An article titled “IDP perspectives on IDP participation” has been published in the Journal of Refugee Studies. The article is co-authored by leaders of organisations working with internally displaced people in Ukraine, Colombia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Iraq, and other countries affected by displacement crises.
The article summarises the outcomes of an international workshop focused on the participation of internally displaced people in decision-making processes. The Ukrainian experience is presented through the work of the network of IDP Councils, including the activities of the Charity Foundation Stabilization Support Services. This case shows how IDPs can move beyond the role of passive aid recipients and become active contributors to shaping local and national policies.
The article explains why IDP participation matters — both for protecting their rights and for rebuilding trust in public institutions. The authors discuss security risks, how participation works for different groups, and why inclusiveness is essential. A separate section is dedicated to mental health, addressing burnout and emotional exhaustion, and highlighting the need for regular support for people who have been engaged in civic activism for a long time.
The article also describes how local participation mechanisms work and how they enable IDPs to influence decisions at the community level. IDP Councils in Ukraine are presented as an example of such mechanisms. They demonstrate that decentralisation can help formally embed IDP participation at different levels of governance. However, the authors warn that when these mechanisms grow too fast, there is a risk that they exist only “on paper”. This is why investments in training, coordination, and real influence on local policies are crucial.
In a separate section, the authors emphasise the importance of international solidarity and experience-sharing among IDPs from different countries. Ukrainian IDP Councils are presented as a practice with global relevance, and the idea of creating an international platform for IDP participation is described as an urgent need.
The Ukrainian experience of IDP Councils is shown as a scalable model — from the first councils in several regions to a national network with over 11,700 members, the majority of whom are women. The article highlights that IDP Councils create channels for influencing policies in the areas of housing, employment, recovery, and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
At the same time, the authors point out challenges that are well known to Ukrainian IDP Councils: the volunteer-based nature of the work, limited resources, exhaustion, and the need for training, coordination, and real — not merely declarative — accountability from authorities and donors.
For Ukrainian IDP Councils, this article is both a recognition of the path already taken and a roadmap for future advocacy. It shows that the Ukrainian experience is already shaping global standards for IDP participation and underlines that systemic change is only possible with sustained investment in leadership development, safety, and the well-being of internally displaced people.
The full text of the article IDP perspectives on IDP participation (in English) is available for download via the button at the top right of the page.
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.
