On Monday, February 9, the final meeting of the current term of the Council on Internally Displaced Persons under the Executive Committee of the Pereiaslav City Council took place. The Council members presented a report on their activities and discussed key challenges faced by displaced women and men in the hromada, while also announcing the launch of the procedure to form a new composition of the advisory body.
The discussion focused on employment, housing, and social support for internally displaced persons, as well as the Council’s performance report for 2024–2025 and adjustments to its plans for 2026–2027.
According to the Department of Social Protection, as of January 1, 2026, 2,563 internally displaced persons reside in the hromada. Local social support programs apply to IDPs without restrictions, and assistance becomes available immediately after obtaining official IDP status.
Currently, 25 displaced persons are registered with the employment center, and 40 individuals were employed in 2025, including through community-based public works. The employment service offers vacancies, vocational training, retraining through voucher programs, and compensation for employers hiring IDPs. At the same time, participants acknowledged existing barriers: some individuals apply only to obtain official certificates, while others decline available job offers due to wage expectations.
A total of 20 IDP families have already received housing from the hromada’s housing stock. Among the proposed solutions are conducting an inventory of vacant houses and transferring ownerless property into municipal ownership. However, current legislation does not provide a mechanism for the subsequent privatization of such housing, which would require amendments at the national level.
A separate block of discussion was dedicated to cooperation with civil society organizations. Alina Zahlada, representative in Kyivska Oblast of the Charity Foundation Stabilization Support Services, expressed gratitude for the cooperation in 2025 and described the Pereiaslav IDP Council as one of the strongest in Kyivska Oblast. She emphasized that the Council represents a genuine mechanism for displaced people to participate in decision-making processes.
In partnership with the foundation, the Council developed strategic and operational documents, strengthened its institutional capacity, and ensured participation in interregional forums. Alina Zahlada stressed the importance of continuing systematic work in 2026, with a focus on social policy, capacity building of Council members, and advocacy efforts in the social sphere.
Representatives of the city authorities noted that despite significant support, the needs of displaced people remain complex. Among the key challenges are access to housing, stable employment, integration into the hromada, and overcoming the consequences of traumatic wartime experiences.
The meeting concluded with the announcement of the procedure to renew the composition of the IDP Council under the Executive Committee of the Pereiaslav City Council following the end of its term.
This publication was made with the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine. The content of the publication is the sole responsibility of the Charitable Organization “Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” and does not reflect the views of UNHCR.