Re:Open Zakarpattia Forum of ideas and solutions for the development of Zakarpattia region, which this year was dedicated to the theme "Winning the War. Winning the Peace", was held for two days. The Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya became a partner of the event, and its director Nataliya Kabatsiy was one of the speakers of the panel "Relying on our own strength: what the home front can and should do now and until victory".

An important discussion concerned the issues of volunteering, charity and the experience of implementing humanitarian initiatives during the war. Taking into account the almost 25-year experience of the Committee, it made sense to talk about cases of interaction with government institutions, the development of new areas of activity caused by the war, identified gaps in legislation, and public activities in the field of state-political relations in general.

"We usually talk about government institutions and their responsibility for certain issues. But I believe that we should not underestimate civil society, for which it is definitely time to become strong, united and build partnerships with the state, strengthening it, in particular in systemic transformations. And this should not be a race to determine who is in charge or who has more powers. It is about the need for mutual understanding and abandoning the practice of a form of control that only creates obstacles for charitable organizations. If we find opportunities and open shelters that are so necessary for the country, we should not be forced into a framework that either slows down or makes it impossible to implement these or similar initiatives. Here we are approaching the issue of civil society institutions gaining subjectivity, establishing clear rules and equal conditions for activities within the state aimed at solving social issues and meeting humanitarian needs. We are ready and able to support and strengthen the state where it needs more time to make decisions due to certain entrenched bureaucracy, but recognize our subjectivity, not temporarily, when it is necessary, but on a permanent basis. All of this is about aspects of internal unity in the state, which consists in actions, not slogans", notes Nataliya Kabatsiy.

Obviously, it is now important to change approaches to foreign activities as well. In the international arena, Ukrainian civil society also needs to strengthen its subjectivity, primarily to change the perception of Ukraine as a "third world" country. Not only since the full-scale russian invasion, but also for several decades, domestic public institutions have been demonstrating competence in their areas of responsibility and building sustainable ties with partners abroad. The state, for its part, should empower civil society organizations that have proven their ability to drive important social processes and effectively respond to the challenges of the modern world.

"We must also always remember that we are not a state, we do not have so many resources and capabilities. Therefore, we should take on exactly as much as we can handle – in a balanced, high-quality, responsible, competent manner. This is a story about assessing an organization’s own resources and potential. It is impossible to please everyone, to close all requests, especially now, when everyone needs everything yesterday. We are really worried about everyone who is in trouble and needs help or special attention, but at the same time, a volunteer is not omnipotent, he or she remains just a simple person who takes on additional responsibilities. And if they are not backed up by experience, vision, knowledge and skills, then we should not expect guaranteed success. That is why we return to the issues of education and competencies again and again. On the other hand, if the state is focused solely on using the resources of the public sector without creating the right conditions for its development, we again find ourselves in a dead end", said Nataliya Kabatsiy.

By identifying the key needs and tasks of those at the forefront of the volunteer movement, we once again emphasize everyone’s shared responsibility for our today and tomorrow, which are being fought for at the front. That is why everyone should not forget about daily donations, always take care of education and self-education.

"We have to act wisely. Both locally and globally. For example, having received an opportunity for economic growth in the region, we need to have a kind of master plan at hand – how to spend these funds rationally and with a projection for the future, how to add value to them. I would like to emphasize that changes in the institutional approach are also urgently needed: the state should stop multiplying functions and instead pay attention to the competencies of the departments. It’s time not to catch up with pre-war plans, but to clearly understand the current and post-war need for specialists in social, medical and other fields that are needed here and now", summarized the director of the CAMZ.

It is not the first time that the Charitable Organization "Charity Fund "Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya" has joined such platforms for exchanging views and formulating modern policies in the social, legal and medical spheres. The relevant experience allows the Committee to build constructive relations with state and local authorities. As a result, we have a number of successfully implemented projects in the field of protecting the rights and providing quality services to people with disabilities, supporting other vulnerable groups, etc.