FEATURES OF SOCIAL SUPPORT OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN UKRAINE BASED ON THE PROGRAM APPROACH

Abstract

Military actions in Ukraine specified the need to support and integrate internally displaced persons (IDPs). This increases the researchers’ interest in IDPs support mechanisms, among which the program approach is important. The purpose of this article is a comprehensive investigation of IDPs support mechanisms in Ukraine based on a program approach with the aim of comparing them and identifying their effectiveness. It was found out that since the emergence of the problem of internal population displacement in Ukraine, four targeted program documents have been adopted; the first one was called Programs, the others – Strategies. The first IDP Support Program in Ukraine was implemented during 2015–2017. The Strategies were under implementation in the following order: the first one during 2018–2020, the second one from 2021 to April 2022 (it was prematurely replaced by the next Strategy), the third one since April 2023 (under implementation until 2025). The research paper carried out a comprehensive comparative study of these documents in terms of the goals defined and measures to be taken to achieve the defined goals. The first IDP support program actually laid the foundations for the protection of IDPs in the face of new challenges (related to the creation of an information database, confirmation of documents, ensuring access to social infrastructure, etc.). In the Strategy for the Integration of IDPs until 2020, there were developed more realistic program measures by taking into account previous experience; and considerable attention was paid to solving problems related to the pension provision of IDPs, as well as their employment. In the Strategy for the Integration of IDPs until 2024 (actually implemented until April 2023), the defined goals for supporting IDPs were developed in terms of their basic needs, most of the provided measures were of a general nature and largely duplicated the ones taken in previous years. The implementation of the Strategy for the Integration of IDPs until 2025 is still ongoing; its early adoption was due to a significant increase in the scale of internal displacement of the population in Ukraine under the condition of a full-scale war. In this Strategy, five strategic goals of supporting IDPs were defined, among which special attention was paid to ensuring the State’s ability to respond to the challenges of internal displacement, the safety of IDPs, etc. The research paper presents the results of a survey of IDPs within the framework of the national monitoring system regarding the satisfaction of their basic needs, identification of main problems and difficulties. It has been established that Ukraine’s experience in supporting IDPs based on a program approach increases the quality of the developed program documents over time, and also causes a gradual increase in its effectiveness. Despite this, the problems of IDPs remain largely unsolved, which requires the continuation of the practice of monitoring needs and surveying IDPs regarding their satisfaction, strengthening the targeting of program measures not only at the local, but also at the national level.