Durable Solutions Analysis: Progress towards local integration for IDPs in collective sites - Dnipro City | Ukraine (September 2023)

As of June 2023, approximately 5.1 million persons were estimated to be internally displaced (IDP) across Ukraine, a number that has been steadily declining since August 2022.¹ However, displacement is prolonged, with 80% of IDPs being displaced for over eight months. Notably, a significant portion of IDPs (60%) do not have clear intentions to move from their current settlement in the short term.² In this context, collective sites (CSs), initially established as temporary shelters at the early onset of the full-scale invasion, have eventually hosted displaced people for extended periods of time. As of August 2023, it concerned approximately 112 thousand IDPs across the country.³

Those displacement dynamics led to an ongoing commitment of national and international actors to work collaboratively in Ukraine towards strengthening durable solutions (DS) for IDPs, including supporting local integration⁴ for those who chose to remain in their current place of displacement. Under those circumstances, collective sites should always be regarded as a last resort for IDPs,⁵ as they do not represent a viable prerequisite for local integration and often fail to meet the minimum living standards.⁶ Moreover, those who stay in collective sites often suffer from high levels of vulnerabilities and socio-economic fragilities,⁷ likely exacerbating the challenges related to local integration, such as accessing employment or rental markets.

Considering the reasons exposed above, REACH, in close collaboration with the CCCM (Camp Coordination and Camp Management) national cluster, conducted in Dnipro City 373 household (HH) interviews with IDPs living in CSs, as well as 425 HH interviews with non-IDPs.⁸ The objective was to collect baseline data to evaluate the progress towards local integration for IDPs at risk of extended residence in CSs. It was done by comparing their situation with the non-IDP population, using the IASC (Inter-Agency Standing Committee) Durable Solutions framework.⁹ This survey marks the initial phase of a two-round longitudinal study, 10 aiming to identify trends and disparities in durable solutions attainment between these two sub-groups. Similar studies were also undertaken in Vinnytsia, Uzhhorod and Mukachevo.

1. IOM, General Population Survey Round 13, June 2023.
2. Ibid.
3. According to the CCCM National Cluster Master List estimations.
4. Local integration refers to the process by which IDPs can reach durable solutions in their place of displacement, according to the IASC Durable Solutions Framework (2010).
5. Global CCCM Cluster, Strategy 2021-2023, 2021.
6. REACH, Multisectoral CCCM Vulnerability Index Round 5, November 2023.
7. REACH, Ukraine Collective Site Monitoring: Round 8, May 2023.
8. Non-IDP households refer to the local population of Dnipro City, not displaced due to the conflict at the time of data collection
9. IASC, Framework on Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons, 2010.
10. REACH, Terms of reference CCCM Durable Solutions Assessment, June 2023.