Southern Ukrainian Forum for IDPs in Odesa: Opportunities and Challenges

On October 22, 2025, a forum was held in Odesa, gathering internally displaced persons from the Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions to address pressing issues.

The event aimed to identify the new challenges faced by displaced individuals and strengthen cooperation between government bodies and the IDPs themselves.

Among the participants were acting deputy mayor of Odesa Serhiy Kotsyuba and the director of the Department of Labor and Social Policy Olena Kytainska.

Welcoming remarks were made by Deputy Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk and Chair of the Temporary Special Commission of the Verkhovna Rada on IDP rights Pavlo Frolov.

During the discussion panel, representatives of IDP councils shared their experiences and successful cases regarding social protection, emphasizing the importance of involving IDPs in decision-making processes.

The new online platform “IDP Councils Portal” was also introduced, https://radyvpo.org.ua/, where users can find an interactive map, news updates, analytical materials, and practical tools for effective operation.

Information Note

As of now, there are over 220,000 registered internally displaced persons in the Odesa region, with 134,500 on record in social protection departments.