On 8 April, the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) supported a forum focused on the integration of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine.

The forum was organised by Chernivtsi City Council as part of the EU-funded “EU4Recovery – Empowering Communities in Ukraine” (EU4Recovery) project.

According to the Chernivtsi City Council, IDPs account for 10 per cent of the region’s population, or approximately 80,000 people, including over 40,000 women with children, elderly people, and persons with disabilities. 

The forum comprised four panel discussions, encompassing various facets of IDP integration in Chernivtsi Oblast. Topics included the advocacy capacities of IDP Councils and their accomplishments; effective models of collaboration among local authorities, community members, and IDPs; international approaches to working with IDPs; successful integration experiences in Chernivtsi and Zakarpattia oblasts; and efforts to enhance collaboration with national and international stakeholders.

Stefan Schleuning, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, said at the conference that the success stories highlighted at the forum demonstrated, above all, the readiness of displaced Ukrainians to contribute actively to recovery. “In the framework of our EU4Recovery partnership project, the EU in collaboration with UNDP are developing initiatives to facilitate smoother integration of IDPs into new communities, thereby fostering Ukraine’s economic and social advancement,” Schleuning said.

As an outcome of the forum, recommendations were passed concerning development of the IDP Council system, drawing upon shared practices and suggestions presented at the event.

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Press release