More than 120 participants, hundreds of views of the broadcast and 5 hours of lively discussions! The conference "Cash Assistance for Internally Displaced Persons" brought together 58 international and humanitarian organizations working in the area of providing cash assistance to IDPs and representatives of the Ukrainian authorities, including MPs, Vice Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, Minister of Social Policy Oksana Zholnovych and others.
The event was organized by the Temporary Special Commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the Protection of Property and Non-Property Rights of Internally Displaced Persons and Other Persons Affected by the Armed Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine (hereinafter referred to as the TSC) with the support of the USAID RADA: Next Generation Program. The program assists the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in strengthening parliamentary oversight and engaging stakeholders in jointly developing effective policies.
USAID RADA: Next Generation Program Director Marten Ehnberg said: "I hope this forum will accelerate the search for solutions to the critical problem of supporting internally displaced persons. Today, there are almost 5 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine who were forced to leave their homes because of the war. Of these, 2.5 million have no place to return to - either because their homes have been destroyed or because their homes are in the war zone.
They face numerous challenges: finding jobs, limited financial resources, and integrating into new communities. They should not be left to face their difficulties alone. russia destroyed their homes, but it could not break their spirits. The stories of the determination and resilience of internally displaced persons are incredible. They remind us of our responsibility to provide them with the support they need and deserve.
It is only by working together that we can ensure a comprehensive approach to solving the problems. Transparency and accountability are key principles in this process, and we ensure that every voice is heard. It is important for our program to support the capacity of the Verkhovna Rada committees, including such formations as temporary special commissions, in policy-making with the involvement of stakeholders and strengthening parliamentary oversight."
The conference aims to harmonize international assistance and domestic fiscal policy to maximize support for IDPs, as well as to develop policy recommendations on how to improve cash assistance mechanisms.
Iryna Vereshchuk noted that such events are very important nowadays: "I thank the MPs for the framework you set for our government, for parliamentary control, for personal motivation. I thank USAID for everything you do in the humanitarian response." She emphasized that the response to IDPs should be "fast, simple and adequate."
The conference had two sessions: during the first one, representatives of the Ukrainian government spoke about the needs of IDPs and government initiatives to support them, and during the second session, international donors and organizations presented the challenges they face in assisting IDPs and how this process can be improved.
The parties prepared a joint statement agreeing on further coordination of efforts. This document will be reviewed by the TSC in the near future. Pavlo Frolov, the head of the Commission, said: "We need to develop mechanisms to ensure that the limited resources available to the state, local authorities, international partners, and humanitarian organizations are used as efficiently as possible so that we can reach the largest number of Ukrainians with this assistance. We will consider all proposals and opinions at the meeting of our Commission and ensure that our decisions are implemented."
You can watch the speakers' speeches and presentations on our Facebook page.