3 million leaflets about Diia and Diia.Digital Education spread all over Ukraine

January 13, 2022

UNDP, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and Ukrposhta conducted an information campaign on digital education for middle-aged and elderly people, including in the most remote parts of the country.

Photo: Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine

Kyiv, 13 January 2022 – The Ministry of Digital Transformation, assisted by the DIA Support project, which is being implemented by the UN Development Programme in Ukraine with financial support from Sweden, has disseminated among Ukrainian families 3 million leaflets about government services and educational products. These informational brochures reached people in the country’s most remote areas via Ukrposhta’s network of post offices, the widest in the country.

Digital Education Hub libraries also received packets of branded products to communicate about digital education to their visitors. The distribution of printed products makes it possible to convey information messages to various categories of the population. As evidenced by the more than 1 million people who have studied on the Diia.Digital Education platform, you can get a new modern digital profession at any age – from adolescent to middle-aged or elderly people. About 20 percent of the portal’s users were over 55+ years old.

Photo: Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine

Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation for European Integration Valeriya Ionan said, “The Ministry of Digital Transformation systematically conducts communications campaigns to promote digital skills. Two years ago, we launched a similar information campaign under the slogan ‘Keep up with the times,’ which was the first of its kind in Ukraine. We continue promoting digital services to reach out to as many Ukrainians as possible. We thank Ukrposhta for supporting this project and working with us to implement it. These efforts will enable increasingly more people to learn about the Diia.Digital Education platform, which now offers over 70 educational series, including those for the elderly.”

Mstyslav Banik, Head of Digital Services Development at the Ministry of Digital Transformation said, “Digital literacy and digital skills have neither age nor geolocation. COVID certificates, electronic services, and all other modern services should be available to all people, without exception. While making a tour through the Diia team support points in Ukraine, I noticed that the percentage of people who have smartphones has continued to increase. Therefore, we aim to teach people how to use smartphones and how to be well versed in using digital solutions. That’s because Viber, Facebook and YouTube are only the first step to digital literacy, rather than being the pinnacle of it. People can get support with resolving their urgent issues at Diia team support offices, in TSNAPs and libraries. However, there are lots of issues that go beyond COVID certificates or the ePidtrymka project. That’s why we continue our efforts by communicating offline about digital issues to provide people with the greatest possible support in making their first steps.”

Manal Fouani, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine, noted that according to a UNDP-supported study, 24 percent of those who did not use any electronic government services in 2020 said they lacked the required skills to use such services.

The strategic partnership among the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the Swedish government, Ukrposhta and UNDP is key to identifying and bridging this digital divide, as well as to offering appropriate solutions for informing the most remote Ukrainian communities about where they can acquire the required knowledge and skills to use electronic government services,” said Fouani.

This initiative will also help us understand what else we can do to provide digital education to every Ukrainian who needs it,” she said. “In this way, we can help ensure that the whole country moves forward together.”

Photo: Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine

Moreover, packets with information about digital education and branded products were sent to Digital Education Hub libraries.

Oksana Brui, President of the Ukrainian Library Association said, “Each library that is a Digital Education Hub should conduct appropriate communications so that people know where they can acquire or improve their digital literacy skills, and how. That’s why this information campaign is important for establishing strong ties between hubs and the target audience.”

Background information

Digital, Inclusive, Accessible: Support to Digitalisation of Public Services in Ukraine (DIA Support) Project, launched in 2021, aims to bridge the digital divide between generations and different social groups. Its main goal is to increase the accessibility of new digital solutions so that every man and woman in the country can use public electronic services and no one is left behind.

Media inquiries:

Yuliia Samus, Communications Team Leader, UNDP in Ukraine, Yuliia.Samus@undp.org or +38 097 139 1475