The Social Services Working Group of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme arranged an information session “Support for IDP Families in Municipalities” to inform participants about good practices of social adaptation and integration of IDPs into municipal life, state and local support for them, as well as legislative amendments on assistance and provision of IDPs.
U-LEAD experts Nataliia Kuziak and Iryna Zmysna cooperated with the municipalities, while the event moderation was held by Valeriy Mikulich, working group leader, decentralisation and local self-government adviser of the U-LEAD with Europe Regional Office in Zhytomyr Oblast.
The first thing that people forced to leave their homes do is turn to the local self-government bodies when they come to the municipality. They primarily need assistance with the necessary items, housing, document recovery, and registration as IDPs. This is followed by legal, social and professional support, social services and cultural integration. Ongoing communication and information are essential.
The arrival of a large number of people from the conflict-affected areas has increased the burden on all services (ASCs, social services, educational, medical, and utility facilities, etc.) But it also provides an opportunity to attract investments and grants for social infrastructure improvements and project implementation.
The IDPs may include specialists in the professions currently lacking in the municipality. Municipalities can benefit from increased job competition. It is an opportunity to recruit more qualified and motivated staff.
According to the experts, local self-government officials should be motivated to assist IDPs, as they are human and financial resources essential for development.
"Some municipalities are depleted to the extent that they cannot even meet certain basic IDP needs. This requires human and financial resources. Our 2014 experience suggests that the longer conditions for IDPs to return to their previous place of residence are absent, the fewer people will come back. Those people currently living in the municipality are likely to stay there. They will eventually become your residents. It is important to realise that IDP status does not mean incapable people. These are people facing certain life circumstances," said Nataliia Kuziak.
Spaces to become social hubs represent a good step towards the IDP integration. The adaptation of IDPs is a two-way process.
"You cannot help on the principle of 'for us without asking us': impose services or assistance without considering the needs of people coming to the municipality. We should analyse the challenges. People are not a problem. They represent a growth potential," the expert added.
The experience of Khmilnytska municipality in Vinnytsia Oblast, that developed an IDP integration plan, proves this statement. This plan coordinates the actions of all local services and institutions involved in IDPs. They analysed the situation, made a municipality passport, identified the number of newcomers, their age and gender, place of their origin, and the sort of assistance they require. An integration plan with the following steps has been developed: housing, creating conditions to generate income, legal and psychological support, in-kind assistance to those in crisis.
Each municipality offers good examples of IDP integration: IDPs set up businesses in a new location, launched start-ups, or united for joint initiatives to develop the municipality. Here is the principle of "Equal to equal: I managed this and so can you". Moreover, a good story comes when the municipality joins in and creates a support programme or provides privileges.
The burden of IDPs on the municipality increases when only 116 people out of 260,000 IDPs are registered at the employment centre. (Lviv Oblast Employment Centre data - cited by experts). When the support for IDPs remains at the in-kind level with dependence on this.
"We should realise that it is unacceptable to grow dependent on humanitarian aid. This is definitely not in favour of the municipality. This should no longer be relevant for municipalities in the third year of a full-scale war. And if it is, ask yourself about the reasons for this. What did I miss in 2022–2023? Failed to attract donors? Or didn’t find extra resources? Or things just got easier?" — said Nataliia Kuziak.
She also added that the local self-government can enhance the municipal potential while coordinating and supporting IDP activities.
According to Valeriy Mikulich, legislative amendments and good practices of municipalities in dealing with IDPs prompted this information session. Meanwhile, numerous questions from the participants demonstrate the priority of supporting IDPs for local self-government bodies in their municipalities.