The Kyiv School of Economics, with the support of UNICEF, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine and in coordination with the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, is implementing a large-scale project aimed at improving the efficiency of social spending with a focus on families with children. One of the project’s components is the educational component — organizing and conducting trainings for hromadas professionals.

The first three-day offline workshop on “Child-Centred Public Financial Management and its Role for The Recovery at the Local Level” took place on June 4-6 in Kyiv. It was attended by representatives of local governments and regional military administrations of Zhytomyr and Kirovohrad regions, who are responsible for social protection, regional development, financial management, and provision of services to children.

“UNICEF in partnership with the Government of Germany via KFW, and KSE, is currently supporting hromadas across Ukraine to build back better communities where children and young people can enjoy the protection and support they need to thrive. This partnership prioritizes some of the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach areas, as well as communities directly affected by the conflict and IDP-hosting communities. 

While local authorities face considerable fiscal space limitations, investments in children and young people cannot be postponed, as they are essential to rebuilding communities and the country’s human capital” said Carlota Rego, OiC Chief of Social Policy, UNICEF Ukraine.

The training program consisted of three modules, during which, in particular, participants analyzed tools and approaches to financing social programs, peculiarities of gender-oriented and child-centered approaches to budgeting, and studied best practices of international experience in the field of child social protection. Each module included theoretical and practical exercises aimed at improving the participants’ competencies in public finance management.

“It is extremely important for hromadas to be able to effectively attract both internal and external funding sources, especially in the context of Ukraine’s recovery. We are pleased to join this initiative and share our knowledge and experience in the field of public finance. We believe that this will help hromadas better cope with challenges, ensuring sustainable development and well-being of the younger generation,” said Vladyslava Grudova, Executive Director of KSE Institute.

The workshops are expected to become an important platform for knowledge exchange between experts from different regions. Participants will work on real cases, develop practical strategies, and learn how to raise financial resources effectively to support social programs.

Eight three-day sessions, covering 47 UNICEF – partner hromadas, are planned to be held in different cities of Ukraine. The trainings are part of the project “Integrated Social Services for Conflict-Affected Children and Their Families in Western and Central Ukraine,” funded by KfW and UNICEF and “Shock-Responsive Social Protection analytical study of national budget programmes including vulnerable categories affected by the war, families with children, and beneficiary perceptions of social support response in an emergency context.” Implemented by the Kyiv School of Economics under UNICEF funding