UNDP Project “Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development Programme”  (UNDP/MGSDP) has been working for 6 years in 28 municipalities and settlements of municipal type. The Programme engages local communities and authorities to apply community-based approach to local development. In this context, local communities learn to clearly define and implement local initiatives for sustainable development in partnership with local authorities.

 

Rubizhne municipality became Programme`s partner in 2007 and since then local authorities have established strong connection with communities and solve all local problems jointly.

 

The city has unique experience in establishing effective Public Council as an advisory body to the City Mayor. The Public Council became powerful expert and consultative resource. The Council was initiated in 2008 by Municipal Support Unit, created in context of UNDP/MGSDP. Major task of the council is to facilitate better transparency in operation of executive bodies of the city council and mainstream public opinion in taking important decisions on strategic city development. The Public Council includes 21 leaders of local CSOs and honorary people of the municipality. The Minutes of every meeting of the Public Council are submitted to the City Mayor for further action in order to ensure implementation of the Council’s decisions. The Mayor decides either to organise a separate meeting or oblige responsible sectoral authority to solve the problem. The issue can be withdrawn from Public Council’s Agenda only upon it is solved.

 

On April 12, the Municipal Support Unit presented “Municipal Programme for Sustainable Development of Rubizhne Municipality for 2010-2014”, which introduces the community-based approach into municipal policy. Once approved, this Municipal Programme implementation will facilitate establishing of sustainable community organisations, able to initiate and implement own initiatives in cooperation with bodies of local self-governance and other local stakeholders.

 

For introducing sustainable development into all areas of municipal life, the municipality will establish Municipal Resource Center for Sustainable Development. In particular, this agency will coordinate annual contest for grant support for local initiatives aimed at sustainable development. The agency sets a target to elaborate and announce a mechanism for suggest local initiative on issues of local self-governance.

 

The meeting of the Public Council on April 12 was held with participation of Anatoliy Busenkov, Rubizhne City Mayor, Iryna Skaliy, UNDP/MGSDP Manager, Olena Ursu, UNDP/MGSDP Governance and Sustainable Development Expert and up to 20 members of the Public Council and invited representatives of sectoral departments.

 

The reviewed draft of the Municipal Programme for Sustainable Development of Rubizhne is planned to be passed to the city council in 2-3 weeks.

 

As of now, UNDP/MGSDP supported 7 local community SD projects in Rubizhne, including three projects of Associations of Co-Owners of Multi-Apartment Houses  aimed at replacement of old windows and doors in entrances of the community house and three projects aimed at replacement of old windows in entrances of the community house. Also, one project of local school was supported aimed at replacement of old pipes of water supply and sewage systems. Total cost of these projects is UAH 187 006, including UAH 29812 contributed by local community, UAH 78597 contributed by each UNDP/MGSDP and Rubizhne City Council. Local projects implementation benefited 2351 citizens (847 women, 790 men and 714 children), and possess strong demonstration and teaching effect for all communities of the municipality. 

 

The Municipal Support Unit in Rubizhne has many achievements. It organises variety of Human Resource Development activities for local activists, officials and public, awareness campaigns on HIV/AIDS prevention, gender equality promotion, consumer rights, etc. Also, the MSU held sociologic surveys on education system, employment rate, assessment of local situation by local authorities and citizens. 

 

UNDP/MGSDP was initiated in 2004 for promoting democratic governance aimed at improving the livelihoods of people in urban areas across Ukraine under the framework of public-private partnership.

 

The Programme cooperates with community-based organisations, academia and civil society organisations in 23 municipalities and 5 settlements of municipal type across Ukraine and other partners in private and public sectors. Together they apply various sustainable development mechanisms.

 

Since 2004, UNDP/MGSDP supported 232 local community projects with a total cost of UAH 26.3 mn. For more information on the Project's activities, please visit: http://msdp.undp.org.ua