On 30 September, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) concluded a three-month-long, nation-wide small grants programme in Ukraine with the aim of supporting civil society organizations and the private sector in creating digital solutions addressing challenges related to the war. The programme, titled Open Data Unbroken, supports the use of open data to encourage civic participation through innovative technology approaches and tools, establish partnerships among various sectors, and enhance information exchange and networking among local authorities, grassroots initiatives, and public activists.
The programme, which aims to promote the development of a culture of innovation, transparency, and cooperation, included the provision of financial support, a mentoring programme, and access to a community of experts, thereby enabling IT specialists and developers to transform their innovative ideas into tangible solutions that drive positive change in Ukraine.
The three teams selected among 70 applicants each focused on some of the most pressing challenges in the country. The first project, chatbot "Where is the shelter?", aims to help citizens find the nearest air-raid shelter in Ukraine. Another chatbot, "Nazar", assists internally displaced persons in integrating into new environments by searching for employment opportunities across different regions of Ukraine and by introducing a function to simplify and speed up the process of receiving compensation for destroyed housing. The third project, information aggregator "Plant varieties", supports farmers in making informed decisions with the aim of recovering and revitalizing the agricultural sector.
"The successful conclusion of the programme highlights the crucial role of open data in empowering civil society and the private sector as a means towards tackling the most pressing challenges. Through the implementation of innovative digital solutions at the grassroots level, this initiative serves as a compelling demonstration of the transformative potential of technology in enhancing transparency, efficiency, and cooperation in the digital ecosystem of Ukraine, and underscores the OSCE's commitment to assisting Ukraine in its digitalization objectives," said Ralf Ernst, Deputy Co-Ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities /Head, Economic Activities.
"Open data is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, driving innovation, transparency, and trust," said Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister for Innovation, Development of Education, Science & Technology and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. "Ukraine has showcased its significant development in this regard, as shown by ranking second place in the Open Data Maturity Index in 2022. During the full-scale invasion, we've faced new challenges within the open data sphere, so projects like 'Open Data. Unbroken' help the Government and civil society keep on track with previous commitments on expanding dataset access. Our team is grateful to the OSCE for supporting this endeavour and our dedication to Ukraine's digitalization goals," he added.
This activity is implemented together with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine in co-operation with 1991 Accelerator and Social Boost in the framework of the cross-regional ExB project Promoting good governance and a positive business climate in the OSCE region through digitalization and the use of open data, funded by the United States. Poland is the second donor supporting this project.
