DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY FOR INTERAGENCY COOPERATION IN POSTHUMOUS REPRODUCTION

Abstract

The profound demographic crisis in Ukraine, exacerbated by the prolonged state of martial law, necessitates
the development of innovative legal instruments for preserving the nation’s gene pool. Current national legislation
(Laws No. 3496-IX of November 22, 2023 and No. 3573-IX of February 7, 2024) has established the foundational
legal framework; however, a functional mechanism for its practical implementation is currently lacking. The
primary challenge lies in the fragmentation of data regarding the storage of reproductive cells and the verification
of posthumous consent, which complicates the realisation of reproductive rights for the defenders of Ukraine. The
objective of this study is to substantiate a conceptual model for a State Register of Consents for Posthumous
Reproduction based on the principles of institutional interoperability. The research aims to define the functional
roles of public authorities in ensuring a seamless digital process for exercising reproductive rights. The research
utilises a multidimensional methodological framework: the comparative-legal method for aligning national policy
with the Interoperable Europe Act; the system-structural method for designing the interagency cooperation
architecture; and the modeling method for simulating data exchange processes between the Ministry of Health,
the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and the Ministry of Justice. The study proposes an "interoperable
ecosystem" model that replaces fragmented departmental databases with a unified digital node. It defines the
specific competencies of the Ministry of Digital Transformation (infrastructure and QES verification), the Ministry
of Health (bioethical oversight and ART monitoring), and the Ministry of Justice (legal validation of parentage).
This model enables an automated, out-of-court procedure for determining the child’s origin under Article 123 of
the Family Code of Ukraine. Institutional capacity in the digital age is determined by the quality of interagency
synergy rather than isolated agency authority. The establishment of the proposed Register, aligned with the
European Interoperability Framework (EIF), ensures legal certainty, reduces the burden on the judiciary, and
serves as a strategic investment in Ukraine’s post-war demographic recovery.

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