The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (the Congress) discussed the voting rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at local level in Ukraine and the measures needed to ensure their electoral participation, at a conference on 27 February in Kyiv. The conference will be followed, on 28 February, by a workshop for local authorities on better inclusion and protection of IDPs, organised jointly with the Association of Ukrainian Cities
Voting rights of IDPs in Ukraine as a positive factor for integration, legislative gaps, good practices in member states, as well as international safeguards and fraud prevention were debated with a view to encouraging legislative changes and allowing IDPs to participate in local elections.
Representatives of the government, members of the Parliament, local and regional authorities, local NGOs, as well as national and international experts took part in the discussions with Congress members. The discussions were also based on the recent Congress report on Voting rights at local level: A factor in the long-term integration of IDPs and migrants.
The conference was organised as part of the Council of Europe projects “Strengthening democracy and building trust at local level in Ukraine” and “Internal Displacement in Ukraine: Building Solutions”, included in the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2018-2021.
- The conference is open to the press upon request for prior accreditation : deadline 26 February 2019 - contact: [email protected]
- Read full press release - Allowing IDPs to vote in local elections in Ukraine. Congress conference in Kyiv
- Web page on the conference
- Booklet "Local Voting rights for the integration of migrants and IDPS" in Ukrainian version
- See the news from Ukrinform: Electoral rights of IDPs in Ukraine: CoE gives recommendations, expects effective decisions
- See also the news: Workshop in Ukraine: ensuring the inclusion of IDPs at the local level