Since the late 1980s, Ukraine has undergone a number of fundamental political,
economic and social changes. There are regional variations, particularly between the rural and
urban areas, but since independence, Ukraine has experienced “one of the most severe
economic declines of any country in this century.”1
During that time, national income declined
about 60 percent, real incomes dropped sharply, as did social indicators, and 27 percent of the
population found itself below the poverty line.2
After a decade of “missed opportunities and great disappointments on the economic
and social front,”3
however, indications are that the economy may have begun to turn around.
The Government’s pro-reform program, budget surplus, and improved 2000 economic
performance provide some basis for optimism. Indeed, 2000 was the first year of GDP growth
since independence, and among the emerging small and medium enterprise sector, there was
“almost universal growth in value added activities.”4
Thus, despite continuing concerns over the
difficult institutional environment and the strength of vested interests in Ukraine, there are voices
in Government and civil society committed to fundamental reforms. The 2000 CAS therefore
focused on building demand for better governance and seizing available opportunities to
increase the supply of better, development-oriented institutions. It is hoped that this report will
contribute to both building blocks by suggesting useful guidelines to help ensure that no-one is
excluded from emerging opportunities on the basis of gender.