On 18-19 December the Project “Strengthening the Human Rights Protection of Internally Displaced Persons” organized a study visit with the purpose to focus on the Council of Europe standards on internal displacement, especially, relevant case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

In two days visit to Strasbourg a wide range of experts took part. In particular, the senior managers and specialists of the central executive bodies (Ministry For Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine, Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, Pension Fund of Ukraine, State Fund for Youth Housing Assistance, Coordination Center for Legal Aid Provision); representatives of Kyiv Regional State Administration; coordinators of the leading national civil society organizations and the inter-factional deputy association); judges of regional courts of appeal, managers and lawyers of regional Centers for Free Secondary Legal Aid Provision.

Ukrainian delegation had a possibility to get acquainted with the Council of Europe institutions in different ways addressing the issues of internal displacement in Ukraine, such as, the European Court of Human Rights, the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, Commissioner for Human Rights and the Pompidou Group.

During the visit online course on internal displacement has been introduced to participants.

The course was developed by the Project within the European Programme for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) and will be widely disseminated next year.

The study visit provided a space for discussions on governmental policies on IDPs in the Council of Europe member states, practical application of the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Social Charter towards internally displaced persons.

During the visit the Project facilitated further cooperation and partnership between participants on national and regional level.