Over the years, war has left its stamp on the existence of the state. It has forced key decision-making institutions to adapt to new realities quickly. Legislative priorities, possible formats of lawmaking, the role of parliamentary diplomacy, and interaction with voters — everything that used to form the basis of the Verkhovna Rada’s work has changed.
Amid the visible transformations, the Agency for Legislative Initiatives decided to study the changes in the work of the parliament by looking at the personal experience of MPs.
The ALI study incorporates a gender perspective, which allows us to examine the experience of MPs in the work of the parliament at a critical time for Ukraine, as well as the impact of extraordinary circumstances on the lives and work of people at the very ‘heart’ of Ukrainian democracy.
The study focuses on the following issues:
- Key Changes in Parliamentary Activities During the Full-Scale War;
- The Impact of Full-scale War on Lawmaking;
- Parliamentary Diplomacy During the Full-Scale War;
- Parliamentary Oversight;
- The Image of MPs in the Media During the Full-Scale War;
- Positive and negative practices and solutions.
Methodology
The research was conducted using quantitative and qualitative methods.
- Desk research included an analysis of legislation and policies on gender equality in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, as well as an analysis of foreign studies.
- The empirical part of the study included 14 in-depth semi-structured interviews with MPs representing four parliamentary factions. The interviews were analysed using the open coding method, which allowed us to identify peculiarities in the coverage and perception of the activities of male and female MPs.
The study results will provide a deeper understanding of the diverse personal experiences of MPs. This experience, including the challenges and solutions found, will be an influential source of information for parliamentarians around the world in today’s world.
Read more about the work of the parliament in times of war — in the new research by ALI.
The study was conducted within the framework of the project “Parliamentary Accountability of the Security Sector in Ukraine” (PASS Ukraine), which the Agency implements together with the Parliamentary Centre, in cooperation with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and with the support of Canada’s Foreign Policy — Global Affairs Canada as part of the Peacebuilding Program and stability (PSOPs).
