Another dimension of reconstruction: why should communication be a priority in rebuilding Ukraine?

What is the problem?

The recovery of Ukraine involves not just rebuilding the infrastructure but also adapting the operations of different institutions – both in the areas near the front line and hundreds of kilometers away from it. 

However, according to Otar Dovzhenko, a Lviv Media Forum researcher, destroyed area residents are not always aware of the restoration process and its potential. This has resulted in a lack of complete understanding and cooperation within the community. One of the complicating factors is the vertical structure of local government, as well as the restricted availability of resources containing information about budget funds and other data. Access to these resources is crucial to maintain transparency in processes. The absence of competent managers and communicators impedes communities' access to recovery opportunities. Reconstruction programs provided by the government do not always meet the needs of all individuals, so people are forced to seek help from international partners, resulting in a proliferation of similar projects.

Overall, a platform for coordination that could strengthen and establish connections between those involved in the recovery process and incorporate modern European practices has not been developed yet. Prioritizing communication is not seen as necessary in Ukraine's recovery efforts, which is detrimental to its progress.

What is the solution?

For recovery to be successful, it's crucial for a collaborative effort to be made by authorities, citizens, communities, scientific and expert institutions, non-governmental organizations, businesses, media, international organizations, and other partners. This will allow for the implementing of necessary reforms and efficient institutional practices based on the best global models. It's important to realize that restoration involves more than just rebuilding structures – it also entails building connections between different institutions. To better understand the challenges communities face during times of war and how they can establish communication, experts conducted a study titled "How to Communicate the Recovery of Ukraine." From this study, they have developed recommendations for those involved.

^{Otar Dovzhenko with a presentation of the study}

The Lviv Media Forum and the Healthy Solutions for an Open Society Foundation collaborated to create a document based on discussions and speeches at the LMF 2023 conference and input from heads of local communities, international donor organizations, NGOs, experts, journalists, and media editors. The document was developed with the help of open sources, publications, and other resources. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported the project.

How does it work?

The main idea is that people's needs and desires should take precedence during restoration. To achieve this, they must be gathered, evaluated, and revised, and then specific recovery strategies should be developed for different sectors and regions. These plans must be publicly presented and discussed.

"The government should not dictate what people need. Individuals should speak for themselves and inform the authorities of the specific resources required to help them in practical situations. This is a major obstacle in communication," Otar Dovzhenko explains.

The human-centered approach encompasses not just security, material, and economic needs but also social aspects, such as the opportunity for self-realization and full integration into society, as well as psycho-emotional factors like the need for respect and recognition and the desire for compassion.

"Instead of publicly discussing the needs of the people, they are simply ignored. One community leader stated, "The school needed a roof, so I took it upon myself to order and install it by contacting a foundation." However, other possibilities existed, such as installing solar panels or using alternative materials. However, the leader did not consider these options because he did not discuss them with anyone. He had a goal and pursued it in this manner," the researcher notes.

Instead, by discussing the installation of the roof with the stakeholders, the community leader could discover alternative opportunities, suggestions, and ideas, leading to a broader range of options. When the leader makes all the decisions, it creates a top-down communication flow from the central government to the people, communities, and local organizations. "In this way, the participants in recovery become passive and lack a sense of involvement, creating the illusion of a complete absence of coordination," Otar mentions.

According to the researcher, it is not always apparent to those already involved in the reconstruction process who the recovery stakeholders are. These stakeholders include individuals or communities, such as residents of homes with broken windows, residents of towns without schools, or villagers whose road to their village is damaged.

Additionally, these organizations include NGOs, public groups, local governing bodies, and businesses, all of which play a crucial role in the reconstruction process. However, sometimes, representatives from these groups may not fully comprehend their responsibilities and how they can best contribute.

During the stakeholder interviews with various community groups, recovery organizations, government entities, and donor organizations, it became apparent that there was confusion about roles and responsibilities. Otar Dovzhenko observed that the regulations and materials about recovery did not emphasize the importance of communication, and some didn't even mention it at all.

"Naturally, everything is done intuitively, and it all comes down to the necessity of having a plan. Of course, when comprehensive recovery plans are actually in place, they are approved and executed flawlessly and can be easily found on Google. However, those directly involved still believe that there is no plan, indicating a lack of communication rather than a lack of a plan," the researcher adds.

Otar points out that Ukrainian society tends to form horizontal connections, resulting in the challenge of having multiple solutions without a clear starting point for a single strategy:

"One of the donor organizations claimed that the Ukrainians should stop approaching us with numerous suggestions and various ways to solve the same issue. Instead, they should reach a consensus and present an optimal solution."

Society is often compelled to take charge and establish these connections on their own, working together to find common ground. This process can be aided or hindered by the government's choices, which may not align with the people's preferences.

Throughout the recovery process, the media plays a vital dual role as both stakeholders and communicators of essential needs and feedback. Despite the challenges faced by Ukrainian mass media during the war, they have the potential to serve as a valuable communication platform for recovery, according to Otar Dovzhenko. After all, the media:

• • can collect information about opportunities and needs of stakeholders,
  • can be a platform for public dialogue, 

• can convey the main ideas of urgent community requests to the decision-making centers.

The challenges that the media encountered during the war often rendered their work impossible, thus causing their platform for communication to vanish. Consequently, stakeholders have turned to social media to communicate with each other. Otar Dovzhenko comments: "I see a huge risk here. The way people communicate on social media is disorganized and can potentially result in conflicts, misunderstandings, and other issues."

Furthermore, social media can be risky for communicating and coordinating, as anyone, including Russian propagandists, can pose as a source of information. Specifically, during its research, the "Detector Media" publication uncovered a network of Russian telegram channels posing as local Ukrainian channels. As a result, instead of receiving unbiased news about their region, including its reconstruction efforts, readers were bombarded with Russian propaganda. This emphasizes the importance of independent Ukrainian media serving as reliable communicators.

According to Otar Dovzhenko, not all media outlets are currently covering the recovery process. Based on his observations, most of the information in the mass media about this topic focuses on practical solutions, such as how to receive material assistance and where to seek it. The researcher believes the closure of registers and other resources due to martial law is the main reason for the lack of shared comprehensive information.

"There was an anecdotal incident where a local publication gathered details about the reconstruction of bridges by using open pages and official requests. However, they received a letter from the Infrastructure Recovery and Development Service: "Do not publish this. Enemies can take advantage of this." That is, enemies cannot use the same official sources, and people do not have the right to know what is being restored with budget funds? I mean, even in numerous communities, the local council gatherings are kept private for the same justification. And there, decisions are made without any public knowledge," Otar Dovzhenko stresses.

Otar Dovzhenko suggests following six principles for effective communication in communities, which, in turn, enhances the reconstruction processes:

1. Study the needs of individuals within the community.
2. Hold forums for public dialogue. 
3. Disclose classified data which has been unjustifiably concealed under the guise of war. 
4. Ensure transparency in decision-making. 
5. Utilize solution-focused journalism and inform the community about organizational reconstruction opportunities. 
6. Strategic decisions should be based on public opinion.