It is true that non-governmental organizations in Ukraine existed in times of the Soviet Union; however, the activity of the overwhelming majority of them was strictly centralized. Hence, because of the ban on opposition political activity, the functioning of such organizations was for a long time limited by spheres of culture, ecology or economy.   The rebirth of political pluralism late in the 80s and early in the 90s favored emergence of independent non-governmental organizations in Ukraine. Dissident human rights groups that watched over the observance of Helsinki accord of 1977 were the first that made them heard. In the summer of 1988, after making the “Declaration of Principles” public, the Ukrainian Helsinki Union (UHU) started to operate not as purely human rights but as a political organization.   Founded by creative intelligentsia during the period non-governmental organizations addressed their activity towards predominantly political sphere, and later a number of them turned into political parties. Specifically, in September 1988, the Writers’ Union of Ukraine forwarded the idea of creating the People’s Movement (Rukh) of Ukraine for Perebudova (perestroika), and already in September of the same year the decision was taken at the Rukh’s Constituent Congress to transform it into a political force alternative to the CPSU.    The Culturologist (Culture and Educational) Club in Kyiv (1987), Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Language Fellowship,  the culturologist Tovarystvo Leva (Lion Society) in Lviv, ecology protection movement “The Green World”, the Society for Protection of Former Totalitarian Regime Prisoners “Memorial” and so on were the other known associations of the period.   Starting with 1990, the number of public associations grew steadily and rapidly so that close to 300 organizations functioned in 1991, reaching over 12 thousand in 1996 and 27 thousand in 2000. Concurrently, in the middle of 90s, the so-called ‘resource centers’, public organizations aimed at providing services and free assistance to other public bodies, emerged.   Legislation of Ukraine discerns associations of citizens with a Ukrainian, local or international status subject to the territory their activities apply. About forty percent of the organizations cover territories limited by the bounds of a city, while only 8 percent of them combined possess the all-Ukrainian or international status. This fact indicates the high interest shown primarily in local matters and bringing order into the immediate living space, and has a good ground for cooperation between the public sector and local self-government organs. Among municipalities, Kyiv is ahead with 14 percent of the total number of public organizations followed by Lviv and the Lviv oblast.   The Constitution of Ukraine secures the democratic achievements in the sphere of civil society. Article 36 states that “Citizens of Ukraine have the right of freedom of association into political parties and public organizations to exercise and protect their rights and freedoms and to satisfy their political, economic, social, cultural and other interests ….”   The other important laws regulating the activity of public organizations are the Laws of Ukraine „On association of citizens" (1992), „On Charity and Philanthropic Organizations”(1997), „On Professional Creative Workers and Creative Unions" (1997) and „On Youth and Public Organizations for Children" (1998).   At the present, several draft bills of correspondent laws are at the Verkhovna Rada whose approval is intended to encourage local charity, and create further grounds for development links between the public sector and local self-government.   The sources to finance the Ukrainian non-governmental organizations are donations of businesspersons, government and self-earned funds and grants. Among the organizations that help financially and have their representation in Ukraine the most enthusiastic and renown are: the Eurasia Fund, Freedom House and ISAR. The International Fund Vidrodzhenia (Revival), which is part of the chain of funds founded by George Soros, was set up with the following Ukrainian organizations participating as the All-Ukrainian Association Prosvita (Enlightment), Ukrainian Peace Council, and Ukrainian Ecological Association „The Green World".   The expansion of the Ukrainian civil sector testifies to the fact of the departure of the society from the totalitarian guidelines. The Ukrainian public organizations display bustling activity providing such social services as helping the poor, disabled people and children, representing society before the authorities, and providing opportunities for the representatives of communities to participate in civil and political life.   Taras Shevchenko All-Ukrainian Society Prosvita (Enlightement) is a public culture and enlightenment organization to succeed the organizations Hromada (Community) 0rganization that existed from 1860 to the early 20th century, Prosvita (Enlightenment) of 1868 to 1939, and Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Language Comradeship (1989 to 1991). The objectives of its activity are the revival of historical memory of Ukrainian people and shaping of national consciousness.   