“Being a Member of Parliament, all of a sudden you realize you are responsible for everything, and you are representative of your people in the parliament.”

Svitlana Zalishchuk highlights the effectiveness of civil society leaders entering government after political transitions. She discusses the responsibilities and challenges that exist after being elected to parliament and being held accountable to all constituents.

Svitlana now serves as a Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister. She was elected as a Member of Parliament in Ukraine from 2014-2019. Prior to becoming a Member of Parliament she co-founded and served as the Executive Director for the Centre of United Actions NGO, which focused on media and anticorruption reforms. She was a prominent leader of the Euromaidan events that led to the 2014 Revolution of Dignity.