Representatives of the Social Protection Department of the Regional State Administration and the Councils on Internally Displaced Persons established in Donetsk Oblast participated in an online meeting between Vitaliy Bezgin, Ukraine’s Minister for Communities, Territories, and Internally Displaced Persons, and representatives of the IDP councils.
During the meeting, the Ministry’s key priorities regarding support for internally displaced persons were presented, and areas for further cooperation with the IDP councils were outlined. In particular, participants discussed the organization of evacuation based on a full-cycle approach—from evacuating people from dangerous areas to their relocation and subsequent integration into the host community—as well as the operation of transit centers and coordination among state agencies, local governments, and humanitarian organizations.
Special attention was given to providing housing for IDPs, particularly the effective use of the existing housing stock, as well as the transition from temporary solutions to the provision of permanent housing.
Participants also discussed the socio-economic integration of IDPs into host communities.
The importance of systematic communication between IDP Councils and the Ministry was emphasized, as well as the need to convey practical problems arising at the community level so they can be addressed at the central level.
Following the meeting, further steps were identified to develop ongoing cooperation between the Ministry and the IDP Councils and to take their proposals into account when improving the regulatory framework and shaping public policy regarding support for internally displaced persons.
For the Donetsk region, where a significant number of residents were forced to leave their homes due to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, ensuring the rights, social protection, housing, and integration of IDPs remain among the key priorities of the regional state administration.