“Support for War-Affected Ukrainians: Coordination and Interaction”: Aspen Institute’s Kyiv first seminar as part of the “Relief for Ukraine: Support Ecosystem for Ukrainians” Program

On January 20, 2024, the Aspen Institute Kyiv initiated a series of one-day seminars titled “Support for War-Affected Ukrainians: Coordination and Interaction” under the “Relief for Ukraine: Ecosystem of Support for Ukrainians” Program. During these events, essential stakeholders in the livelihood support sector discussed potential ways to contribute to the development of humanitarian response in Ukraine and provide more effective assistance to those affected by the war.

The system of livelihood support in Ukraine faces various challenges, including:

• Slow and untimely response to disasters and challenges.
• Inconsistency in protocols and standards of interaction among international organizations, government agencies, and civil organizations.
• There is a need to improve the coordination of policies among different government bodies involved in humanitarian assistance, along with the importance of unified defined terms and classifications.
• Lack of a unified monitoring and accounting system for the number of affected individuals, recipients, and providers of humanitarian aid and the aid itself.

The current state of livelihood support and proposals for improving stakeholder coordination

Seminar participants discussed the following ways to enhance coordination in the field of livelihood support:

Coordination efforts among humanitarian actors are crucial for providers and recipients of livelihood support. Successful systematization requires joint government, international organizations, and civil society efforts.

The development of the livelihood support sector should be comprehensive, with transparent and understandable rules of operation. Special consideration should be given to the functioning of the livelihood support system during times of war.

The government is expected to take a leadership role in harmonizing legislation in humanitarian aid, further refining relevant state policies, and coordinating with international partners.

Maintaining records and monitoring the needs of the affected population is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the functioning of the livelihood support sector. Digital registries could be an effective tool for this purpose.

Insufficient community, regional, and national communication can lead to poor coordination among various government bodies and other institutions dealing with livelihood support issues.

Improving the coordinated system of humanitarian response to emergencies during times of war will allow for more effective addressing of diverse challenges in the future.

The Aspen Institute Kyiv team thanks the participants for their meaningful dialogue and high engagement in discussing seminar topics.

We are planning two more seminars are under the”Relief for Ukraine: Support Ecosystem for Ukrainians” Program. Applications are currently open via the link.

The “Relief for Ukraine: Support Ecosystem for Ukrainians” Program is implemented by Aspen Institute Kyiv, initiated by CORE Response, and supported by the American Red Cross.