Kyiv – Amid the war in Ukraine, millions have been forced to leave their homes, seeking safety and shelter elsewhere. Every day, displaced people think about their futures – should they stay where they are, should they relocate somewhere else or should they try to return.

Of the approximately 5 million people who remain displaced across the country, only 745,000 people have expressed a desire to stay and integrate into their current location, while more than 4 million have already returned home from displacement. The remainder have yet to come to a decision.

Forcibly displaced people do not automatically overcome their displacement-related vulnerabilities and needs once they return home. These challenges might include lack of housing options, education or livelihood disruption and discrimination. In response, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), among other UN and non-governmental partners, are implementing durable solutions programming to support the integration and reintegration of displaced people in their communities, whether they are hosting communities or communities of origin.

“Durable solutions programming can be made stronger by clear understanding of the progress made by internally displaced persons toward achieving their preferred solution - whether it be integration, return or relocation - and the support required to further this progress,” said Karolina Krelinova, manager of the IOM Ukraine data and analytics programme and a co-chair of the UN’s Data Task Force. 

While some tools exist to assess different aspects of integration and reintegration experiences, there is currently no context-adjusted common approach among humanitarian and development partners working on displacement issues in Ukraine. IOM and UNICEF in their capacity as co-chairs of the UN's Data Task Force, supported by the UN Resident Coordinator Office, brought together relevant partners and experts, including NGO representatives and members of the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group’s (ICCG) Assessments and Analytics Working Group, in Kyiv on 02 August to commence the broad consultative process leading towards this joint approach on monitoring progress towards durable solutions.

"Given the scale of displacement in Ukraine, the participants agreed that both humanitarian and development actors must work together effectively to enable impactful, cohesive support for the integration or sustainable reintegration of displaced people into their new or former communities. Developing a joint methodology for monitoring progress and a common base of data underpinning interventions is key to success," added Krelinova.

The development of a Joint Analytical Framework will involve consultations with the Government and with affected communities to ensure it aligns with the specific displacement context in Ukraine as well as the country's recovery priorities. The consultations are planned to begin in the coming months. 

For more information on the development of the common approach, please see the full report on the Data for Solution Symposium, held in March 2023 with 29 organizations - including Ministry of Social Protection, Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporary Occupied Territories of Ukraine, Ministry of Digital Transformation and Reform Delivery Office of the Cabinet of Ministers as well as experts from agencies of the UN country team, donors, research actors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).