Strengthening Evidence-Based Recovery in Ukraine

About the project:

The war has caused extensive damage across Ukraine, significantly affecting infrastructure, the energy sector, and community life. The country’s recovery requires a comprehensive approach to planning and resource allocation to address these complex challenges. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine is supporting the national authorities in evidence-based planning and the implementation of recovery and development measures.  

During the first phase of the project, UNDP, at the request of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, conducted a building damage assessment (BDA) to comprehensively assess the extent of war-related destruction in Ukraine in the settlements of Kyiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts. 

As a result, UNDP assessed 426 settlements and prepared detailed digital maps of 1.3 million houses, including damaged and destroyed buildings, as well as orthophoto plans of relevant settlements. 

map

The collected data has been transferred to the State Cartographic and Geodetic Fund of Ukraine as part of the Memorandum of Cooperation between UNDP and the State Service of Ukraine for Geodesy, Cartography, and Cadastre (StateGeoCadastre). It is available to relevant communities through the National Geoportal of the StateGeoCadastre for use in recovery and development planning processes. 

The current phase of the project aims to strengthen evidence-based recovery and development planning by utilizing comprehensive data, including digital maps from the BDA, satellite imagery and orthophoto plans. This integrated approach aims to enhance the sustainability and efficiency of recovery and development efforts. 

The project emphasizes: 

  • Capacity development of target communities and partners in data processing, digital literacy, and geospatial analysis.
  • Systematic data collection methods disaggregated by gender and disability, where possible, to improve service delivery, planning and monitoring at the local level for the target communities.
  • Sustainability and national ownership through the launch of the Knowledge Hub for Recovery and Development, a network of recovery and development expertise, to support communities in implementing digital tools, sharing experiences and conducting research on the use of data to improve recovery processes.

Expected results:

Two columns listing outputs related to data systems for recovery and reconstruction.

The project is being implemented with financial support from the Government of Germany and UNDP.

Key project partners: The Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, the State Service of Ukraine for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre and target communities.

Contact: dsu.ua@undp.org

Current Project Results

As part of the project’s second phase, UNDP has implemented a range of practical activities to support data-driven recovery and development planning in war-affected communities.

Community Assessment and Selection

Press release: Germany and UNDP empower communities with data for recovery and development

Following a nationwide survey of over 950 territorial communities, five pilot communities were selected for in-depth engagement:

Digital capacity assessments were also conducted in each selected community to tailor subsequent support activities to their actual needs. These assements considered factors such as digital literacy, gender equality and accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Capacity Development and Local Empowerment

Round I: GIS Fundamentals for Community Recovery and Development
6-8 May 2025, Kyiv

Press release: From Data to Decisions: UNDP and Germany support capacity development for Ukrainian Communities

The first in-person training module of the Knowledge Hub equipped participants with core skills in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), with a specific focus on QGIS. Community representatives learned to map infrastructure damage, conduct spatial analysis, and set priorities for recovery planning.

The training combined theoretical and practical exercises, using data specific to the participants' communities. It emphasized sustainable, free digital solutions suitable for local self-governance. Participants also explored how national digital platforms – such as the State Geoportal, Urban Planning Cadastre, and Address Registry – could be integrated into their local systems.

Round II: Information Management Foundations for Community Recovery
18-19 June 2025, online

The second training round strengthened communities’ ability to manage the full Information Management (IM) cycle – from planning and ethical data collection, to cleaning, structuring, spatial mapping, and dissemination. The training also covered feedback loops and final GIS integration.

Participants gained hands-on experience in a variety of key skills. They learned how to structure and clean raw data, georeference scanned paper maps, and develop address registries. The training also covered converting paper forms to digital formats using Kobo Toolbox, Excel, and QGIS, and creating GIS layers that align with Ukraine’s National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI).

Key training outcomes:

  • Digital skills self-assessment increased from 32% to 71%
  • GIS proficiency (from Round I) increased from 42% to 86%
  • Address mapping was rated as the most confidently adopted topic (66%)

These efforts lay the groundwork for a scalable model of local data use. They demonstrate how investing in digital skills and tools at the community level can drive a transparent, efficient, and resilient recovery.

Useful materials: 

Digital capacity and data assessment for recovery & development (presentation in English)

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Empowering communities through data for recovery and development

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Strengthening Community Recovery Through Data: UNDP Concludes Second Round of Online Training on Information Management for Ukrainian Hromadas

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