On 24 of March 2017 Department of social protection of Luhansk regional military-civil administration and the Council of Europe Project “Strengthening the Human Rights Protection of Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine” organized a round table “Improving protection of the rights of IDPs at the legislative level”.

The aim of the round table was to receive expert opinions from participants regarding protection of human rights of IDPs and improvement of capacities of the organizations working with internally displaced persons in Luhansk region.During the round table the Working Group on improving national legislation on the protection of the human rights of IDPs (hereinafter - Working Group) was introduced to participants.

The Working Group was established by the order of the Minister of temporary occupied territories and IDPs of Ukraine from 12.10.2016 and it operates with the technical support of the Council of Europe Project.The Working Group focuses on its five topics: 1. Improving the legal status of IDPs and the mandate of state authorities and local self-government regarding IDPs. 2. Confirmation of civil status and agreements, recognition of legal facts. 3. Protection of social and economic rights of IDPs. 4. Ensuring access to education. 5. Housing, restitution, compensation for property loss.

In particular, at the round table the issues related to “Protection of social and economic rights of IDPs” and “Housing, restitution, compensation for property loss” were discussed. Participants welcomed the idea of refusal from the demand of the certificate of IDP registration as an obligatory condition to receive pensions, they suggested to make in accordance the draft concept of the state program providing housing for IDPs with the regulations in the area of social housing; to ensure accessibility of the program for foster care families; to elaborate a unified form of assessment of destroyed housing and other.

The event was attended by the Head and the specialists of the sector of the Ministry of temporarily occupied territory and IDPs of Ukraine in Luhansk region, representatives of Luhansk regional military-civil administration, international and national civil society organizations, UNHCR and specialists of departments of social protection from Lugansk region.