Ukrainian local authorities will share experiences on addressing internal displacement in global forum
Representatives from Perechyn and Voznesensk city councils will share their experiences on including and finding solutions for internally displaced people with government representatives of eight other countries around the world.
Monday, 29 September 2025.
This week, representatives from Ukraine will participate in the third Cross-Regional Forum on Implementing Law and Policy on Internal Displacement, to share good practices, challenges and lessons learned on inclusion of internally displaced people.
The Forum will take place in Sanremo, Italy, from October 1 to 3, and the Ukrainian representatives from Perechyn and Voznesensk city councils in Zarkapattia and Mykolaiv regions will share their experiences with other 30 national and local level government authorities from Colombia, Ethiopia, Honduras, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, and the Philippines.
The executive director of the charity foundation “Stabilization Support Services”, an NGO dedicated to supporting IDP councils and addressing internal displacement in Ukraine, will also participate in the event.
The forum is hosted at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in Sanremo and is convened by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the IDP Protection Expert Group (IPEG). It will explore how central-level policies aimed at advancing protection and solutions for IDPs connect with local-level implementation, and vice versa.
“This forum serves as a platform for States facing internal displacement challenges to share knowledge and learn from each other,” said Paula Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs). “Displaced communities bring skills, creativity, and a drive to contribute. We can help these communities become active contributors to the economy, culture, and social fabric of their host cities,” she added.
“Since the onset of the full-scale war, we have seen how communities and local authorities in Ukraine have stepped up as first responders in receiving internally displaced people and welcomed people who have fled their homes, leaving everything behind. IDP councils have played a crucial role in promoting social integration of IDPs in hundreds of communities, and we hope that this important mechanism and its impact we have observed here in Ukraine can inspire others,” says Nina Schrepfer, UNHCR Ukraine’s Assistant Representative for Protection.
"The biggest challenge for IDPs is finding a new home, this being one of the most difficult steps in the integration process. In Perychyn Hromada in Zakarpattia, we managed to overcome the problem of the lack of housing through tight cooperation with relocated businesses. Where local authorities lack resources, business backs up for the sake of development and common future," says Yevheniia Hafiyanych, Deputy Head of the Perychyn City Council.
Currently, some 3.8 million people are internally displaced within Ukraine. Ensuring affordable housing for internally displaced people remains a key issue across the country, and another challenge is to ensure proper support and inclusion of the most vulnerable groups amongst the internally displaced, such as older people, people with disabilities or low mobilities, who have left behind not only their homes, but also support networks and some may need specialized care
The format of the Forum will include expert presentations, working group sessions, plenary exchanges, and informal discussions among the participants. The peer-to-peer exchange will be facilitated by members of the IDP Protection Expert Group, as well as experts from UNHCR and other institutions.
For more information, please contact:
Gloria Moronta (Media Liaison)
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
