SD Digest

It is extremely important to support Ukraine and local communities not only through words but through deeds. In this regard, crowdfunding campaigns have been launched to raise funds for generators for people in need in Ukraine, including students and teachers. This actions helped to ensure education and sustainable humanitarian activities in the context of the energy crisis.

"We have to think about support not only during the war but also after it, by encouraging the reconstruction process, including the social democratic movement. In this context, an important step is to grant candidate status and support the European integration aspirations of not only Ukraine but also Moldova and Georgia.

The candidacy should not be just a symbol of solidarity, but a signal to countries and their societies about the direction of the movement.

It is crucial that the reconstruction process takes into account the needs of socially vulnerable groups, namely women and youth, who should be involved in the development of reconstruction policy to the fullest extent possible.

Ukraine is much more prepared for reconstruction than other countries, which is a positive signal, as is the EU's willingness to help. However, there is criticism from international partners that grassroots and professional communities have not been engaged enough in devising preliminary decisions and initiatives that were presented on reconstruction issues.

It is crucial that the reconstruction should be as inclusive as possible and focus not only on the capital or large cities but also on vulnerable groups of citizens who have suffered the most.

Among the advantages of starting the reconstruction of Ukraine are the institutional capacity and our officials' activities.

However, it is worth realizing that reconstruction is not just a gift. It is a partnership, thus the Ukrainian government could use tough bargaining. It is essential that this aid reaches the local level, and the vulnerable groups, and is not spent on institutional support for this aid.

The outflow of young labor is also a major problem. Thus, 53% of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands do not plan to return.

Therefore, it is necessary to involve trade unions and youth movements in the planning of recovery and reconstruction.

The situation with the confiscation of Russian assets around the world has got off the ground, with numerous countries developing relevant legal mechanisms. At the same time, we should continue to promote the idea of confiscating Russian assets to compensate Ukraine for the damage caused by the Russian war.

The total amount of such losses is currently estimated at about $750 billion. At the same time, Russian assets worth a total of $417 billion have been frozen, and $1 billion has already been confiscated.

Currently, Canada and the United States are introducing fast-track confiscation procedures and confiscation based on the results of criminal proceedings.

The Public Service of Ukraine has demonstrated its resilience and invincibility in the most difficult times for the country: both during the pandemic and in times of full-scale war, people continue working even under attacks.

At the same time, public servants' salaries remain very low, and discussions on a draft law introducing a transparent and competitive formula for public servants' remuneration have been ongoing since mid-summer.

The problem of positioning public officials as agents of transformation have not yet been resolved, which should be addressed in the context of future postwar reconstruction.

During the Forum, representatives of the NGO "Progresylni/Progressive Teachers Network" presented their work on the losses, current challenges, trends, and opportunities for the post-war renewal of Ukrainian education.

During the full-scale invasion, education suffered a number of losses, compounded by the previous impact of the budget deficit and the coronavirus pandemic:

- destruction or damage of educational infrastructure facilities;
- reduction of funding for higher education ;
- loss of human resources;
- the outflow of Ukrainian and foreign students;
- the threat to the identity of children in the temporarily occupied and de-occupied territories.

According to the study, 47% of educators do not have the energy to do scientific work, 7% had to change jobs, and 24.8% of respondents' educational institutions suffered during the war.

In the context of educational reconstruction, it is essential to understand that the world does not stand still, education abroad is developing, so the renewal of the educational system should be faster to keep up with global trends.

Thus, representatives of the NGO "Progresylni" presented their vision of the educational system development. 80% of the educators who took the survey are ready to become a driver for its implementation:

- real autonomy and effective management;
- dual, informal, STEAM education;
- vocational education, digitalization of education, and online learning;
- inclusive and safe learning;
- academic mobility and grant activity;
- multilingualism and digital literacy;
- mandatory military medical training.