For internally displaced persons – strengthening guarantees of respect for rights and freedoms

At a meeting of the press club “Business Word” on February 4, 2016, they talked about protecting the rights of internally displaced persons. Advisor to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine on IDPs in Chernihiv region Nadiya Ediyeva announced changes in the legislation regarding strengthening the guarantees of the rights and freedoms of internally displaced persons.

The changes came into effect in January of this year and, according to the advisor, should significantly simplify the procedure for registering internally displaced persons, guarantee them the right to employment, receive various types of benefits, etc., and help them better adapt to new living conditions.

Thus, in particular, the procedure for obtaining an internally displaced person certificate has been simplified. Such a certificate is now valid for an indefinite period and can be provided by both the structural unit of the local state administration for social protection of the population, and the local employment center or the Pension Fund department at the place of actual residence.

It is important that the basis for registering an internally displaced person is now the fact of residence in the territory from which the person moved, and not the registration of the place of residence in such a territory, as was the case before. Thus, proof of residence in the conflict zone can be a military ID, a work book, a document confirming the right of ownership of movable or immovable property, medical documents and even photographs and video recordings.

In addition to citizens of Ukraine, foreigners or stateless persons who are legally on the territory of Ukraine and have the right to permanent residence in Ukraine can now be considered internally displaced persons.

The changes also affected labor relations. Under the new Law, an immigrant will be able to write an application for termination of employment at the previous place of work directly at the employment center at the new place of residence.

The legislation also provides for new conditions for granting child benefits to single mothers and temporary assistance to children whose parents evade paying alimony. If it is impossible to obtain a certificate on the availability and amount of alimony from the state executive service bodies located in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine and in the area of ​​the ATO, temporary assistance will be granted on the basis of a written application from one of the parents about receiving (not receiving) alimony. In this case, the applicant himself will be responsible for the reliability of the information provided to the social protection body regarding the non-receipt of alimony or its amount.

In addition to changes in legislation, the meeting also discussed specific assistance provided to immigrants in the Chernihiv region.

The work of the regional interdepartmental coordination headquarters on social security of citizens of Ukraine who are displaced from the areas of the anti-terrorist operation and the temporarily occupied territory was noted by the Deputy Head of the Department of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Chernihiv region Oleksandr Nahulo.

According to him, currently 12,806 people are temporarily accommodated in the region (797 displaced from the temporarily occupied territory, 12,009 from the areas of the ATO). Among them are 1,989 children, 5,381 disabled people and the elderly. 10,006 people have been registered.

12,654 internally displaced persons have already received assistance. And this is assistance in resettlement, employment, restoration of lost documents, placement of children in kindergartens and schools, receipt of pensions and social benefits, treatment, rehabilitation, etc.

The State Emergency Service in the region is constantly working to clarify operational information about facilities of various forms of ownership in the region, where it is possible to accommodate citizens. Currently, according to their data, there is an opportunity to accommodate 368 people at 26 facilities.

As the participants of the press club noted, well-established cooperation between state structures and public organizations is extremely important. This makes it possible to provide comprehensive assistance to internally displaced persons. A significant role is also played by the media, through which information that is extremely necessary for displaced persons can be disseminated.

Attention internally displaced persons!

You can get information about help hotlines at the link