On October 22, 2025, a forum for internally displaced persons took place in Odesa, uniting people from the Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions.

The primary goal of the event was to discuss pressing issues faced by displaced individuals and to establish effective collaboration between local authorities, state structures, and the displaced persons themselves.

Notable figures at the forum included acting Deputy Mayor of Odesa, Serhiy Kotsiuba, and the Director of the Department of Labor and Social Policy of the Odesa City Council, Olena Kytainska.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Iryna Vereshchuk, and the Chairman of the Temporary Special Commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the protection of IDP rights, Pavlo Frolov.

During the discussion panel, representatives of IDP councils shared their experiences and successful cases in legal and social protection of displaced persons. The importance of involving displaced individuals in the decision-making processes that affect their lives in new communities was emphasized.

An online platform, the “IDP Council Portal,” was also introduced https://radyvpo.org.ua/. The portal features an interactive map of IDP councils, current news, analytical materials, relevant legislation, and practical tools for effective council operations.

Reference

Currently, over 220,000 internally displaced persons are registered in Odesa region, with 134,500 individuals accounted for in the district social protection offices of the Department of Labor and Social Policy of the Odesa City Council.