Improving Collective Bargaining and Labour Law Compliance in Ukraine The purpose of the proposed project is to a) address the present gaps in the effective realization of the right to organize and bargain collectively, by improving the capacity of stakeholders, including at the decentralized levels to carry out collective bargaining, strengthening resolution and prevention of collective disputes and improving understanding on labour laws and regulations; and to b) assist Ukraine in its efforts to strengthen and modernise its labour inspection machinery. This includes in the framework of ILO Conventions ratified by Ukraine and focuses on improving coordination between different existing labour inspection services both as a means to strengthen the implementation and evaluation of national labour policies and, more specifically, to build the inspection system’s capacity to promote collective bargaining and monitor and enforce labour legislation and collective agreements. The development purpose of the project is to assist Ukraine and its people to achieve national priorities and goals, and to meet the commitments, goals and targets of the Millennium Development Goals, Millennium Declaration and UN human rights instruments through its United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). The current four UNDAF priority areas for Ukraine are: institutional reforms that enhance outreach, to enable all people to fulfill their human rights; civil society empowerment to enable all people to access services and enjoy their rights; health care and health services with a special focus on raising quality and accessibility; and prosperity against poverty, reducing poverty through effectively targeted development and entrepreneurship. The project will focus on the achievement of institutional reforms and civil society empowerment that enables all people to fulfill their human rights. Strong, transparent and accountable institutions and participatory processes are an important part of good governance and democracy. This includes structures for bipartite and tripartite dialogue, that can help provide the stability and social cohesion that is needed for economic and social development. Freedom of association is critical to ensuring that worker and employer organizations provide a representative, independent voice in these processes. The project will seek to address the specific challenges of employers, and workers organizations to build local capacity to engage in collective bargaining and carry out related legal obligations. Additionally, it aims to improve national and regional mediation and conciliator officials’ ability to promote the quick and effective settlement of company and sectoral level disputes. The government, judiciary and tripartite social and economic councils will also be targeted in objectives that facilitate an improved understanding of international labour standards and the country’s labour legislation, including relevant regulations and policies. It will also build the government’s capacity of the Ministry of Social Policy, the State Labour Inspectorate and territorial labour inspectorates to strengthen the monitoring and observance of collective agreements and labour law in general. Accordingly, the direct beneficiaries at the national and regional levels are workers’ and employers’ organizations, mediation and conciliation services, the judiciary, tripartite social and economic councils and labour inspectors. The ultimate beneficiaries are Ukraine’s workers, employers and foreign investors who will enjoy a more stable, safe and harmonious system of industrial relations. Moreover, the project will encourage close collaboration with international and national institutions and other UN agencies, particularly with UNDP who is active with regard to Ukrainian Government and civil society reform both nationally and regionally.