On September 25, 2018, with the support of the Council of Europe, a round table, devoted to issues of realization of the right of internally displaced persons to housing, was held in Kyiv. About 100 representatives of central, regional and local authorities, state, non-governmental and international organizations and scientific institutions attended the event. USIF at the round table was represented by the Deputy Executive Director Oleg Ovchinnikov. He was a key speaker of the session "Ensuring of IDPs’ right to temporary housing: mechanisms, regional experience and legislative initiatives".

At his speech Oleg Ovchinnikov informed the event participants about the state and perspectives of implementation of the Project "Promotion of Social Infrastructure Development - USIF.V" in the cities of Kyiv and Lviv and in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovs’k and Zaporizhzhia regions (short presentation is enclosed). He also provided information on the preparations of the Ukrainian Social Investment Fund for the next Project "Promotion the Development of Social Infrastructure - UFSII.VI", which would be implemented in accordance with the Financial and Project Agreement of April 19, 2018 between the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Social Investment Fund and the German State Development Bank – KfW.

USIF Deputy Executive Director noted that USIF V Project is approaching to its completion and this implies commissioning of renovated facilities and distributing of constructed (renovated) housing. He stressed that, in accordance with the agreements concluded with the donor, the funds of both above-mentioned projects are targeted ones and aimed at provision of housing exclusively to internally displaced persons.

At the same time, analysis of documents on distribution of housing adopted by local authorities evidences that they based themselves on the provisions of the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 422 of March 31, 2004  "On Approval of the Procedure for the Formation of Temporary Residence Housing Stocks for and the Procedure for Provision and Tenure of Housings from Temporary Residence Stocks" (as amended and supplemented) at their development. Due to the amendments introduced into this Regulation in January 2018 (CMU Resolution No. 20 of January 17, 2018), internally displaced persons were categorized as persons having the right to get temporary housing.

But, as Oleg Ovchinnikov noted, "the priority right to be provided with accommodation from temporary residence housing stocks was not granted for internally displaced persons. In practice this means, that due to a large number of applicants for temporary housing from among those persons having the priority right, internally displaced persons won’t have a possibility to get housing or only a small part of internally displaced persons will be able to realize the right to obtain temporary social housing."

Considering that, USIF Deputy Executive Director stressed the need for an early finalization and adoption of the CMU Resolution, the draft of which was developed by representatives of the relevant Council of Europe Project and the Ukrainian Social Investment Fund. This draft Resolution envisages establishment of the separate housing stock for internally displaced persons, as well as the procedure for its formation and distribution of housing (information on key provisions of the draft Resolution is enclosed).

Oleg Ovchinnikov urged representatives of the Ministry of Social Policy and the Ministry for Temporary Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons attending the event to actively participate in this work and provide necessary assistance in expediting consideration and adoption of this document by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.