Representatives from the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, local authorities, members of IDP Councils from various oblasts, and leaders of civil society and charitable organizations took part in panel discussions and strategic sessions.
Valeriya Vershynina, Head of the Board of the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services”, mentioned that almost 500 IDP Councils had been established within a year.
“These are entirely new IDP Councils. They consist of individuals who haven’t undergone training or learned like their colleagues from the first Councils. These activists are ready to learn and perform this work without compensation. With the help of IDP Councils, communities that welcome displaced persons can become stronger. Likewise, the displaced persons themselves have a choice – either to live isolated from the community, hoping to return home, or to start a new life, integrating and utilizing their experience and opportunities in the new community,” stressed Vershynina.
Olha Ivanova, Program Director at the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services”, spoke about the international experience of integrating IDPs into communities, analyzing both unsuccessful and successful practices.
“In 2014, we hoped that the war would end soon and we wouldn’t need to address the displaced persons issue. However, IDPs faced bureaucracy, discrimination, and rights violations, such as not being able to participate in local elections. Now, the situation has changed significantly. Ukraine has achieved a lot in a short span regarding the rights of IDPs. There were many discussions and debates among experts on how to improve the situation, and we often looked to international experiences,” explained Olha Ivanova.
Darya Detska, Communications Coordinator at IREX, emphasized the importance of building the capacities of IDP Councils. In particular, establishing close cooperation between IDP representatives, authorities, and the public at all levels is crucial.
“The approach to the establishment of IDP Councils must be methodical, focusing on comprehensive assistance – from the initial idea to establishing the IDP Councils, supporting them, and empowering them to execute initiatives. This includes training Council members and collaborating with authorities at various levels. We actively communicate and convey the perspectives of IDPs, assist in addressing systemic issues faced by both IDPs and the host communities. For this, we analyze local policies and programs and suggest specific steps, developing mechanisms for the establishment of IDP Councils.”
During the second day, the participants attended a strategic session on the development of IDP Councils. They also drafted and discussed documents for the preparation of the Forum’s Resolution, which will be presented today.
The event is being held by the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” in partnership with the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories and with the support of the United Nations Refugee Agency in Ukraine (UNHCR) and the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). The contents are the sole responsibility of the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Refugee Agency in Ukraine (UNHCR) and the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX).
