Press conference: IDP housing issue, results of the consultation seminars with hromadas & more

04.06.21

The issue of housing for temporary residence of IDPs became the central topic of a press conference held on June 3 2021 at Ukrinform.

During the event, the results of a series of consultation seminars were summarized, with a special focus being set on the topic of receiving a subsidy from the state to provide IDPs with housing. This year events were organized by specialists of the Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P) jointly with the partner organizations.

Oleksandr Galkin, the President of the CF “Right to Protection” (R2P), spoke in detail about the cooperation with amalgamated territorial communities (hromadas) and on the positive results of consultation seminars during the press event.

Alexandr Galkin R2P Олександр Галкін БФ Право на захист

«Since 2017, R2P has been supporting amalgamated territorial communities in the development of their housing programs, so they will be able to provide practical and methodological assistance. With the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Ukraine (UNHCR), we are implementing measures aimed at developing and implementing long-term housing solutions for internally displaced persons.
In 2020 we have also started cooperation with the Ukrainian Social Investment Fund, and our regional teams provide support to 11 local communities. Standard programs have been developed, as well as procedures that can be adapted to the financial needs and capabilities of any community.
Last year, at the initiative of the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, we also organized two joint events for the eastern regions. Eight participating communities then applied for the relevant programs and received subventions. Positive changes have taken place this year as well. With the financial and expert support of the Council of Europe Project “Internal Displacement in Ukraine: Building Solutions – Phase II” and the UNHCR, geography of training and consulting activities have significantly expanded throughout Ukraine,»,
– said Oleksandr Galkin, President of the R2P.

Also with the support of the All-Ukrainian Association of Village and Settlement Councils, the specialists of our Fund held a series of seminars for the representatives of the amalgamated territorial communities (hromadas) in all regions of Ukraine without exception. 450 community representatives took part in a total of 6 seminars. During the seminars, participants learned about the procedure and conditions for receiving a subsidy from the state budget to local budgets to create a fund of temporary housing for IDPs.

In addition, the events also included information on the procedure for creating such a fund, as well as the peculiarities of purchasing housing on the secondary market. As a result of these seminars, some communities have already prepared documents and applied for a subsidy.

The recording of the press conference

is available:

The event was organized by the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine; Council of Europe Project “Internal Displacement in Ukraine: Building Solutions – Phase II”; Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P) with the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Ukraine (UNHCR), All-Ukrainian Association of Village and Settlement Councils.

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03.06.21

Today, on June 3, the Security Service of Ukraine released information about the detention of a man who was informed about the suspicion that he was an agent of the so-called “Ministry of State Security of the DPR.”

The detainee provided transport services to the Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P) as private contractor. Prior to concluding the agreement, the Fund inspected the potential vendor according to the standard procedure.

Throughout the term of cooperation, our organization had no complaints about the quality and timing of the tasks specified in the agreement. The provision of services did not provide access to information related to the Fund’s program activities.

Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P) does not have information about the activities of the detained person outside the cooperation provided for in our agreement and is ready to provide all necessary information for the investigation.

Fund has been operating in Ukraine for almost 10 years and provides legal support to refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, and those at risk of statelessness, and for the last seven years to people affected by the conflict in the East. We work exclusively in the territory controlled by the Government of Ukraine within the current Ukrainian legislation.

02.06.21

Give the person a fishing rod instead of fish! That’s the purpose of the new project of the Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P) which will be implemented in the Azov region. It is aimed at developing practical skills and knowledge of members of vulnerable groups, which in the long run will help improve their economic situation. After all, it is assumed that the project participants will be then able to find a job or start their own business in the future.

БФ «Право на захист» розпочинає новий проєкт із допомоги у працевлаштуванні

Why the Azov region?

The economy of the Azov region has suffered greatly as a result of an armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. On the one hand, there are signs of loss of regional and international markets, destroyed infrastructure, and changes in the functioning of the transport sector. On the other hand, a large number of internally displaced persons have settled here – people who have been forced to leave their homes and start their life from the beginning.

