Transparency International Ukraine is an accredited chapter of the global movement Transparency International. Since 2012, TI Ukraine has been helping Ukraine grow stronger. The organization takes a comprehensive approach to the development and implementation of changes for reduction of corruption levels in certain areas. TI Ukraine launched the Transparent Cities program in 2017.
Our purpose
Transparent, accountable, and resilient cities: close to residents and free from abuse of office.
What we do
- studying the operation of local authorities and promoting integrity and good governance practices;
- supporting innovation and open data in local government;
- engaging civil society in monitoring, oversight, and co-creation.
At the beginning of the full-scale war, the program established a Fund for Emergency Support of Cities, which has already helped 22 cities from 11 regions. Almost UAH 2.7 million was allocated for the needs of the cities.
Transparency of local authorities
- In 2017–2022, the program annually compiled the Transparency Ranking of the 100 largest cities in Ukraine and provided recommendations to improve the situation and implement successful transparency practices. Within 5 years, the level of transparency in the cities increased by 62.2%.
- Within the framework of the program, the Accountability Ranking of 50 Ukrainian Cities was also formed, showing the actual state of accountability of local authorities. Within two years, the level of accountability increased by 28.84%.
- In 2022, the team adapted the methodology for studying the transparency of cities to wartime conditions and conducted a study of the city councils' operations; it evaluated 70 cities according to updated criteria based on 40 indicators.
Three cities were recognized as transparent in 2022: Dnipro, Lviv, and Mukachevo. 10 cities were recognized as partially transparent: Vinnytsia, Volodymyr, Zhytomyr, Kamianske, Kyiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Lutsk, Ternopil, Uzhhorod, Chernivtsi. 57 cities were found to be non-transparent.
- In 2023, the program expanded the methodology to research the transparency of city councils in wartime and conducted a second study among 80 cities according to 50 indicators.
In 2023, five cities were found to be transparent: Dnipro, Drohobych, Lviv, Mukachevo, and Ternopil. 23 cities were granted the status of partially transparent; the remaining 52 cities were recognized as non-transparent. 30 cities improved their results by 5% or more. Some cities improved their results by 30–35%.
Research & analytics
We study open data, housing policy, decolonization, tools for government transparency and accountability.
What do we offer?
For the local government
- Quality analytics on the work of local government, recommendations on how to increase the transparency of cities and adapt to wartime conditions.
- We hold informal consultations for local authorities on various issues, from ensuring openness of data to adaptation to wartime conditions.
For citizens
- Skills and knowledge of monitoring and oversight tools to control local government.
- Advocacy for changes to ensure transparency and improve interaction with the authorities.