On the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Conference, Ukrainians presented recommendations and successful practices for involving IDP councils, the diaspora and refugees in the recovery process.
Representatives of IDP councils and Ukrainian and international civil society organisations organised a separate event with the participation of international experts and government officials after it failed to be organised as part of the main Ukraine Recovery Conference event.
Support for IDP Councils from international experts
The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Paula Gaviria Betancur, announced the extension of her mandate for the next three years and promised to continue promoting the development of the IDP Council network and supporting displaced persons in Ukraine and around the world.
‘Internally displaced persons are not just recipients of aid, not just victims. They are rights holders, citizens, agents of recovery, agents of change, agents of peace,’ Betancourt said, joining the event online.
Elissa Golberg, Canadian Ambassador to Italy, spoke about the Canadian government’s support: of the $19 billion allocated to Ukraine, $12 billion was directed towards supporting public services, including pension payments and assistance for internally displaced persons.
The Netherlands supported the project of dialogue between Ukrainians
At the round table, an important announcement was made about the launch of a new project for structured dialogue between Ukrainians in Europe and IDP councils in Ukraine. Doron Verstreelen from the Dutch Ministry of Asylum and Migration said that his country is very interested in the results of the project, which is being implemented by the Ukrainian SSS Foundation and the Dutch organization OpenEmbassy.
“This is primarily a ‘person-to-person’ dialogue,” Verstreelen emphasized, adding that this format will help to better understand the needs of Ukrainians for the formation of policies in both countries: “We will create programs in the field of education and entrepreneurship in key sectors of the Dutch economy, which are also key sectors of the Ukrainian economy.”
The first meeting took place in early July and focused on the common needs of Ukrainians in the Netherlands and Ukraine.
IDP councils as a mechanism for participation in local recovery
Valeria Vershynina, executive director of the SSS Charitable Foundation and co-founder of the Congress of IDP Councils, noted: “IDP councils are actively involved in recovery projects at the local level—both in advising on infrastructure reconstruction and in developing programs for the population. However, there is a lack of involvement in changes at the national level. Many decisions, programs, and strategies are made without taking into account the opinions of IDPs. We need systematic cooperation between the government, donors, IDP councils, and other representatives of the affected population. We call on the state to take a leading role in this process.”
Today, there are over 800 IDP councils operating in 66% of all communities where displaced persons live.
Anna Chernova from the Smile UA charity fund called for IDPs not to be reduced to mere service recipients: “We see IDP councils as strategic partners, not just service agencies, because I don’t think that’s their real purpose — to be service agents. Please involve us as local actors who are already connected to the communities.”
Martina Ranelli, head of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law, emphasized the importance of creating neutral and safe spaces for dialogue between the government and displaced persons, as it is in such conditions that mutual understanding can arise.
“We are working to ensure that people with displacement experience become co-creators of various projects and programs and have the space to address government officials from around the world,” she said.
Systemic coordination issues
The problems of return are related not only to security, but also to systemic challenges in state policy regarding displaced persons.
Yana Lyubimova, co-founder of the Congress of IDP Councils, spoke about the preparation of a generalized advocacy position on IDP policy with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation: “We have identified 11 key challenges, one of which is the lack of clear coordination after responsibility was divided between the Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry of Social Policy.”
“The most important thing is the recognition of IDPs as partners in the recovery process, as my colleagues mentioned earlier,” she added. “The document we presented today is not the final result. It is a call to action.”
Alona Lunova from the ZMINA Human Rights Center also spoke about the lack of coordination at the ministerial level after the liquidation of the Ministry of Reintegration at the end of 2024.
She spoke about a joint statement by human rights organizations: “My colleagues and I have issued a statement on the need to include the agenda of temporary territories in the agenda of the Ukraine Recovery Conference. Because so far, these issues have not been the focus of discussions on human capital.”
The need for a new strategy for 6 million Ukrainians
Olga Tokariuk, a researcher at Chatham House in London, presented the results of a study of Ukrainians abroad, which revealed an alarming trend: according to the Kyiv Center for Economic Strategy, the proportion of those who intend to return has fallen from 70% in 2022 to 44% in May 2025.
At the same time, 55% of Ukrainians abroad come from the eastern and southern regions, many of whom have experienced double displacement — first in 2014, then in 2022.
“These people may feel the most vulnerable, but at the same time, they often feel the closest emotional connection to Ukraine,” the researcher noted.
Practical results
The participants agreed to develop a policy document with recommendations for governments, create a network of partnerships between IDP councils and Ukrainian organizations abroad, and launch cross-border platforms for dialogue and support for return.
Context
The roundtable took place on the eve of the main Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, where international donors are discussing multi-billion dollar investments in Ukraine’s reconstruction. Ukrainian activists emphasized the importance of the human dimension of this process alongside economic issues.
According to the organizers, this was the first attempt at the international level to discuss specific mechanisms for involving the Ukrainian diaspora not as recipients of aid, but as active partners in the country’s reconstruction.
Reference
The event was organized by the Stabilization Support Services Foundation with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation and McGill University (Canada).
Source: Window of Recovery