Therefore, for these territories, the issue of the social and economic integration of these citizens is extremely acute. That is why the CF “Right to Protection” (R2P) together with its partner GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH) launched a project aimed at improving the lives of people who found themselves in difficult life circumstances and require assistance. These are not only IDPs but also people over the age of 50, single parents, parents with many children, people with disabilities, and women.

As David Fuechtjohann, Director of the Project “Fostering Economic Participation of Vulnerable Groups Including IDPs in the Sea of Azov Region” at GIZ noted, the Ukrainian economy is facing an inevitable profound transformation – especially when it comes to the eastern part of the country. This poses many challenges for the region and its people.

“The Ukrainian economy, especially in the eastern part of the country, is facing a profound transformation that imposes many challenges for the region and its population. The conflict and the pandemic have further tightened the economic situation of the local population, especially of the vulnerable groups. We are glad to have now this cooperation between GIZ and R2P in place as I am convinced that this project and the experience of R2P in the region will equip members of vulnerable groups with the necessary business and entrepreneurial skills that are in demand nowadays in a modern market economy and that will improve their perspectives on the labor market.”
– said Mr. Fuechtjohann

Stateless Children in Ukraine. Why and How? Як в Україні народжуються діти без громадянства?

What will the project participants get?

During the project implementation, R2P will conduct comprehensive training in digital and financial literacy, provide knowledge on the basics of business and self-employment. In addition, participants will be able to receive individual advice from a lawyer on labor and anti-discrimination legislation, finance, private enterprise, and taxation, and also the career counselor. There will be individual consultations and webinars on writing the CV, job search, internships, etc. Participants will also be able to get legal information on employment issues in the chatbot “Legal Advisor for IDPs” on any of the mentioned platforms: Viber, Facebook, and Telegram.

According to Nadiya Kovalchuk, Deputy President of the CF “Right to Protection” (R2P), the new project implemented in partnership with GIZ will be a logical continuation of the organization’s activities in the region.

“Our team is constantly working hard to resolve the problems that have arisen in eastern Ukraine in connection with the conflict. This particular project aims to increase the economic inclusion of vulnerable people in the Azov region. Participants from Tokmak, Melitopol, Berdyansk, Mangush, Primorsk, and Mariupol will be invited to participate in the program. An open set of participants will be announced in the second decade of June. We are convinced that such programs, in the long run, can strengthen the ability of people with vulnerabilities to become involved in the local economy, ”
– said Ms. Kovalchuk.

02.06.21

Since 2020, specialists of the Kharkiv office of the Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P) provide legal consultations to the amalgamated territorial communities (hromadas) in the Kharkiv region. One of the important goals is to support the hromada’s potential in the context of finding long-term housing solutions for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

To fulfill this goal our colleagues organize various seminars and provide individual counseling, in particular, on:

Subventions provision from the state to local budgets;
Creation of the housing funds to provide housing for temporary residence of IDPs;
Other important issues concerning the housing, development, and approval of the local programs.

In addition, the R2P Kharkiv office provides printed informative materials, as well as draft documents on the protection of the rights and interests of IDPs.

«Changes in the administrative-territorial structure of Ukraine led to lots of questions from the representatives of the amalgamated territorial communities. And all such questions need to be solved in order to help establish work in new conditions. That is why R2P currently provides not only advocacy, protection, and legal assistance to IDPs, but also develops closer cooperation with the amalgamated territorial communities and initiative groups. By working together, we help communities become more efficient and foster their ability to develop internal infrastructure, as well as provide quality and affordable services to the people, »
– said Olena Prykhodko, regional team lead and attorney at the Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P).

All this is needed in order for communities to become more efficient in their work and rationally use the available resources, so each resident could receive quality services. Employees of the Kharkiv office of the R2P are always open to cooperation – they will respond to every request from hromada’s representatives.

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