Committees and NGOs: A Checklist for Building Cooperation

Preserving and strengthening this cooperation, even under martial law, is a vital task for both the Ukrainian government and civil society.

Indeed, if not now, when is the right time to foster systematic collaboration at all levels and with a range of institutions — including the committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine? Parliamentary committees, as key actors in the legislative process, play a crucial role in conducting public consultations. Involving non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in law-making is an established practice, supported by Council of Europe documents, the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement, and other international treaties.

So, how is cooperation between non-governmental organisations and parliamentary committees in Ukraine organised? How are openness and inclusivity ensured in this collaboration? How can new NGOs begin working with committees of the Verkhovna Rada? And how has the full-scale war affected these processes? These are the questions at the heart of a new study by the Agency for Legislative Initiatives, which explores the cooperation between parliamentary committees and non-governmental organisations in Ukraine.

Demand vs Need — Why Does It Matter?

Parliament has several forms of public engagement, which can be divided into five stages: informing, education, communication, consultation, and participation. NGOs, in turn, play a significant role — including in the development of legislation and in providing analytical support to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

For example, the Council of Europe identifies Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process. the principles of inclusivity, openness, and transparency as fundamental to building effective cooperation mechanisms between public authorities and civil society. Decision-making processes should remain open to ensure that diverse perspectives are taken into account and that balanced, well-informed policies are developed.

Considering the expertise, experience, and reputation of organisations — as well as their readiness for long-term cooperation — is a key priority when building partnerships with non-governmental organisations. This inclusive approach, backed by practical measures, helps to shape higher-quality legislative initiatives that respond to the real needs of society.

According to the ALI research, non-governmental organisations recognise the importance of the same criteria used by parliamentary committees — expertise, reputation, and experience. These factors determine the level of trust in organisations and their capacity to influence policymaking: the expertise of organisations that provide high-quality analytical materials allows their in-depth knowledge in the field to be taken into account, while the reputation of NGOs depends on their previous activities, financial transparency, and participation in significant projects.

Of course, existing legal acts — such as the laws On the Committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and On Law-making Activity — provide for various forms of cooperation, including parliamentary hearings, round tables, working groups, and public consultations. At the same time, they do not always specify the procedures for their implementation in detail, which creates gaps in practical application. For example, individual consultations or informal communication with experts remain outside the scope of clear regulatory frameworks. At the same time, the effectiveness of cooperation between the committees of the Verkhovna Rada and NGOs is based on mutual transparency, the involvement of a broad range of stakeholders, and a focus on practical outcomes. For committees, this creates opportunities to develop high-quality legislative initiatives that reflect the needs of society; for NGOs, such cooperation offers a means to influence decision-making processes that serve the public interest.

Checklist of Criteria for Selecting Non-Governmental Organisations for Effective Cooperation with Verkhovna Rada Committees

Based on information collected through surveys and interviews with representatives of parliamentary committees and NGOs, we have identified key criteria for establishing effective cooperation with committees of the Verkhovna Rada. This checklist may serve as a reference point for the characteristics and capacities that committees typically expect from potential partner organisations — and can help NGOs assess their own readiness for collaboration.

Relevance to the Committee’s Area of Activity (High Priority):

• Does the NGO’s work align with the main topics and objectives of the committee?

Expertise and Professional Competence (High Priority):

• Does the NGO have proven experience in the relevant field?
• Does the NGO represent the interests of a specific community (for stakeholder organisations)?
• Does the NGO have the capacity to conduct high-quality analysis (for think tanks)?
• Does the NGO have publications demonstrating its experience in the field?

Organisational Capacity (Medium Priority):

• Is the NGO willing to engage in long-term cooperation within a specific topic?
• Does the NGO have sufficient resources (human, technical, financial, etc.) to carry out joint tasks?
• Is the organisation capable of responding promptly to committee requests?
• Who are the NGO’s donors, and does it participate in large-scale projects?

Communication Capacity (Medium Priority):

• Is the NGO able to effectively communicate the results of its cooperation with the committee?

Previous Experience of Cooperation with Public Authorities (High Priority):

• Does the NGO have experience working with government bodies or participating in parliamentary hearings?

Proactiveness (High Priority):

• Does the NGO initiate cooperation and independently propose ideas and activities?

Partnership Network (Low Priority):

• Does the organisation have established connections with other NGOs or international organisations?

We invite you to explore the full set of recommendations for both parliamentary committees and NGOs in the study prepared by the Agency for Legislative Initiatives.