Challenge statement
Challenge type: If you are working on multiple challenges, please indicate if this is your "big bet" or "exploratory" challenge.
Please note: we ask you to only submit a maximum of 3 challenges - 1x Big Bet, 2x Exploratory. Each challenge must be submitted individually.
BIG BET
Challenge statement: What is your challenge? (Please answer in specific terms: "Our challenge is that...”.)
Our challenge is that Ukrainians of different ages and genders are facing immense difficulties as the country navigates the path toward EU Accession and strives for sustainable socio-economic growth amidst the ongoing war, widespread displacement, and severe economic and energy challenges.
How can we harness the potential of individuals and communities through innovative approaches to social inclusion, rebuilding social networks, engaging the private sector, and promoting the circular economy to empower them and support comprehensive recovery and socio-economic development efforts?
Background: What is the history of your challenge? What is causing or driving it? Who is involved? How does the current situation look like? What undesired effects does it produce?
Notwithstanding the mixed picture of longer-term reforms, in the face of sustained Russian aggression, the Ukrainian government and institutions continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience and agility, underpinned by the overall resilience of the social fabric.
In the area of state and local governance, Ukraine’s programme of governance reforms has been disrupted by Russia’s invasion, slowing down the transition towards a modern democracy with strong institutions, underpinned by the rule of law.
Despite these significant challenges, the situation is further exacerbated by a compounded, multi-dimensional environmental crisis associated with chemicals and the remnants of war.
Pollutants released from war-damaged fuel storage facilities, industrial and energy infrastructure, waste management systems, etc., emit hazardous materials into the air, water, and land, posing severe health risks that may last generations.
In general, the resilience of the Ukrainian government and its people continues to be tested, with long-term implications for both the social and environmental health of the nation, which requires innovative approaches to effectively address and mitigate these multifaceted challenges, ensuring sustainable recovery and development.
Quantitative evidence: What (official) data sources do you have on this challenge that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge? You can add text, a link, or a picture.
However,
the cost to humanity of the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine has been
vast[1].
Around 24,862 civilian deaths[2]. Over 3,67 million refugees have fled across
Europe[3].
6,5 mln. of Ukrainian refugees, 3,7 mln. of internally displaced persons, 2 mln
households were affected by damaged or destroyed housing, a fivefold increase
in poverty to 24,1% - up from 5,5%[4].
[1] Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 was presaged
in 2014 by the illegal annexation of Crimea and its move to culturally,
politically, and economically integrate the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of
Ukraine into the Russian Federation, summarised from UN CCA 2023, p.5-9.
[2] OHCHR, Ukraine Civilian Causalities Update, 19 June 2023.
[3] IOM, Displacement Tracking Matrix. 2024 https://dtm.iom.int/ukraine
[4] World Bank Group. Ukraine https://data.worldbank.org/country/ukraine
Qualitative evidence: What weak signals have you recently spotted that characterizes its urgency? Please provide qualitative information that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge. You can add text, a link, or a picture.
The Ukrainian context is characterized by a dynamic yet challenging
environment where social and green transformations are critical for sustainable
development.
According to a comprehensive UNDP-led Human Impact Assessment[1],
the war in Ukraine has significantly affected social inclusion Impact of the War on Social Inclusion and Vulnerable
Groups. Around 45% of
the population now belongs to at least one vulnerable group, such as internally
displaced persons (IDPs), persons with disabilities (PWDs), and older persons.
These groups have experienced the lowest income levels and face discrimination,
especially in seeking employment or accommodation.
The assessment also highlights severe challenges related to gender
equality, with 3.6 million people at risk of gender-based violence. About 55%
of women reported feeling unsafe in their daily lives, and a significant number
of women are burdened with unpaid domestic work, spending over 50 hours per
week on chores.
Communities like Ternopil are spearheading international donors
supported initiatives to create green hubs and foster innovation at the
community level, like “Mayors for economic growth”. These initiatives reveal a
strong community drive to overcome socio-economic and environmental challenges,
but they also highlight gaps in capacity and resource availability that
innovative approaches need to address. The enthusiasm of community actors and
the success of previous projects suggest a readiness to adopt new solutions,
yet the need for sustainable funding models and partnership-building remains a
critical gap.
[1] Human Impact Assessment. UNDP, 2023
Value proposition: What added value or unique value proposition is your Accelerator Lab bringing to solving this challenge? Why is it your Lab that needs to work on this challenge and not other actors within UNDP, other stakeholders in the country respectively? Why is it worth investing resources to this challenge?
The Accelerator Lab's unique position within UNDP Ukraine allows it to act as a catalyst for innovative, community-led initiatives that address both environmental and social challenges. By leveraging its expertise in innovation methods, such as participatory design, co-creation, and systems thinking, the Lab can effectively support communities in scaling their green and social innovation projects. The Lab's ability to connect local initiatives with international best practices and funding opportunities further strengthens its role as a key player in promoting sustainable recovery and social inclusion amidst Ukraine's EU accession journey. Our focus on engaging diverse community groups, including women and youth, ensures a comprehensive approach that aligns with both local needs and broader development goals.
Short “tweet” summary: We would like to tweet what you are working on, can you summarize your challenge in a maximum of 280 characters?
Accelerator Lab Ukraine is harnessing community innovation and green transformation to drive sustainable recovery and inclusion, supporting Ukraine's path toward EU accession
Learning questions
Learning question: What is your learning question for this challenge? What do you need to know or understand to work on your challenge statement?
How can community-led innovation hubs, such as the green transformation hubs in
Ternopil, be scaled across different regions in Ukraine to enhance social cohesion
and sustainable development?
What innovative funding mechanisms can be developed to support continuous community
engagement and the sustainability of green and social initiatives?
How can we effectively foster social innovation at the community level in Ukraine,
particularly in regions like Ternopil, to promote sustainable development and
enhance local resilience against socio-economic and environmental challenges?
What strategies can be implemented to ensure that social innovation initiatives are
gender-inclusive, addressing the unique challenges faced by women and girls in
Ukraine, and promoting gender equality in community-led development efforts?
How can social innovation initiatives be designed to strengthen the transformative
potential of vulnerable groups, such as internally displaced persons, persons
with disabilities, and older persons, enabling them to actively participate in
and benefit from community-driven development projects?
To what stage(s) in the learning cycle does your learning question relate?
Explore, Test, Grow
Usage of methods: Relating to your choice above, how will you use your methods & tools for this learning question? What value do these add in answering your learning question?
Methods like participatory design and co-creation will be employed in community workshops to
directly involve local stakeholders in developing sustainable solutions.
Systems thinking, solutions mapping and social network analysis will help map existing community resources and identify potential partnerships. Prototyping and pilot projects will be used to test the feasibility and scalability of proposed solutions in different communities. These methods add value by
ensuring that initiatives are locally relevant, sustainable, and scalable while fostering a sense of ownership among community members.
Existing data gaps: Relating to your choice above, what existing gaps in data or information do these new sources of data addressing? What value do these add in answering your learning question?
Current data gaps include a lack of comprehensive data on the socio-economic impact of community-led green initiatives and limited information on the effectiveness of different funding models for such projects. The new data sources will help address these gaps by providing real-time, ground-level insights into community needs and the impact of green and social innovation initiatives.
1No poverty
5Gender equality
9Industry, innovation and infrastructure
11Sustainable cities and communities
16Peace, justice and strong institutions
17Partnerships for the goals
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