Since 2014, Zaporizka oblast has been hosting IDPs and has already sheltered tens of thousands of people. However, Anastasia Perepelitsia, activist of the IDP Council in Zaporizhzhia and CF SSS regional coordinator, believes that providing shelter is not enough: housing and other issues must be solved systemically. This is exactly what the IDP Council under Zaporizhzhia Mayor is doing. In particular, in the frames of a joint project with the Norwegian Refugee Council, it is working to create housing programs in the region.
Anastasiia shared how the IDP Council appeared in her city, what it has already managed to do for IDPs and how it solves the lack of housing issue.
Why did the IDP Council appear in Zaporizhzhia?
We engaged actively in starting an IDP Council in our city at the end of 2019, when attention to the problems of internally displaced persons began to dwindle. But the problems did not disappear, they transformed into new ones. Humanitarian support in most cases was no longer needed, but there were still fundamental problems such as the lack of free housing. It was exactly the issue that we began to unite around and talk about the creation of urban programs for IDPs.
Until February 24, about 56 thousand IDPs lived in our oblast, which is neighboring with Donetska oblast. We created the IDP Initiative Group, involved partners and studied examples of IDP Councils in Kharkiv and Kramatorsk to launch the same tool in our city. At first, we wanted to solve only housing issues, but later we concluded that the format of an advisory body under the local authorities would allow us to solve more problems and work systemically.
The mayor of Zaporizhzhia quickly gave the go-ahead for creating such a council. It started operating on June 5, 2020. It included public activists, representatives of organizations that provided support to IDPs, as well as IDPs themselves. The chosen format allowed us to address our initiatives to local authorities and relevant departments. Together with them, we form the agenda, convey information about the problems, actively communicate with representatives of all relevant departments and quickly approve decisions together.
Four successful cases of Zaporizhzhia IDP Council
We have always understood the needs of IDPs, we knew what to pay attention to, as many of the Council members are IDPs themselves. Here are the areas in which we have achieved results.
- Housing
It is clear that solving this problem requires a lot of money. We studied the needs, programs in other regions, and obstacles during the implementation. Our goal was to comprehensively showcase the problem to local authorities, the experience of others and opportunities. They told us: “okay, let’s try”. And last year we used the state subventions program and bought three apartments to create a fund of temporary housing for IDPs. We also developed and were ready to launch a mortgage program, but the plans were disrupted by the full-scale war. However, there is actually a developed and ready tool that can help solve the problems of people left without housing.
- Protection of children of internally displaced persons
Not all families can afford professional psychological help for children. There are several nuances here: there are psychologists out there, but people are not very willing to see them; each psychologist has a specific area of work, not everyone works with crisis, trauma, violence. Therefore, we had to look for specialized professionals. In this case, we also borrowed the experience of other IDP councils, in particular, in Kryvyi Rih. In addition, with the help of the City Council, we amended the Children of Zaporizhzhia program so that it covered children from internally displaced families. Such families receive one thousand hryvnias per child – the money is small, but so far we have what we have.
- City social protection program
This required introducing amendments to the existing city program. Some IDPs are not registered in the city, but live here. Therefore, thanks to the amendments made, they can now also receive financial support in difficult circumstances.
- Support program from the local deputies
Deputies have their own budgets and fixed budget lines determining what these funds can be spent for in their districts. We have succeeded in including the internally displaced persons in this program. Thus, they can receive financial support.
Why is this important? Let me explain with an example. A family with a 12-year-old girl in a wheelchair moved to Zaporizhzhia from Donetsk region. They rented an apartment, but there is no ramp at the entrance to the residential building. They turned to a local deputy, who was eager to help. However, the family is not registered in Zaporizhzhia, so according to the rules he has no authority to help with this. They went the other way: several people with limited mobility lived in the building and made an application on their behalf. But the case clearly shows where the system fails. After all, the girl needed help, the deputy wanted to provide it, but did not have the opportunity.
We have changed this. And I would like to highlight, that the solution is systemic, now it helps a large number of people.
On the new challenges of war
On February 16, 2022, we appealed to the city authorities with a proposal to discuss the plan that we have already created in case of an escalation of the war with Russia. The Council meeting was scheduled for February 25, of course, it did not take place. However, as a public wing, we were ready for the events that would require quick reactions. After February 24, our and other NGOs began to coordinate the activities, purchase all the necessary supplies, create and supply the humanitarian headquarters. Now I can say that thanks to our coordination in a difficult situation you know exactly who and what you can ask for.
Currently, most NGOs are working in the humanitarian response mode. But we are also trying to strengthen the coordination of resettlement, preparation for winter in view of the deteriorating security situation in Zaporizhzhia.
It is impossible to assess what our and partner organizations, city employees, city and regional administrations are doing, because it is an incredible work and dedication. It is not easy to host such a huge number of people. I never cease to thank those who are involved in these processes and continue to work in emergency conditions. The first burden is always put on the local community, and it deserves gratitude for the support it provides. The help from the state comes next.
Housing advocacy project
Despite the difficulties, frequent shelling and power outages, we continue to search for systemic solutions to the housing issues. Now the IDP Council under Zaporizhzhia City Mayor is participating in an advocacy project implemented by SSS Charity Foundation together with the Norwegian Refugee Council with the financial support of the European Union. It is aimed at creating effective housing programs for IDPs.
Currently, members of our Council and community activists are undergoing training to know how to develop new systemic solutions even more effectively and present them to local authorities. We have high expectations from this project.