National Public Platform "Reforming MoI: transparency and accountability"
Preface
On October 22, 2014, after an extended discussion at the Ministry of Interior’ board meeting, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Strategy for Development of the MoI and the Concept of priority measures on MoI reforming. The adoption of these policy documents, developed by experts of human rights organisations in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, is opening to civil society for the first time the perspective of long-term law enforcement reform.
Strategy for Development of the MoI has received positive feedback from the European experts, which let us not only rely on professional support from international institutions, but also to build a coordinated policy of the national reforms. For successful start it is seems to be necessary to make a number of important and balanced steps - to develop an Acting plan for the implementation of the reform strategy, to form the working groups in key areas, to establish the effective cooperation between experts, and to implement effective internal management procedures.
The National Public Platform "Reforming MoI: transparency and accountability", is found in order to realise the above-mentioned objectives, the basic principles of which is set out with this Regulation.
1. The Platforms purpose and objectives
1.1. The National Public Platform "Reforming MoI: transparency and accountability" was created as an initiative of expert community on implementing the conceptual principles of law enforcement development. The platform is not a legal entity.
1.2. The Platform aims to provide sustainable and transparent process of MoI reform, joining the NGOs, European and international institutions’ experts, scientists, government officials and veterans of law enforcement agencies, active citizens and creative youth.
1.3. The main objectives of the Platform are seen:
1. Implementation of international principles for developing of the MoI system.
2. Expert assistance to the MoI activities.
3. Monitoring of the reform process.
4. Information support of the reform process.
2. Participation in the Platform activities
2.1. The Platforms target groups are representatives of state authorities, donors and international organisations, NGOs activists, experts of the specialised institutions, political, diplomatic and scientific circles; persons, interested by intensive reforms of the law enforcement agencies.
2.2. The Platform membership may get the individuals or legal entities, which share its principles and willing to participate in the fulfilment of the programme objectives. For to get a membership it is necessary to send a request to the Coordinating Council’ email address, which contains background information and contact details of the applicant, as well as suggestions on the participation in a particular working group activity. After reviewing the request and evaluation of the applicant's expert level the Coordinating Council expresses the agreement or disagreement on the membership. In case of a positive decision, a new member of the Platform is included in a particular thematic group, getting access to electronic Platforms resources.
2.3. The membership doesn’t foresee the fees or providing material services, and participation in the Platform activities is performed on voluntary base.
3. The structure and operations of the Platform
3.1. Management and planning of current activities carried with the Coordinating Council, formed on a pro rata basis with government officials, international institutions and national NGOs.
3.2. The Coordinating Council provides the strategic direction and guidance on the implementation of the MoIA reform, as well as coordinates its activities with the general principles of public and interagency reform, maintaining constant communication with the state authorities, responsible for conducting reforms in Ukraine, as well as with the donors and international organisations. In particular, the Coordinating Council:
3.2.1. Agrees reform scope, objectives, outputs, and implementation plans at the end of the working group start-up phase, including mandating of the appropriate resources;
3.2.2. Monitors reform progress against plans, including a major review after 12 months;
3.2.3. Advises the reform working groups of any significant developments or policy decisions likely to affect the successful implementation of the reform process;
3.2.4. Resolves high-level issues and helps to overcome obstacles and/or obstruction from within the organisation which threaten or impede the successful achievement of the reform objectives;
3.2.5. Reviews evaluations of each reform working group and assessments of its impact;
3.2.6. Agrees any major amendments or changes to the working group plans which affect the delivery of the overall working group scope, purpose and outputs.
3.3. All Coordinating Council members will receive: implementation plans from each of the reform working groups; copies of progress reports by each of the reform working groups; on request, briefings from the Heads of each reform working group.
3.4. The Coordinating Council comprises:
§ MoIA Minister (co-chair);
§ Head of the Experts Council (co-chair);
§ 1st Deputy Minister;
§ Deputy Minister for EU Integration;
§ Deputy Head of the Experts Council;
§ Representatives of the international organizations.
3.5. Coordinating Council meeting takes place at least once a month.
3.6. For open and broad discussion of the strategic directions and reform objectives, planning activities and solving current problems, the Public Meeting is hold at least 1 time in 3 months. The following persons are invited at the Public Meeting: the Coordinating Council members, Deputies Minister, coordinators of the working groups, representatives of civil society and international experts. The Public Meeting Decisions are mandatory for consideration by the Coordinating Council.
3.7. For administrative and regulatory functions the Secretariat is elected which:
• provides a complete information to the Coordinating Council on the progress of reform;
· Provides a programme function through the design and implementation of objective methodologies to the reform working groups
· Coordinates working group activities to align outputs and effective inter working group cooperation
· Collates progress reports from the Heads of the working groups
· Provides legal services on reform legislation and administrative instructions.
· Performs the role of a discipline and conduct authority to ensure MoIA personnel comply with the reform process and take disciplinary action as appropriate
· Notifies members of impending meetings and provides draft agendas and meeting notes for the group
3.8. The National Public platform operates within working groups formed with the Coordinating Council in accordance with the main directions of the MoI reform.
3.8.1. The main Working groups are as follows:
1. Public Examination of the MoI activities.
2. Optimisation of the structure, regulatory support of the reform process.
3. Cooperation with local authorities.
4. A new system of performance indicators.
5. Reform the MoI’ education system.
6. Human resource policy and procedures.
7. Development of the community policing principles.
8. Internal control and combating corruption, improving transparency and accountability.
9. Information policy and PR.
3.8.2. The number and composition of working groups varies depending on the needs of the workflow, keeping as a priority the flexibility and effectiveness of the Platform in general.
3.8.3. Each working group is chaired by two coordinators (from the Ministry and NGOs), which have the authority to decide and define the specific tasks for members of subgroups and are able to plan the activities and to monitor the progress of assigned tasks.
3.9. The working groups are carried out their own plans, consistent with the plans of other working groups. Results, conclusions and proposals prepared in groups shall be taken at least two-thirds of the members of the working groups and are directed for the consideration of the Coordinating Council with outlining the position of the individuals, disagreed with the decision.
3.9.1. Each working group can form the required number of subgroups. The subgroups are completed by persons with experience in special fields of police activities and by the international experts. If necessary, the members are entitled to sub-tasks of MoI staff, who are not members of the working groups and to involve for the cooperation the necessary persons.
3.9.2. The Working Group meets weekly and its meetings are open to all visitors.
3.10. The Platform information channel is a web portal http://police-reform.org.
3.10.1. Proposals for the work, individual and institutional participation in its activities are also taken at [email protected]
3.11. The founders of the Platform is the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group (KHPG) and the Centre of the Law Enforcement Research (CLEAR). A Memorandum agreement between the Ministry of Interior and Platform founders is signed that provides the cooperation in the reform process, exchange of information and joint implementation of international experience in the MoI activities.
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