At the Second Humanitarian Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), held on February 13, 2023, Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Oksana Zholnovych spoke about the possibilities of combining humanitarian assistance with other support for vulnerable populations in Ukraine.

“The assistance we receive today as a crisis aid should become the basis for systemic projects that will ensure sustainability of the social sphere after the war. Therefore, in order to formulate a strategy for the restoration of the social sector and the transition from crisis financing to building sustainable and effective institutions, we have agreed with UN organizations to coordinate our humanitarian projects through a steering committee consisting of donor representatives and representatives of the Ministry so that all projects in the social sector are synchronized and respond to strategic challenges,” Oksana Zholnovych said in her speech.

The Minister of Social Policy said that an agenda had already been formed in several important areas that required reforms. In particular, a concept note has been prepared for a new program with the IMF, which provides for a strategy to improve the social sphere, including:

• building a fair solidarity pension system and introducing a mandatory funded pension level,
• simplification and better targeting of social benefits,
• expansion of social services for citizens in crisis, including social support and psychosocial support,
• development of family-based forms of child-rearing,
• development of digital tools to ensure transparency and control over social support.

The Minister also emphasized the priority of developing family-based forms of parenting and deinstitutionalization, as well as rehabilitation projects and social services, in particular for veterans and their families, to provide them with psychosocial support and social rehabilitation.

Regarding digital tools that help provide targeted assistance to people affected by war, the participants referred to eDopomoga platform and the humanitarian account of the Ministry of Social Policy opened at the National Bank of Ukraine.

In her speech, Anna Jarosz-Friis, Acting Director of Directorate E (NEAR.E), EC Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), emphasized that Ukraine was a strategic partner of Europe, and the European Commission stood in solidarity with Ukraine. She noted that in 2023, support for Ukraine would continue, including in the social sector.

The event was attended by Andreas Papaconstantinou, Director for Neighbourhood and Middle East, EC Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), Janez Lenarčič, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, and representatives of major international organizations.

For reference:

The Humanitarian Senior Officials Meeting includes meetings of the EU Commissioner for Crisis Management J. Lenarčič, representatives of EU member states, key international donors, EU-funded humanitarian organizations, UNICEF, UNHCR, IOM, ICRC, Danish Refugee Council, USAID, Caritas, WHO, European Investment Bank, etc., as well as relevant structural units of the European Commission, with representatives of the Government of Ukraine, organizations and charitable foundations.

The goal is to discuss challenges, needs and steps in responding to humanitarian situations.