Statement by Deputy Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine for European Integration Ms. Olga Revuk during the general debate of the 59-th session of the Commission for Social Development

Statement by Deputy Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine for European Integration Ms. Olga Revuk during the general debate of the 59-th session of the Commission for Social Development

Good afternoon, dear participants!

First of all, I want to emphasize that Ukrainian society is undoubtedly interested to be integrated into the global digital space, since it will influence the development of the Ukrainian economy, investment inflows, job creation, small and medium business development, potential work in global international projects.

In 2017, the Government adopted the Concept for the Development of e-Government in Ukraine, approved the Action Plan for its implementation and adopted the Law “On Electronic Trust Services”.

In September 2019, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine was established, which ensures the formation and implementation of state policy in the area of digital development, digital economy and e-government.

Markups set accessibility for Ukraine follow 3 major guidelines:

- better Internet accessibility for consumers and businesses;

- creation of appropriate conditions for the regulation of advanced digital networks;

- building the digital economy through investment, interoperability and standardization.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine implements the full-scale digital project of modern Ukraine “Diia. Digital power”. The aim of the project is to unite all departments into a unique user-friendly and effective online system and to make communication between citizens and businesses with the state convenient and transparent.

It is planned that by 2024, 100 percent of public services will be available online.

At the same time, one of the goals is refusal to use paper documents.

I would also like to inform you that in October 2020 the Government approved the Strategy for the Digital Transformation of the Social Sphere, which aims to create a single record of providers and recipients of social services and benefits.

One of the measures aimed at providing services to citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic is that following applications are downloaded electronically through the online portal "Diia" and the official website of the Ministry of Social Policy on the appointment:

- childbirth assistance;

- issuance of a certificate to parents of large families;

- reimbursement of care services for children under three years in frame of the "Municipal Nanny" project;

- housing subsidy; assistance for children of natural persons-entrepreneurs who have chosen a simplified system of taxation.

An electronic version of the IDP certificate was developed, which can be presented without its paper analogue. It will make life easier for almost 1.5 million registered IDPs.

Today, the main issue in terms to provide reform of decentralization and administrative-territorial system is to transfer of social services closely to the residents of territorial communities.

The main task of the Ministry is the implementation of the Program Complex "Integrated Information System" Social Community ".

More than 470 territorial communities have already joined this complex.

In addition, the web portal of electronic services of the Pension Fund provides remote services through the personal offices of citizens and employers.

There is a mobile application "Pension Fund", and the tool called Pension Calculator assists in provisional computing of future pension on retirement by age.

The automated centralized subsystem "Assignment and payment of pensions based on electronic pension business" was developed. More than 11 thousand people made use of this service.

Currently, 1.6 million from more than 10 million active pension cases, were digitized, and it is planned to be completed by 2024, which will free up space occupied by paper archives.

In 2020, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine introduced the information platform "Help Near" in order to attract charities, NGOs, businesses, volunteers to help lonely elder people, people with disabilities, families with children, including children with disabilities during the quarantine period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The platform contains information about the need for assistance and a report on its provision on a daily basis. So far, more than 600,000 citizens have benefited.

I would like to emphasize that in a short time it is impossible to list all the measures taken by Ukrainian Government to transform our country into a digital state. Many services need to be digitized, the legal framework needs to be updated, the work of state registers needs to be streamlined, technical capabilities and data protection need to be ensured. The changes will affect not only administrative services, but also health care, business, education, transport, courts, democracy, and more.

Undoubtedly, digital technologies open up unique opportunities for economic development and improving the quality of life of citizens.

We’ll find the profound consequences of the transition to digital technologies only when the "digital" transformation becomes the basis of society, business and government agencies, considering as a commonplace and everyday phenomenon, a key agenda on the path to prosperity and well-being of Ukraine.

Thank you for attention!