21 August 2024, Kyiv — In a significant preparatory step towards accessing European Union Structural Funds, 25 communities (hromadas) across Ukraine will be trained to apply and use EU statistical standards as part of a project* implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and funded by the Government of Germany through the KfW Development Bank.  

IOM experts on data collection and analysis gathered in Kyiv recently to explore the best ways to support evidence-based recovery planning and activities. The expert team will build communities’ capacity to collect gender, age and disability-disaggregated data and analyze it in line with international standards and IOM’s methodologies. Together with local stakeholders, IOM will help ensure that reliable data is available for designing and monitoring recovery initiatives that are inclusive and impactful for local communities.  

“IOM aims to enhance the capability of local communities, regional and national governments to collect citizen-generated data on recovery and development priorities and monitor the impact of interventions effectively. This initiative is aligned with IOM’s wider efforts to support accountable, data-driven local governance,” said Joshua Phillippo-Holmes, the Data and Analytics Programme Manager at IOM Ukraine. 

"In preparation for Ukraine’s integration into the European Union, it is necessary to support Ukrainian hromadas in mastering data collection, analysis and use, according to European statistical standards," stated Natalia Hnydiuk, expert with the Reform Support Office (Ministry for Restoration). She emphasized the importance of aligning hromada-level data with EU standards to ensure the availability of European structural funds for local recovery as soon as possible. 

The IOM project will also allow for the verification and improvement of the recently developed indicators of the State Strategy for Regional Development. These indicators are essential for developing a transparent and effective national recovery policy and establishing a baseline for tracking progress. 

By supporting the Government of Ukraine’s agenda, this initiative will contribute to empowering communities to deliver improved assistance and services to people based upon a stronger understanding of how to collect and use data to identify priority needs and monitor the impact of recovery initiatives.  

* The three-year German-funded IOM project, entitled “Hromada Empowerment and Recovery Facility” (HREF), aims to benefit over 120,000 people by working with 25 recovery planning working groups and 50 civil society organizations in targeted hromadas.