On the 4th of March, Lviv played host to a significant event – a meeting of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, which was presided over by the esteemed President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Distinguished representatives from the Government convened to discuss several crucial topics, including the nation’s recovery programs, the state of the humanitarian landscape, and the prevailing security situation.
At the event, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, Iryna Vereshchuk, unveiled a novel strategy for the State Policy of Internal Displacement Until 2025. Her proposal included the establishment of coordination centers at oblast military administrations to help integrate IDPs and host communities seamlessly.
“While last year we focused on evacuation and primary assistance to IDPs, now we are focusing on integrating them into host communities. Their psychosocial support. Assistance in finding employment in a new place. These are the key tools for IDP integration today,” Iryna Vereshchuk was quoted as saying by the official Telegram channel of the Ministry of Reintegration.
The message also revealed that officials proposed the creation of self-organization bodies, known as IDP councils, to support internally displaced persons. The mechanism for establishing these councils was developed by the Charity Foundation Stabilization Support Services back in 2019, and our team continues to implement them across the country. An IDP council acts as an advisory body to state or local government organizations, playing a critical role in strengthening the participation of internally displaced persons in democratic processes of local self-government.
“The creation of IDP councils in every oblast is a step toward ensuring effective coordination and support of internally displaced persons. The Councils will help in solving the problems related to the life and integration of IDPs, as well as ensure that they receive the necessary support and protection of their rights,” said Valeriya Vershynina, Director of Legal Affairs at CF Stabilization Support Services.
Today, there are 14 IDP Councils in 12 oblasts of Ukraine, established by the team of our Foundation over the years. All of them cooperate extensively with local authorities, take an active part in local self-governance, and actively seek long-term solutions to improve the lives of IDPs.