The Story of Resettlement: Finding the Perfect, Open Community

09.06.21

«Assistance to the IDP families in resettlement has always been a priority in the work of the Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P). And in this situation, it is important that the local communities be willing to help internally displaced persons find their new homes. We are grateful that there are such communities in the Dnipropetrovsk region, which are ready to accept and help IDPs from other regions. Communities that are actually open to people!»
– said Myroslava Sushchenko, head of the Dnipro and Zaporizhzhya office of the CF “Right to Protection” (R2P)

The Story of Displacement

Svitlana and Oleksandr. Back in the peaceful days, they used to renovate their old home, putting all their love and efforts into making it better, but all these happy days were short…

In 2014, the family was forced to leave Shakhtarsk due to the start of active hostilities and initially, the occupation of the city.

Fleeing the war in the east, the family found their first shelter in the west of Ukraine in Sambir district, where they have been living for almost 5 years. Svitlana and Oleksandr still remember the lovely nature of the Carpathians and the kindness of the people around them.

Історія переселення: громада відкрита для людей

After learning about the possibility of moving to the module settlement in the Kirovohrad region, the family decided to go, due to it being closer to their home. So they moved to Novohradivka. The couple lived in the new place for two years, but the high rent and insufficiently developed infrastructure forced them to start searching for a new place once again… And during this period they found the contacts of the CF “Right to Protection” (R2P).

Olena Pazenko, a monitor at the Dnipro and Zaporizhzhya office of the Right to Protection Charitable Foundation, immediately offered the family possible options for resettlement. After the consultation, they stopped their choice at the city of Pokrov, Nikopol district. Svitlana and Oleksandr have been hesitating for several months, and when they finally decided to come, our colleagues accompanied them in the new community. After inspecting the room in the dormitory, walking around the city, the family made the final decision to stay.

Within one day, Svitlana and Oleksandr received an IDP registration certificate at the new location, underwent the necessary examinations at the hospital, and applied to the settlement commission.

«I have been going to Pokrov with monitoring visits since 2015, and every time I visit this incredible town I fall in love with it in a new way. And it is the people who make it so cozy. Pokrov is a city where people are not indifferent to the fate of internally displaced persons. So it was this time.
When we were collecting a package of documents, people everywhere came to meet us. We did not see officials, we saw caring people. I would like to express special gratitude to Valentyna Minenko, director of Zhytlokomservice, which has IDP dormitories on its balance. She is always ready to provide shelter to the people who became homeless due to the hostilities in eastern Ukraine, »
– commented Olena Pazenko, a monitor at the Dnipro-Zaporizhzhya office of the Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P).

Eventually, a week after the application was submitted, the family moved into a dormitory.

Oleksandr loved the city at first sight. When he learned more about the city, he made sure that he and his wife were not mistaken:

«I walk around the city a lot here. It inspires, and it’s actually made for people! As a person with a disability, it is difficult for me to walk a lot, but there are benches everywhere, you always have the opportunity to sit down and relax. It’s nice to feel taken care of. »
– told Oleksandr about his experience of living in a new place.

Svitlana is already arranging a new house and dreams that the children who now live in the Zhytomyr region will also move to Pokrov and the family will finally reunite. Her words of gratitude are very valuable to us:

«R2P, thank you that in the 7th year of the war, when fewer organizations take care of IDPs, you did not leave us, the displaced, alone with our own problems.»
– said Svitlana.

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08.06.21

The State Migration Service of Ukraine (SMSU) advised Halyna Mykhailivna to turn CF “Right to Protection” (R2P). SMSU staff began assisting the woman in obtaining a passport when they discovered a strange fact – the record of a woman’s birth was missing from the State Register of Civil Status.

It is known that Halyna Mykhailivna was born in 1956 in the city of Kupyansk, Ukrainian SSR. The woman received a birth certificate, on the basis of which she graduated from school and entered the institute. On her 16th birthday, she received a passport of a citizen of the USSR. In 1983, the woman officially married, which was recorded in the State Register of Civil Status.

When all of Halyna Mykhailivna’s documents were lost, it became necessary to obtain a birth certificate again. It is necessary to issue a passport of a citizen of Ukraine in the form of an ID card.

Halyna Mykhailivna turned to the Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P) for help. Our lawyer had a detailed interview with the woman and made a number of inquiries, but in the end, there was a sad confirmation that there was no data about the woman’s birth at all. Neither an act entry in the State Register of Civil Status Acts nor information in the Birth Registration Books – like if Halyna Mykhailivna never existed.

On the basis of previously collected evidence, the lawyer of the CF “Right to Protection” (R2P) filed a lawsuit in the interests of Halyna Mykhailivna. And only a court decision was able to establish the birth of a woman.

Навіть найдовший шлях починається з першого кроку. Історія Галини Михайлівни

Thanks to the fast and coordinated work of the Kholodnohirsky department of the State Registrar of the Acts of Civil Status, the woman was holding a birth certificate the next day. This was the first and most important step on the way to the dream passport. No wonder ancient wisdom teaches: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.

We thank the employees of the Kholodnohirsky District Department of State Registration of Civil Status Acts of the Eastern Interregional Department of Justice of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine (in Kharkiv) for their high professionalism and humanity in providing assistance!

Our colleagues continue to work on the registration of the passport for Halyna Mykhailivna. We will inform you of the progress in it in the near future!