PLAST a Ukrainian scout organization founded as far back as in 1911 under the initiative of the doctor Alexander Tysovsky. The organization was reestablished in 1989. The objective of the organization is to prepare the growing generation for the hardships of life, to inoculate the sense of independence and self-discipline, develop strong motivation for social activity of local, regional and state community. At present, PLAST  is one of the largest youth organizations numbering c. 10,000 members with over 130 regional cells in all oblasts of Ukraine and Crimean Republic (9 cells).   The National Writers’ Union is a voluntarily creative organization of professional literati of Ukraine: poets, prose writers, dramatists, critics and translators created in 1934 at the first Congress of Ukrainian writers as an affiliation of the former Writers’ Union of the USSR. In 1989, the writer convention proclaimed the Writers’ Union independent of all kinds of the Soviet Union structures that still existed at the time. At the end of 80s, the Writers’ Union of Ukraine became the center of social and public movement for independence of the country. It was within the Ukrainian writer’s medium that the famous national liberation organizations RUKH, Prosvita and Memorial were originated.   The National Union of Artists of Ukraine is the sole all- Ukrainian public creative organization of professional artists and art critics. Founded to 1938 year, the Union comprises the world-famous artistic centers Petrykivka (decorative painting), Kosiv (carving, ceramics, and embroidery), Lviv (glass, ceramics), Opishnia (ceramics, weaving, and, embroidery) and others.   The Ukrainian Peace Council (formerly Ukrainine Republical Committeee in Defense of Peace)  was founded in September 1951 on the initiative of prominent representatives of intelligentsia – Vasyl Komisarenko, Oleksandr Palladin, Borys Paton, Leonid Pervomaisky, Natan Rybak, Maksym Rylsky, Pavlo Tychyna, Mykola Semenenko, Natalia Uzhviy and other people famous in Ukraine. During the years of its existence, the Ukrainian Peace Council became universally recognized organization repeatedly honored by highest awards by the World Peace Council, UNESCO, UNO and similar authoritative international bodies. The goal of the organization is to join public forces for consolidation of peace and concord in Ukraine and beyond its borders.   The All-Ukrainian “Chrnobyl Union of Ukraine” Non-governmental Organization rallies citizens that suffered from the Chernobyl disaster and nuclear tests, families of the diseased liquidation participants and those affected by the aftermath, who united to protect their rights. The aim of the Union’s activity is protection of legal interests and provision of assistance for its members and their families in settling social, medical, economic (material) and other problems.   Union of the Ukrainian Youth is an all-Ukrainian youth public organization that unites young people of the country on a voluntary basis to engage in educating devoted builders of the nation with the outlook formed  in national and Christian traditions and ideas. With the Organization’s cells in the majority of oblasts of Ukraine, it cooperates with centers of the Union of the Ukrainian Youth in 9 countries on four continents of the world.   The Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Businessmen  http://www.uspp.org.ua/news.php  Created in 1992, the organization is at present the most powerful public structure that groups together thousands of representatives of all branches of economy from every region of the country. During the years of operation the UUIB has overgrew the frames of an ordinary corporate organization turning into a somewhat special “holding company” to protect and promote interests of the national commodity producer.     The Council of Entrepreneurs of Ukraine with the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine was founded on March, 22, 1993. In accordance with the   Government’s of Ukraine decree the prime goal of the Council is provision of the efficient cooperation of the business structures with the Government of Ukraine and other bodies of the state executive power in carrying out national development of entrepreneurship and formation of market infrastructure.   The Electors’ Committee of Ukraine (ECU) The leading Ukrainian public organization, whose primary task is the supervision of the election campaigns, maintenance of the link between the electors and the government organs, as well as protection of the citizens’ suffrage. Organized at the start of 1994, at present the offices of the organization function in the 25 oblasts of the country, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, cities Kyiv and Sevastopol, and over 200 regions of Ukraine.

The National Union of Artists of Ukraine PLAST Taras Shevchenko All-Ukrainian Society Prosvita The All-Ukrainian “Chrnobyl Union of Ukraine” Non-governmental Organization The Council of Entrepreneurs of Ukraine The National Writers’ Union The Ukrainian Peace Council Ukrainian Union Industrialist Union of the Ukrainian Youth