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National Roundtable to Discuss the Digital Future of Social Protection Held in Kyiv

March 27, 2024

On 26 March in Kyiv, Right to Protection held a national roundtable discussion, The Digital Future of Social Protection: From Reform to Resilience.   

Nadiya Kovalchuk, Programme Director of R2P, opened the event. She noted that digitalising public services is an important and relevant topic.

"We started working on the topic of digitalisation back in 2021, and we are glad we can do it together with our partners, the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union. In our opinion, digitalisation should qualitatively change both the services currently provided to Ukrainians and the social protection system, improving and strengthening it," said Nadiya Kovalchuk.

"The future of digital social support is already here. Even though we are working in a time of war, we already have many convenient digital services. We are moving from a digital transformation strategy to a further strategy for the digital development of the social sphere. This is the path we are following together with social sector workers, the public and international partners," said Kostiantyn Koshelenko, Deputy Minister of Social Policy for Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalisation.

At the end of 2023, the Foundation's monitoring team interviewed more than 1,500 respondents in 10 oblasts of Ukraine. The survey results show a positive trend in citizens' satisfaction with their interaction with social protection institutions. Most respondents (86%) expressed satisfaction with their experience of communicating with these institutions. In particular, 54% of respondents rated their experience as positive, while 32% indicated a generally positive experience but with minor suggestions for improvement. At the same time, the survey also revealed a number of positive changes in people's interaction with these institutions. In particular, most respondents (50%) noted a reduction in the timeframe for reviewing and responding to appeals. In addition, 47% of respondents indicated improvements in the convenience and efficiency of services related to the ability to submit applications and documents remotely and use electronic tools to obtain the necessary services. 

Ksenia Gedz, R2P's advocacy coordinator, who moderated the event, said these data indicate a positive trend in citizens' satisfaction with their interaction with social protection institutions.

"The results of our research confirm the relevance and urgency of the topic of digitalisation of the social sphere, opening new horizons for the development and integration of digital innovations. At the same time, we face challenges, particularly the need to ensure equal access to digital services for all population categories. The digital divide must be bridged, especially for vulnerable groups and citizens living in remote regions. The issue of digital literacy also remains important, requiring systematic educational initiatives and programmes," said Ksenia Gedz.

The first panel discussion focused on strategic and practical aspects of social protection digitalisation.

The panellists presented different visions of digitalisation, noting the importance of integrating digital solutions to increase the efficiency and accessibility of services. Tetiana Kalyta, Head of the Digital Team at the Project Office at the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, highlighted the significant progress in implementing digital initiatives to improve the quality of service for citizens and develop inclusive technologies. Her presentation highlighted successes and plans for the future, especially in supporting vulnerable groups.

Yanina Liubyva, Open Data Expert at the Ministry of Digital Transformation, revealed the potential of open data to ensure transparency and efficiency of public administration. She emphasised the importance of access to information as a critical factor for developing society and building trust between the state and citizens.

Oleksandr Maletskyi, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Pension Fund of Ukraine on Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalization, highlighted the importance of digital initiatives for the pension system, which provide greater accessibility and convenience of services for pensioners. He emphasised the role of digitalisation in ensuring the extraterritoriality of services, allowing citizens to receive services regardless of their place of residence.

During the discussion, Oleh Lutsiv, Head of Social Protection Advocacy of R2P, focused on the importance of advocacy efforts to raise awareness and protect vulnerable groups' rights in digital transformation. He stressed the need to develop and implement policies that promote inclusion and ensure equal access to digital services for all citizens.

Oleр Lutsiv emphasised that while digitalisation offers unprecedented opportunities to improve social protection, it poses new challenges to society, particularly regarding privacy and data protection. He expressed confidence that civil society's active involvement in digital policy-making can contribute to a more efficient and equitable social protection system.

Overall, the discussion highlighted a shared vision of the digital future of social protection, where innovation, openness and accessibility will be critical success factors. The speakers' presentations emphasised the current achievements and the importance of further efforts to build Ukraine's more inclusive, efficient and transparent social protection system.

The second panel of the roundtable brought together representatives of regional administrations and experts who shared their experience and vision of digital transformation at the local level. The discussion highlighted the critical role of regional initiatives and projects implemented to improve the quality of public services and support vulnerable groups.

East Europe Foundation, represented by Serhiy Hunko, EGAP Regional Digital Transformation Coordinator, demonstrated the importance and effectiveness of cross-sectoral cooperation in digitalisation. The EGAP programme, which has been working on digitalisation for 9 years, is a vivid example of how innovative digital solutions can transform approaches to governance and service delivery at the local level while ensuring high transparency and accessibility.

Regional representatives, including Andrii Bratus, Deputy Head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration for Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalisation, and Ihor Meshchan, Director of the Social Development and Veterans Policy Department of the Kyiv Regional State Administration, shared successes and challenges in implementing digital initiatives in Kyivska oblast. Their speeches highlighted how digital transformation is becoming a catalyst for improving local authorities' efficiency and providing citizens with social services.

Ksenia Kachurivska, Head of the Diia.Business Entrepreneurship Support Center in Ternopil and the West Ukraine Digital project office, presented the importance of digitalisation for supporting small and medium-sized businesses, especially in the context of social entrepreneurship and social protection in the region.  

In the context of social protection and community support, Olena Temchenko, Expert on the Mental Health for Ukraine (MH4U) project, PhD in Law, and social services specialist, expanded the discussion by focusing on the importance of ensuring citizens' mental health and well-being. She emphasised that digitalisation can be vital in providing access to quality mental health services, especially in remote or war-affected regions. Her presentation reminded participants of the need to integrate psychosocial support into the broader context of digital social protection initiatives.

Following the panel discussion, the participants agreed that the success of digital transformation at the regional level depends on a deep understanding of local needs, active hromada participation and effective interaction between all stakeholders.

Over 150 participants engaged in the roundtable, joining offline and online. The event was implemented within the framework of the Digitalisation of Public Services: Facilitating Access for Conflict-Affected Communities and Vulnerable Groups in Ukraine project implemented by Right to Protection with the financial support of the European Union and in partnership with the UHHRU.