Kyiv, 7 February 2023 – The Russian invasion and the war in Ukraine are causing untold death, destruction,  and displacement, and undermining fundamental human rights such as the right to life and security. To address those challenges, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is working closely with national and international partners to ensure that human rights principles are integrated into every emergency and recovery solution.

Today, Jaco Cilliers, interim UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine, and Natalia Aliushyna, Head of the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service (NAUCS), met to discuss ways to enhance civil service capacities during and following the war, with a strong focus on human rights values.

During the meeting, Jaco Cilliers stressed that during the times of crisis caused by the war Ukraine requires strong national institutions and systems to be in place to ensure that all men, women and children have equal and timely access to public services. “The unprecedent crisis triggered by the war requires holistic solutions and new approaches and we are working closely with our national partners to design them. Accessible, human-centred public services based on principles of respect are crucial for the protection and observance of the human rights of all,” he said.

Natalia Aliushyna, Head of NAUCS, also underlined that it is critically important to support public officials, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to serve the people effectively and with respect to human rights. “Effective and efficient public service during wartime requires a timely refocusing of resources and priorities, putting the human-oriented approach at the centre of all emergency solutions. Despite all challenges and new burdens, public officials are required to keep on serving the people, providing access to public services equally to all without any exceptions,” she said.  

During the meeting, the parties agreed to scale up their cooperation to address war-related challenges, specifically to enhance the capacities of civil servants to address war-related challenges.

The partners agreed to develop and launch a series of educational courses aimed at equipping public officials with the knowledge and skills they need in the wartime context.

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, Communications Team Leader, UNDP in Ukraine, Yuliia.Samus@undp.org or +38 097 139 1475