Ukraine shares experience of building a resilient social protection system during war with Estonian partners

Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine Denys Uliutin held a meeting with a delegation from the Estonian Social Insurance Board and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Ukraine. The visit of the Estonian delegation was organized with the support of IOM to study Ukraine’s experience in responding to challenges faced by the social protection system as a result of the full-scale war. Through August 4–6, Estonian representatives are learning about practical solutions that Ukraine has implemented to ensure continuity of social support for the population during wartime.

Opening the meeting, Denys Uliutin thanked Estonia and IOM for their constant support of Ukraine and their willingness to study Ukrainian experience. “Social protection during war is not a separate emergency response program, it is one of the key elements of national resilience. Our task is to ensure continuity of social support even in the most difficult conditions, while helping people regain independence and return to active life,” emphasized the Minister.

During the meeting, the Ukrainian side presented key lessons learned over more than four years of full-scale war. In particular, the discussion focused on the need to build a unified social protection system that combines financial support, social services, housing solutions, rehabilitation, employment, and individual case management, while also enabling rapid response to new crises. Special attention was given to evacuation preparedness. Ukraine stressed that effective evacuation begins long before people are moved — with advance preparation of communities, temporary housing, support routes, and coordination between state bodies and partners.

Participants also discussed the role of digitalization in ensuring continuity of social payments and services, the development of social infrastructure at the community level, support for social workers, and the transition from emergency humanitarian aid to long-term solutions that help people regain economic independence. Denys Uliutin separately presented Ukraine’s approach to supporting internally displaced persons, emphasizing that temporary accommodation should remain only the first stage of support, while the ultimate goal of state policy is to provide people with permanent housing, access to social services, employment, and integration into host communities.

The meeting also included an exchange of experiences on child protection, support for people with disabilities, continuity of social payments, and the development of crisis management in the social sphere. The event marked another step toward deepening cooperation between Ukraine, Estonia, and IOM in developing a modern, resilient, and people-centered social protection system.