The round table "Government and Community: Effective Cooperation in Decision-Making" took place in the city of Lutsk on January 20, 2006. The event was organized by the Center for Political Education and the Center for Public Youth Organizations of Volyn "Our Cause." Participants in the round table included representatives of regional and local government, public organizations, mass media, youth, and experts.
Do new opportunities for cooperation between government and the public exist in Ukraine today? How can partnership relations between government and the public be established and maintained? How can the process of citizen participation in policy-making at the local level be improved? — these and other questions were lively discussed by the round table participants.
The discussion participants shared their own experience of influencing government decision-making, in particular the activities of public councils and collegiums under state authorities, conducting campaigns to lobby for citizens' interests, public hearings, and the like.
It was noted that the vast majority of public organizations still lack effective social management, development programs, and a broad range of public services. Their development is also significantly hindered by financial, economic, and political dependence on government bodies and donor programs. Public associations are still not even familiar with the general procedures of economic analysis of the effectiveness of state policy. They lack operational information and, as a result, operational and professional response to events affecting public interests. Although this is one of the main social services that any public organization should provide. As a result, they are unable to compete in their arguments and alternatives with the arguments and alternatives of regulatory bodies. An opinion was expressed that part of state functions should be transferred to non-governmental organizations, replacing regulation with self-regulation.
During the discussion, the main tasks for the public sector were identified as follows: creating a vertical of constant information exchange between public organizations and government bodies, lobbying for public interests, and coalition work of citizens' associations. The round table took place within the framework of the Center for Political Education Project "Involving Citizens in the Decision-Making Process at the Local Level," which is being implemented in 5 regions of Ukraine with the support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (Great Britain). Within the framework of the project, a series of round tables is planned in the districts of Volyn, as well as a training seminar for representatives of the public and government.