On 23 June 2017, the Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons has hosted a working meeting between experts of the Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research (UCIPR) and representatives of the Department for the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. The goal of the meeting was to discuss ways and means of the Ministry’s activities in providing various services to citizens of Ukraine residing in the temporarily occupied territory and the Crimean peninsula, assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and implementation of public policy measures for Crimea’s de-occupation and reintegration.
The meeting participants have discussed problems of coordinated actions of state authorities on the Crimea issue, challenges to communication with Ukrainian citizens who stay in the occupied peninsula, problems of provision and dissemination of information, monitoring, and responding to human rights violations.
Many participants have underscored that such communication tool as government hotline is little know and is mostly used by IDPs. Most Crimeans are unfortunately unaware about legal assistance that could be provided to them by the Ukrainian government.
The project on “Strengthening the Government’s Potential in the work with Internally Displaced Persons from Crimea and Residents of the Crimean Peninsula” is implemented by UCIPR with the assistance of the British Embassy in Ukraine. The initiative is focused on the development of methodical recommendations for public servants at a variety of levels with the aim of enhancing the level of services provided to citizens of Ukraine who live in temporarily occupied Crimea.