VRU co-hosts respected int’l conference on challenges to parliaments against ongoing pandemic
12 June 2020, 10:00
Key challenges and lessons for modern parliaments in the context of the coronavirus pandemic were discussed at an international online conference with the participation of representatives of parliaments and inter-parliamentary organizations. The event was organized by the USAID RADA Programme with the support of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Ruslan Stefanchuk, the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, addressed the participants with a welcoming speech. On behalf of the Verkhovna Rada, he congratulated representatives of esteemed parliamentary organizations and parliaments, members of parliaments, employees of parliamentary services and representatives of public organizations who took part in the conference.
R. Stefanchuk then dwelt at length on the current work of the Ukrainian parliament. In particular, he noted that at the beginning of the ninth convocation, there were taken several significant steps towards the digitalization of the parliament. First of all, there was undertaken a rather quick switch to electronic document management, and there were taken a number of measures to ensure the functioning of the electronic parliament as well.
The politician thanked the international partners for their "invaluable participation" in those processes, as there were gained appropriate experience and support of great value.
The first vice speaker of the Verkhovna Rada expressed hope that during this conference the participants would exchange experiences in responding to the pandemic challenges, learn the lessons of national parliaments and develop a strategy for further response to threats towards representative democracy.
The conferees discussed and saw into the key challenges facing parliaments and MPs during the pandemic, the approaches and tools used to overcome them, as well as lessons learned to promote democratic processes and increase the efficiency of national parliaments in the post-quarantine period.
The conference included four panel discussions:
- "Parliamentary Rules of Procedure and Legislative Process under Pandemic: Changes and Adaptation",
- "Digitalization of Legislative Work: Introduction of Electronic Tools to Facilitate Remote Parliamentary Work",
- "Online Transformation of Civic Parliamentary Education",
- “Communication with Voters and Constituency Work: New Approaches and Tools".
The event was attended by MPs, representatives of international organizations and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, international and foreign organizations and institutions:
European Parliament (European Union),
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (USA),
Institute for Parliamentary Research (Germany),
European Centre for Parliamentary Research and Documentation (ECPRD),
Parliamentary Centre of Canada,
Parliamentary Education Centre (UK Parliament),
Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Westminster Foundation for Democracy (UK),
Department for Education and Public Participation of the House of Commons (UK).