The UCAN ethics initiative project started in June 2003 when it began researching international experience in this field and polling Ukrainian NGOs regarding their attitudes towards ethics in the third sector.  Later, based on the survey results, a focus group discussion was held on ethical issues with Ukrainian NGOs.  As a result, the focus group participants became the first members of the organization committee for staging a conference.    

The First International Conference on Ethical Principles of Civil Society Organizations in Ukraine was held in Kyiv on September 29-30, 2003.  Over 100 CSO representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Estonia, and Macedonia were in attendance to discuss the different aspects of CSO ethics.  The main topic of discussion to emerge at the conference was the different sorts of CSO work related issues, in particular, relations with clients, the mass media, donor organizations, and state structures.  These heated discussions to a decision made by those in attendance on the necessity of drafting a Declaration. 

In the following year, the organization committee’s Declaration draft was discussed over round-tables in almost every region in Ukraine.  As a result, several additions/amendments were made to the Declaration and a website on ethics was launched: www.etyka.org.ua

More than 100 Ukrainian CSO representatives participated in the All-Ukrainian conference on Ethical Directions of the Third Sector held in September 2004.  The final version of the Declaration was ratified at the conference and a system for signing onto it was coordinated: every organization that agrees with the principles stated in the Declaration and wishes to openly declare its affiliation with the document  could discuss the decision at a membership meeting and then send a statement and a copy of the meeting’s minutes regarding it joining the Declaration to the Secretary of the organization committee at (etyka@etyka.org.ua).  Sample documents could be found at http://www.etyka.org.ua/to_join.htm, where a list of 45 organizations that joined the Declaration to date is also located.

Following the second conference, the organization committee continued working on popularizing the ethical movement among Ukrainian CSOs.  This time 25 round-table discussions were held in the regions to discuss the feasibility of whether Ukrainian CSOs are able to act in accordance to the principles stipulated in the Declaration, on how ethical values can be implemented in practice, and how ethical values could be applied more broadly in society, etc. 

The third conference took place in December of last year labeled as The CSO Ethical Movement of Ukraine: tasks and possibilities.  At this conference, participants identified avenues to continue promoting the ethical movement in Ukraine.  In addition, new members joined the organization committee. Participants who joined the Declaration voiced the advantages average Ukrainian CSOs receive when joining the Declaration:

-        The Declaration is a good reference point for making complex decisions, especially risky decisions from the stand point of having one’s image tarnished or when an organization’s image is threatened.

-        The Declaration is an effective instrument when exercising certain principles and in working in a prescribed way with government institutions and with other CSOs.

-        The Declaration disciplines an organization and assists colleagues and all organization members to look at the goals and tasks of related activities in a different light, at relations with targets groups, and within the organization. 

-        Joining the Declaration boosts an organization’s image in relation to conducting honest and informal work with target group(s) as well as with the responsibility of reporting to the public and donor organizations.

-        The Declaration stimulates discussion on values, norms, and principles of the work of employees and volunteers, as well as partners within coalitions or members of professional organizations.

Please weigh the thought (if you read up to this point), perhaps it’s time for your organization to augment the list of “ethical” Ukrainian CSOs?  Then you could share your experience in applying the Declaration in practice at the next conference of adherents to the ethical movement of Ukraine.

Authors: Roman Koval, Yulia Yesmukhanova

If you are interested in the third sector Ethical Movement, please visit the web-site

http://www.etyka.org.ua