Two communities in southern Odesa Oblast implement programs to support vulnerable groups in times of war

The Tatarbunary and Renia communities of Odesa Oblast are beginning to implement long-term solutions to support and protect internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups in the context of war.

In addition, both communities are planning to join the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life," reports the press service of the Odesa regional organization of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine.

The support programs were developed based on the results of a preliminary assessment of needs in the communities and address the development of gender equality, the work of mobile groups for legal and psychosocial assistance, and the introduction of programs for economic, psychological and humanitarian support for IDP women.

The basis for the development of long-term solutions for vulnerable groups was an assessment of the needs of residents in the context of war/martial law, which was carried out by the Community Justice Center in Tatarbunary together with the relevant city councils in July-August 2022. The study was based on a survey of residents who permanently reside in the community and a survey of internally displaced persons. Expert interviews were also conducted with community leaders, including IDP activists. Additionally, public information from local authorities, local media publications and discussions in local publics were used for the needs assessment. The research helped to identify the current state of community development, including general problems and visions of community development, socio-economic needs and assessment of various service areas, security needs and the situation of IDPs. The rapid needs assessment reports for the Tatarbunary and Reni communities have become an important benchmark for shaping local policies and non-governmental programs to ensure access to public services, strengthen economic opportunities, and improve the security situation in the community.

The next step in preparing long-term solutions in communities to support vulnerable groups was a series of practical trainings and hackathons to find and discuss ideas for future municipal and non-governmental programs, which took place in late September. In particular, a practical training was held in each community for IDPs and local authorities. The purpose of the training "Economic Empowerment of Internally Displaced Persons in the Host Community" was to teach IDPs how to start, restore or expand their own business, to familiarize them with promising areas of business activity in the community, and to help them acquire skills in finding grants/loans for their own business. The two trainings were attended by 30 people, mostly IDP women. Representatives of city councils, including Olena Diordieva, head of the social protection department of Tatarbunary City Council, and Valentyn Kotliarenko, head of the department of the Center for Administrative Services of Reni City Council, were involved in training the IDPs.

At the same time, a practical training on "Implementation of local authorities' powers to meet the needs of IDPs in the war" was held with representatives of service organizations of local authorities (43 local officials participated in two trainings). The purpose of these trainings was to strengthen the capacity of local governments and local state authorities to identify and address the needs of IDPs in the community and to implement inclusive governance tools in providing services to IDPs. In particular, the following issues were discussed: what is the algorithm of local authorities for accepting IDPs in the community? What are the practical tools for ensuring the housing rights of IDPs in the community? What is the organization of social protection of IDPs in the community? What are the employment and business support opportunities for IDPs in the community? The events also provided an opportunity to share experiences and discuss existing practices of local municipalities in addressing IDP issues. In particular, Oleksandr Lesnichenko, Deputy Mayor of Tatarbunary, spoke about the audit of the community's housing stock.

"Each starosta received an order to check the availability of residential buildings that do not have owners and can be used to form a housing stock for internally displaced persons. In addition, food is organized for the newly arrived IDPs and appropriate sets of food and clothing are provided for the period of their settlement," he said.

The purpose of the hackathons "Long-term solutions to urgent problems of internally displaced persons in the host community" (Tatarbunary - September 22, Reni - September 30) was to bring together IDP activists with local authorities, business and civil society activists to discuss the current needs of IDPs and jointly develop long-term solutions for internally displaced persons in host communities. In total, 28 people took part in the hackathons and developed and discussed more than 5 ideas for further joint work. For example, one of the ideas concerned the creation of a socio-cultural hub for the integration of IDP women into the life of the host community. This should be a platform where IDP women can organize active and meaningful leisure, establish connections with local residents, integrate into community life, receive psychological support, and gain positive experience of creative self-realization.

Taking into account the results of the needs assessment and the ideas of the joint hackathons, the communities developed plans to implement long-term solutions to support and protect vulnerable groups in the context of war and martial law. Both communities decided to conduct an operational gender analysis in the near future with the preparation of a community gender passport. Taking into account the results of the gender analysis, it is planned to prepare and submit applications for the communities' accession to the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life and to prepare an action plan for the implementation of the principles of this convention. Also common to both communities was the decision to introduce mobile groups to provide free legal and psychosocial assistance to representatives of vulnerable groups, including IDPs.

The Tatarbunary community decided to implement a training program for the development of the economic potential of IDP women at the Tatarbunary Vocational School in cooperation with the Tatarbunary branch of the Odesa Regional Employment Center. The training will include employment and professional development, starting a business, increasing stress resistance, and individual and group career counseling. In addition, given the challenges of energy and food security, this community has already launched a program to support vulnerable groups (including IDPs) for the winter period of 2022-2023. In particular, on September 14, the Executive Committee of the City Council amended the Program for Support and Protection of Internally Displaced and Evacuated Persons for 2022 to include hot meals. The Community Justice Center launched an information campaign on household energy saving and thermal modernization of residential buildings in the community.

In the Reniia community, given the need to expand the economic potential of IDP women, psychosocial support and integration of IDP children and youth into community life, it was decided to implement a program to support IDP women in childcare and leisure activities (jointly by the city council, the Community Justice Center and the NGO "Regional Analytical Center"). After all, IDP women have to spend a significant part of their time looking for and arranging housing, dealing with financial assistance, caring for children and elderly relatives, etc. Such employees may need flexible work schedules or part-time options. The program will include simultaneous educational, awareness-raising and recreational activities for IDP children and youth, along with training activities for IDP women to enhance their economic potential.

Durable community-based solutions to support and protect vulnerable groups will be prepared and implemented jointly by Tatarbunary/Renia Council and the Community Justice Center in Tatarbunary. The Community Justice Center is a multifunctional hub that develops friendly justice in communities and promotes a new format of cooperation between the judiciary, local authorities and residents based on the principles of trust and responsibility.