Ministry of Social Policy: Ukraine presented reforms in the social sphere at the Meeting of EU Ministers in Poland

The Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Oksana Zholnovych and Deputy Minister for European Integration Iryna Postolovska took part in the Meeting of EU Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs (EPSCO) held in Poland.

In her speech, the Minister of Social Policy focused on how the full-scale war creates new challenges for Ukraine's social policy, including migration. These processes have a significant impact on the labour market - the structure of employment is changing, the need for retraining, adaptation of social services and creation of new jobs in communities is growing.

"Almost 5 million Ukrainians have travelled abroad in search of safety over the past three years. Another 4.6 million have become internally displaced. I am sincerely grateful to every country that has sheltered our people. We are now focusing on creating conditions for their return home. Cooperation with international partners is particularly important here, in particular, on reintegration solutions that will help people rebuild their lives after returning," Oksana Zholnovych said.

The Minister focused on the support instruments that are already in place in Ukraine. These include a subsidy for renting housing for IDPs, financial support for living expenses, and the Prykhystok project, which provides compensation for temporary accommodation of IDPs in citizens' homes. There is also support for employers who hire internally displaced persons. A separate important area is the formation of support communities in the Resilience Centres, as well as the expansion of the Municipal Nanny programme, which has been made available to children aged under 3 from IDP families, which creates additional employment opportunities for parents.

Ukraine is transforming its social policy, moving from a model of emergency cash assistance to a people-centred approach focused on the needs, resilience and economic independence of citizens. In this context, the following key areas are being implemented:

- Reforming and improving the efficiency of social support systems, taking into account the needs of different categories of the population.

- Reform of the pension and social insurance systems to ensure financial stability of the elderly and vulnerable groups.

- Protecting children's rights and developing family-based care.

- Digitalisation of social services and simplification of payment procedures, which increases transparency and convenience for beneficiaries.

- Expanding access to social services.

- Expanding opportunities for people with disabilities to enter the labour market.

- Supporting active longevity, including through the development of social programmes for the elderly.

- Promoting gender equality and preventing gender-based violence, domestic violence and human trafficking.

In addition to intensive plenary sessions, the event programme included a number of bilateral talks, informal meetings and expert discussions that facilitated a deeper exchange of experience and ideas among participants.

During the event, Oksana Zholnovych held bilateral meetings. In particular, she met with Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness Roxana Mînzatu, Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion of Norway Tonje Brenna, Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary, Minister of Labour and Social Policies of Italy Marina Elvira Calderone, Federal Minister for Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection of Austria Korinna Schumann, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family, and Social Policy of Croatia Ivan Vidiš, State Secretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health of Finland Laura Rissanen.

The main topics of the meetings included the functioning and reform of pension systems in the countries and support for families with children. The parties also discussed programmes that strengthen community cohesion, both at home and abroad. They also discussed the importance of supporting vulnerable groups.

Iryna Postolovska held a bilateral meeting with Aleksandra Gajewska, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy of Poland.

During the meeting, the parties discussed issues related to the stay of Ukrainian children in institutional care facilities who had been evacuated to Poland after the start of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

The two sides reaffirmed their joint commitment to ensuring a better future for Ukrainian children who are forced to stay abroad. The focus of the cooperation is to ensure the best interests of each child, taking into account their individual needs, in accordance with European standards and in close partnership with EU countries.