Ahead of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026, taking place in Poland on 25–26 June, Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) have jointly prepared a policy brief entitled “Rebuilding Together.”
The document highlights one of the most pressing issues facing Ukraine today: finding long-term solutions for millions of people who have been forced to leave their homes because of the war. The authors emphasise that displacement should not be viewed solely as a humanitarian challenge. It directly affects community development, local governance, social cohesion, and the overall success of Ukraine’s recovery.
The brief analyses the key challenges faced by internally displaced people (IDPs) and those returning home after displacement. These include a lack of affordable housing, difficulties accessing employment, education, healthcare, and social services, as well as insufficient support once initial humanitarian assistance comes to an end.
At the same time, the document points out that communities and local authorities often lack the resources needed to respond effectively to these challenges.
This is why international support should focus not only on rebuilding infrastructure, but also on strengthening the capacity of local communities, improving local services, and ensuring meaningful public participation in decision-making.
Particular attention is given to IDP Councils. The authors note that IDP Councils have become an important mechanism for ensuring the participation of internally displaced people in community life. They help identify the needs of displaced people, contribute to local development planning, facilitate dialogue between authorities and residents, and promote social cohesion.
For Charity Foundation Stabilization Support Services, supporting IDP Councils is one of the organisation’s key areas of work. The Foundation contributes to the development of IDP Councils across Ukraine, strengthens their capacity to participate in local governance, and advocates for the inclusion of internally displaced people in decision-making processes at both local and national levels. This is why the Foundation’s experts contributed to the preparation of the policy brief, aiming to raise awareness among international partners about the importance of involving IDPs and local communities in Ukraine’s recovery process.
“Communities and internally displaced people are working every day to find solutions for integration, access to housing, services, and opportunities. Our task is to ensure that their experience and voices are reflected in recovery policies. This is why we contributed to the development of this policy brief and continue to promote an approach that places people, communities, and participation at the centre of recovery efforts,” said Valeriia Vershynina, Executive Director of Charity Foundation Stabilization Support Services.
The Foundation will continue working to ensure that IDP Councils remain effective platforms for representing the interests of internally displaced people and that their voices are heard in the planning of community recovery and Ukraine’s broader reconstruction efforts. The goal is to ensure that Ukraine’s recovery is carried out not only for people affected by the war, but together with them. Every community should have the opportunity to harness the potential of its residents, while internally displaced people should be recognised as full participants in the country’s development and reconstruction.
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.