UWC calls on the international community to step up support for Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) is concerned with the rapidly deteriorating financial situation in recent months of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ukraine, as revealed in a survey conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), an organization of the United Nations, in March 2018.

The survey, implemented by the IOM as part of the European Union sponsored project “Supporting Recovery and Sustainable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons and the Conflict-Affected Population in Ukraine,” found that 54% of IDPs in Ukraine have enough money only for food or have to save for food, which is 10% more compared to the survey results in December 2017.

The UWC also welcomes Resolution 2214 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) of 25 April 2018, which stresses that the war in Eastern Ukraine and the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation have caused a massive displacement of some 1.7 million IDPs. The Resolution also details a number of steps to be taken to alleviate the suffering of these people, which include restoration of family links, return of or compensation for IDPs’ properties, de-mining the territory affected and preventing future humanitarian harm.

“The Ukrainian World Congress is concerned about the worsening status of IDPs in Ukraine and calls on the international community to step up its efforts in addressing their humanitarian needs, and to exert stronger pressure on the Russian Federation to cease its blatant aggression against Ukraine,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.