In October 2024, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine confirmed the registration of the public organization Congress of IDP Councils. Its establishment was initiated by the charitable foundation Stabilization Support Services, which has been working with IDP Councils across the country since 2019.
The new organization’s goal is to unite more than 800 IDP Councils already operating in Ukraine to strengthen their influence, protect the rights and interests of internally displaced persons at the national level, develop a joint action plan, and advocate for change.
The Congress is intended to serve as a platform for experience-sharing, developing joint approaches to work, and coordinating efforts. The organization will support IDP Councils in fulfilling their functions, contribute to drafting proposals for local and national policies, provide advisory assistance, and conduct training.
The creation of the Congress of IDP Councils is a logical step in the development of the Council network, which had previously operated in a fragmented manner and primarily focused on local challenges. Over the past two years, the Stabilization Support Services Foundation has played a coordinating role: conducting training, organizing forums, and mapping IDP Councils. In total, eight IDP Council Forums have been organized and held, bringing together around 2,000 participants.
During the Second All-Ukrainian IDP Council Forum, held in August 2024 in Kyiv, the founding assembly of the public organization Congress of Councils on Internal Displacement without legal entity status (PO Congress of IDP Councils) took place. At the meeting, the Congress Board was approved: Iryna Vereshchuk as Chair of the Founding Assembly, and Valeria Vershynina as Secretary. The founding documents were signed by representatives of regional IDP Councils.
In September–October 2024, the preparation of documents and registration of the public organization were completed. Work is currently underway to finalize the organization’s charter. These stages were preceded by consultations with communities and representatives of IDP Councils nationwide. Based on the collected proposals, work on drafting the organization’s charter began. The Congress aims to amplify the voice of displaced persons in decision-making, promote their integration into new communities, and become a driving force for systemic change.
Thus, the first steps have been taken. As of today, the Congress of IDP Councils is already registered as a public organization. A plan of activities for 2025 is being prepared, with a focus on democratic community representation, transparent decision-making, and effective advocacy mechanisms.
Support for IDP Councils is provided by the Charitable Organization “Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” with the financial support of the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine (UNHCR).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.
