IOM has brought together mental health practitioners, civil society representatives and government officials for an open dialogue on building the capacity of mental health and psychosocial support to veterans, their family members, and the families of the fallen.  

The Ministry for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine estimates that the number of veterans and their family members may reach five million people. “Our task is to create conditions for veterans’ reintegration into civilian life, as well as to facilitate better understanding of veterans by society,” said Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, Ihor Yaremenko, opening the discussion.  

As highlighted by Dr. Bertram von Moltke, Deputy Ambassador of Germany to Ukraine, “Many [veterans] will come home with visible scars. Yet many more will return with invisible scars in their hearts and souls. This is normal after the trauma of war. Dealing with this phenomenon will be a great challenge for everyone in Ukraine.” 

“Addressing mental health is an issue that cannot be postponed,” stated Oksana Zbitnieva, Head of the Programme Office of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Programme at the initiative of the First Lady. “It is important to break the barriers for people who do not have the habit of approaching specialists for psychological help.” Ms. Zbitnieva emphasized the importance of collaboration between different organizations to ensure harmony in work with veterans and their family members.   

Funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, the project “Path of Resilience” is raising public awareness of the availability of psychosocial support and seeking to reduce stigma around accessing mental health services. At the same time, tailored activities will enhance the capacities of mental health practitioners working directly with veterans and their family members and facilitate individual and group counselling, veterans’ families retreats and addressing gender disbalance among MHPSS professionals. 

The project will also provide support to the Ministry for Veterans Affairs, related ministries, local authorities, and 14 veterans’ focused and related organizations and institutions, including through a study of veterans’ social reintegration and their contribution to community life; technical experts to assist the Government; equipment for and light rehabilitation of institutions’ premises; and in-kind materials and technical expertise for service centres that work with veterans and their families. Additionally, 25 veterans’ livelihood development centres will receive equipment and furniture to enhance the economic reintegration of veterans.  

“The project is especially important as it envisages the work on veterans’ reintegration at the regional and local level, with civil society organizations and communities that will be in daily contact with veterans,” emphasized Ihor Yaremenko.  

“Working together with the communities is IOM’s domain of choice for all recovery projects in Ukraine and our investment in the future,” stated IOM Ukraine’s Response, Recovery and Resilience Programme Coordinator, Marco Chimenton.  

Currently, IOM has an open call for organizations and entities working with veterans and their family members, as well as an open call for communities to join the project.