About 100 representatives of the international organizations and the non-governmental organizations from all over the world came to Geneva on 25 September 2018 for the Annual IOM-NGO Humanitarian Consultations.

Organizators of the event – International Organization for Migration та ICVA (A Global NGO Network for Principled and Effective Humanitarian Action).

The main focus of this year’s humanitarian consultations is the issues and the  challenges faced by internally displaced persons in their countries.

Ukraine was invited to participate in such consultations for the first time. The IOM in Ukraine was represented by Mrs. Ester Ruiz De Azua, IOM Ukraine, Emergency and Stabilization Programme Coordinator. Ukranian non-governmental sector was represented by Ms. Zhanna Solovyova, the Head of the Board of Zhytomyr Community Fund/NGO “Modern Format”.

Delegates from Ukraine have represented to the international community the actual problems and challenges faced by internally displaced people in Ukraine (housing problem, voting right, integration into host communities, etc.).

During the panel discussion on the topic: “Addressing internal displacement in protracted crises through the triple nexus of humanitarian, development and peace” Mrs. Ester Ruiz de Asua has presented Ukraine’s experience in implementing stabilization programs in work with internally displaced persons, and also made a general overview of the current economic and political situation in Ukraine.

Ms. Zhanna Solovyova shared the experience of the cooperation of the Zhytomyr Community Fund / NGO “Modern Format” with the IOM in Ukraine in the context of the development of self-employment and micro-entrepreneurship of internally displaced persons in Zhytomyr region. Ms. Zhanna also shared ideas and views on the future projects with the participation of IDPs.

It is important that the recommendations proposed by the Ukrainian delegates are included to the general protocol of the recommendations of this year’s humanitarian consultations, which will be taken into account in the development of the following programs and projects focusing on IDPs, taking into accounts the nexus of the three main components: humanitarian assistance, development and peace.