We are happy to present you our first annual report. Just a year ago, in May 2015, the NGO «Ukrainian Center for Social Data» was registered. We understand that without collecting high-quality data and further professional processing, comprehensive analysis of these data, it is impossible to make smart and balanced decisions, to develop our country competently and consistently.
Last year, we had local elections in Ukraine, and, consequently, the elections issues were a priority for us. Thus, we carried out the modelling of effect the new election system would have, analyzed its mechanics based on the real data, discovered possible (including quite negative) implications of its implementation, and warned about those drawbacks.
Together with our partners we have made the process of elections in the pilot cities in Eastern Ukraine more transparent, stimulated political parties to take responsibility for protection of their results. Because of use of online system for public parallel vote count, which we created, a major electoral manipulation was prevented in Kramatorsk.
Also, through collaboration with partners, we initiated activities to promote data literacy, organized training program «Open Data for NGOs and Media», participated in the Public Council at the State Statistics Service of Ukraine.
We would also like to thank our partners: Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative (UCBI), «Powerful Communities of Donetsk Region», Center for Ukrainian Reform Education, Kyiv-Mohyla School of Journalism, Ukrainian Catholic University School of Journalism, Center for Public Control «Diy!» (Kramatorsk), Humanitarial Foundation Helper UA and Civic Union «Free Community – Comfortable City» (Berdyansk), Institute of Civic Journalism «Suspilnobachennya» (Dnipro), as well as the donors: the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Embassy in Ukraine – without your support and cooperation we would not be able to fully implement our ideas.