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The Round Table on “IDPs in Ukraine: immediate and medium-term response” was held on July 9, 2014 at the Institute of Demography and Social Research of NASU with Analytical Center “New Social and Economic Policies” as co-organizer. The participants included representatives of organs and structures, which provide or seek to provide assistance to internally displaced persons from the Crimea and Donbas, such as: officers from ministries and services, international and Ukrainian non-governmental organizations, and academic scientists.

The roundtable discussed the key issues of temporary migrants that require resolution and state response; existing experience of providing appropriate assistance; and the necessary legal changes.

The participants came to a consensus on a common list of basic problems of immigrants. Repeatedly emphasized the need to introduce registration of immigrants, radical de-bureaucratization of the process, and providing immediate legal assistance and improved coordination between government and non-governmental organizations.

One of the first speakers was Olga Balakirev, Head of the Department of Monitoring Studies of Socio-Economic Transformation in the Institute for Economics and Forecasting of NAS of Ukraine, Chairman of the O.Yaremenko Ukrainian Institute for Social Research. The presentation titled “The spectrum of the problem of internally displaced persons in Ukraine: rapid assessment of the situation and needs” presented the results of a pilot empirical research on internally displaced persons.

The conclusions were based primarily on data from three focus group discussions conducted in areas of the immigrants’ compact dwelling as of 5-7 July 2014, as well as interviews and analytics available. Based on the coclusions, the speaker generalized the migrants’ living conditions and their immediate and near futureneeds. Toward the end of her presentation, O. Balakireva put forward various recommendations for changes in legislation and government programs to solve the problems of immigrants. She also stressed the need for a comprehensive study, because the definition of priorities and the steps of public policy should be based on a reasonable and representative assessment of plans, intentions and needs of the immigrants.

The presentation is available here