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In the conditions of war, when the front-line communities of the Kherson region face real threats of shelling, destruction, and other crisis situations every day, the role of public communication between authorities, military administrations, and the local population becomes especially important. Our research shows that most residents constantly scan news about their community; 59% do it every hour or several times daily. Therefore, effectively informing citizens not only helps to ensure the safety of the population but also helps to maintain trust in the authorities, strengthen morale, and resist disinformation.
These guidelines are designed to help local governments and military administrations implement effective and safe communications practices in communities near battle action. Considering the specifics of work in high-risk areas, the document focuses on essential aspects of information security, efficiency, and accuracy, selectivity of messages, psychological support of the population, and building trust through transparent communication.
These recommendations aim to help authorities inform the public correctly and on time while balancing the need to respond quickly to threats and ensure privacy and security. In addition, interactive interaction with the community, which allows us to promptly respond to its requests and challenges and provide support in crisis situations,, is an important component.
The document covers various aspects of public communication, including managing information security, building an effective communication infrastructure, engaging opinion leaders, and organizing training for government officials and the public. Implementing these recommendations will create a stronger connection between the authorities and the community, strengthen trust, and help respond more effectively to the challenges faced by the frontline communities of the Kherson region.
These guidelines are based on the experience of front-line communities in the Kherson region, where Working groups for public safety and recovery are operating, which face daily shelling and destruction of civilian infrastructure by the russian occupying forces, as well as modern approaches to crisis communication and information security. They are a tool for creating systematic, coherent, and reliable communication that will meet the requirements of contemporary challenges.
These guidelines have been prepared within the framework of the initiative "Kherson region: public safety and recovery in conditions of change," implemented by the Kherson Regional Charity Foundation "Union" with the assistance of the UNDP Ukraine with the financial support of the Government of Denmark.