Ambassador John Herbst
The Role of NGOs, Political & Public Figures in the Formation of the Culture of Peace
Speech to the Ukrainian Peace Council
Kyiv, Ukraine
October 29, 2003

I would like to thank Former President of Ukraine and Chair of the Ukrainian Peace Council, Leonid Kravchuk, and the participants of this conference for this opportunity to talk about a very important subject - the critical role of NGOs in the development of a culture of freedom.

When citizens are empowered, they use their voices to influence policy, protect human rights, hold their governments accountable, and develop the kind of civil society that engenders a culture of peace. NGOs play a crucial role in a stable democratic society because they occupy that public space between the state and its citizens - acting as a vital conduit of diverse information, ideas, and services to the government and the people it governs.

Indeed, citizens' organizations and NGOs - often in cooperation with public officials - can be an integral part of policy formation that promotes international and regional cooperation and security, and addresses important domestic issues. There are many examples of such successful cooperation. At the international level, we can point to the influence of NGOs in heightening the focus on human rights issues. Ukraine has its own examples of the critical role played by NGOs in areas of both international and domestic concern. The Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU), for example, has worked with citizens and public officials to facilitate the development of a transparent elections process and educate both citizens and government regarding relevant issues. La Strada and Winrock International are two of many NGOs focusing on trafficking and women's rights in Ukraine, a country where the Criminal Code of 2001 was passed with a groundbreaking (3rd country in Europe to do so) article criminalizing trafficking in persons.

The USG and our Mission in Ukraine have long recognized that vibrant, independent, and sustainable civil society organizations are vital to Ukraine's political and economic development, and that is why assistance and support to the civil society sector remains a key priority. Through USAID, our government has supported the Poland-America-Ukrainian Cooperation Initiative, a tri-lateral effort that promotes cross-border cooperation between Ukrainian and Polish NGOs in such areas as macro-economic policy, small business support, local governance, and European integration.

We have provided technical assistance to a broad range of think tanks that have done valuable research and analysis on issues related to Ukraine's cooperation with NATO and WTO, as well as EU ascension. Others have done mediation and conflict resolution in Crimea. With our support, grass-roots NGOs have helped those afflicted with HIV/AIDs and provided job-training and hope to women victimized by traffickers. In addition, we continue to work closely with NGOs and government organs to improve electoral processes and local governance, and we support these NGO activities through our Democracy Grants program. In addition, the Media Development Fund supports NGO activities shat strengthen independent media in Ukraine.

Taken together, all these efforts promote a more activist society, foster greater government accountability and transparency, facilitate more informed government decisions, and help create a political culture more responsive to the people. It is essential then, that we acknowledge the integral role of NGOs in the development of a more democratic, peaceful society and continue to support them in these undertakings. Not only should we work together to secure the necessary resources, but we must also facilitate the flow of information, ensure access to decision makers, and guarantee that NGOs have a voice in the community.

It has become a truism that more democratic and open societies make better neighbors, and good neighbors eschew belligerence and confrontation for dialogue and cooperation in both political and economic spheres. Insofar as Ukraine's NGOs engender greater democracy, and are permitted to flourish and take their rightful place in the political, economic, and social life of Ukraine, they will continue to make invaluable contributions to greater social harmony by addressing citizens' needs and reflecting citizen concerns, while also playing a vital role in advancing European integration, regional cooperation and security.