Integrating public digital solutions to foster an inclusive digital transformation with Yurii Romashko
Yurii is a Co-founder and Executive Director of the Institute of Analysis and Advocacy (IAA) and one of Generation 17 Young Leaders, an initiative by UNDP and Samsung. He is an activist who believes that young people have a crucial role to play in decision-making, governance, and sustaining peace, and within his context specifically, supporting recovery and reconstruction in Ukraine.
According to Yurii, governments should integrate public digital solutions to foster an inclusive digital transformation. Through his work for IAA, he has worked on a range on initiatives, using data analysis and digital solutions, to promote more transparent and accountable systems. Among other things, he has developed digital solutions to combat price gouging during the COVID-19 pandemic and smart city solutions for Poltava city.
Yurii’s believes that youth political and civic activism can play an essential role in Ukraine. He notes that Ukraine’s relative maturity in digital technology and access enabled young people to quickly gather and demand civic spaces following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He further highlights the significant role that civil society organizations have played in Ukraine, both before and since the onset of the war. When the war broke out, civil society organizations joined forces to find solutions to challenges faced by the government. Young people were among those who tried to help by leveraging their communication channels and other means.
While Yurii mentions that every person in Ukraine was trying to find options to help, he emphasizes that young people have unique perspectives and are often more open to new ideas, making them important voices in decision-making and governance.
“Young people have unique perspectives, making them key to decision-making processes...”
Yurii shares his own experience of how IAA responded to the crisis. He recalls that on February 23, 2022, him and his team discussed safety and security policies in case of a crisis. On February 24, when the full-scale invasion started, they were in shock and didn’t understand what was happening. However, they quickly mobilized to provide humanitarian support, and eventually started doing analytics and research to find solutions to continuous reconstruction efforts. Civil society organizations all over the country responded in similar ways, coming together to help in all possible ways.
Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, the civil society and youth have shown resilience. Research on the impact of the war on youth reveals a significant increase in volunteering, with 30% of young respondents stating that they volunteered for the first time in 2022. Additionally, nearly 70% of young people expressed an interest in participating in Ukraine’s recovery process[1].
[1] Impact of war on youth in Ukraine | United Nations Development Programme (undp.org)
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“They say that you should try to change the world, because if you don't change the world, the world changes you. That's why please be more active, feel comfortable. Your voice is important. Don't be frightened of anything and act”.