UNHCR Ukraine

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07.06.21

Fakhridin was born in 1993 in Tajikistan. At the age of 15, he moved to Ukraine together with his mother. His first place of residence was the village of Pikuzy (old name – Kominternove, Novoazovsk district, currently a Non-Government Controlled Area of Ukraine).

There he received education and successfully completed nine classes. Later he lived and studied in Volnovakha and Mariupol, where in 2013 he graduated from the Mariupol Vocational Lyceum of Motor Transport and received a truck crane driver certificate.

In Mariupol, Fakhridin started a family, and later two children were born – a boy and a girl. All this time, for almost 15 years, he tried to get an identity document in Ukraine to have the right to work legally and become a full member of society.

However, due to the gaps in the legislation, it was not possible. No matter how much he tried to apply to the Migration Service, he always received denials and threats to be forcibly deported…

In 2018, Fakhridin applied to the Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P) and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Ukraine for help with obtaining the documents.

Our colleagues have taken all the necessary legal actions to help. A lawsuit was initiated and the fact of Fakhridin’s family relationship with his sister, who lives in Mariupol and has the status of a citizen of Ukraine, was established.

This year, thanks to changes in legislation and court decisions, it has become possible to apply to the State Migration Service of Ukraine for recognition as a stateless person.

In addition, Fakhridin became the first applicant for a Stateless Determination Procedure in the Donetsk region. Now he believes and hopes that Ukraine will take his side and recognize his right to exist, so he will be able to work legally, sign a declaration with a doctor and never again be afraid of forced deportation!

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07.06.21

Mykhailo was born in the late 1960s in the Kursk region of the former USSR. In 1984, the man moved to a permanent residence in the Donetsk region. Here he received education and his first passport as a citizen of the USSR. He later started to work and got married.

Mykhailo did not receive the passport of a citizen of Ukraine in time due to the lack of the necessary forms. However, in his USSR passport, he was marked as a “Citizen of Ukraine”. The man lived with this document until the 2000s, but then he lost his passport.

For several years, a man tried in vain to obtain a passport of a citizen of Ukraine. Due to the fact that the man did not have any document confirming his citizenship, the State Migration Service of Ukraine refused to document him with a passport of a citizen of Ukraine.

In August 2020, Mykhailo turned to the Slovyansk office of the Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P) for help in obtaining a passport. The lawyer made numerous inquiries in order to obtain evidence of the man’s permanent residence in Ukraine as of 24 August 1991. Witnesses who agreed to appear in court to confirm Mykhailo’s residence in Ukraine also helped to prove his identity.

After receiving sufficient evidence, the lawyer sent a statement to the court establishing the fact of Mykhailo’s permanent residence on the territory of Ukraine as of August 24, 1991.

The court granted the application, and with this decision, Mykhailo applied to the State Migration Service of Ukraine department to obtain a certificate of registration as a citizen of Ukraine.

In early April, the man received a long-awaited passport. With this document, a man will finally be able to undergo a full medical examination.

Немає паспорта? Немає медичної допомоги! Історія Михайла

«Life turned upside down when I was hit by a car and suffered a severe leg fracture. Without documents, I could not even pass a medical examination, »
– Mykhailo said with hope after he received the passport of a citizen of Ukraine.

Yet, the story did not end there

A few years ago, a tragedy occurred in his life: he was hit by a car at a crosswalk and his leg was broken and not cured.

Without documents, Mykhailo was unable to seek medical help and has been using crutches all this time, thus risking having gangrene because his leg was broken and not healed for several years.

After receiving his passport, Mykhailo underwent a medical examination and hopes to have surgery. Having signed a declaration with the family doctor, he finally has the opportunity to seek surgical help.

However, the man faced a new problem. The operation costs 20,000 hryvnias, but he does not have money and, due to his health condition, he is not able to earn it alone.

Mykhailo applied to multiple banks for a loan, but each bank denied him because he had no official source of income.

Mykhailo requires urgent leg surgery. It is the only chance to save his leg from amputation due to gangrene.

Our colleagues Sofiia Kordonets and Nataliia Ishchenko decided to help the man and started a fundraising campaign.

If you want to help Mykhailo stay on his feet, you can provide a donation to a bank card:

4149 4393 1123 8285 (cardholder name: Kordonets Sofia).

A report on the use of funds will be provided thereafter.

ЧИТАЙТЕ ТАКОЖ:

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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31.05.21

Mrs. Kateryna (name changed), is almost 85 years old. In September 2014, a shell hit her home in the village of Taramchuk (Donetsk region). The house was completely destroyed.

A few dozen villagers helped the woman find temporary shelter, but living near the site of the ongoing fighting was unbearable.

Even then, there was no shop or hospital in Taramchuk, and there was no water, so sometimes Mrs. Kateryna had to collect rainwater for her own needs.

2 Майже 7 років без житла. Історія Катерини

After some time, she moved to another settlement, away from the shelling.

Back then the state did not have a legal procedure for paying compensations for destroyed housing, all that women had was an act of destruction.

In mid-2020, Mrs. Kateryna came to the Charitable Fund “Right to Protection” (R2P), and with the help of our lawyers, she filed a lawsuit. A few months later in September, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution №767 “The issue of monetary compensation to victims, whose houses (apartments) were destroyed as a result of a military emergency caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.”

Therefore, together with Mrs. Kateryna, our team almost immediately submitted all the necessary documents for consideration by the commission. Already this year, Ms. Kateryna received compensation.