In response, the government has provided financial support to help IDPs find accommodation and rebuild their homes. It has also drafted a law to increase the availability of affordable housing at the municipal level, including through the construction of social and cooperative units. This process was accompanied by the development of a municipal investment tracker to ensure transparency and the effective allocation of resources.
Under-registration on the government’s official registry of IDPs, in part a consequence of the dynamic nature of displacement, including repeated and, in some cases, pendular movements, continued to be an issue. Without proof of their displacement status, some IDPs were unable to access government services and support. The incomplete registry also impeded full understanding of how many people need assistance and where.
IDPs’ needs differed depending on their gender and age. Seventeen per cent of internally displaced women, for example, said they found it difficult to access work and livelihoods, compared with ten per cent of their male counterparts, while a higher percentage of the latter were living in precarious accommodation. Older people, who account for almost a quarter of all IDPs, struggled to meet their basic needs, with many living in poverty and sometimes struggling to obtain information and services because they lacked digital literacy.
Social cohesion became a growing concern during the year. Around 20 per cent of IDPs reported tensions with their host communities, mainly the result of perceived unequal access to cash assistance. Tensions differed across the country but tended to be reported more in western regions. In Lviv oblast, for example, IDPs’ political, cultural or linguistic differences were more frequently quoted as a source of tension. These variations highlight the need for targeted interventions to foster local integration and sustainable returns.
IDP councils continued to play a significant role in coordinating assistance and early recovery at the local level. They worked with municipal authorities and non-governmental organizations to facilitate cooperation, to ensure that interventions reflected IDPs’ immediate challenges and to improve IDPs’ participation in political affairs. Created in 2019 to support those displaced since 2014, these grassroots entities were made a priority in the 2023-2025 national strategy on IDPs, attesting to their relevance and ensuring they endure. They are also a strong example of good practice that recognises and takes advantage of IDPs’ agency over their own situations.
For references and additional information, please see the full report.
