enterprises;
• guarantee full access to quality education, in both urban and rural areas;
• support measures to protect workers' rights.

The UNDAF provides the strategic framework for the UN agencies in Ukraine to work better together at the country level having a unified vision in pursuit of national development goals and priorities. The UN system is also guided by the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the globally accepted common framework for development, which Ukraine committed to along with other member-states.

» Full text of the United Nations Assistance Framework for Ukraine (English)

» Background of Common Country Assesment (CCA) and UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF)

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