After Russia’s invasion in February 2022, millions of Ukrainians made the painful decision to leave everything behind. With their entire towns destroyed, and uncertain of what was ahead of them, crossing borders also did not bring immediate relief. How would one navigate a foreign country where the language, laws and systems are unfamiliar? Many of those forced to leave faced new struggles not only for survival, but also to regain a sense of stability.
To help displaced Ukrainians deal with bureaucracies and the complex legal systems in their host countries, a support network was born in autumn 2022 to provide much-needed guidance. ICMPD launched the Ukrainian Consultation Centres (UCCs) under the Resilience, Recovery and Reinforcement of Ukrainian Migration and Consular Services¹ project. Through the support of the host governments, ICMPD opened UCCs in Berlin, Gdansk, and Prague.
These consultation centres are among ICMPD’s continuously expanding support to Ukraine, along with the broader work across the regional portfolio. We are very thankful to our donors and host countries for the opportunity to lead these efforts in supporting displaced Ukrainians, and in working with the diaspora communities in their territories, to ensure that not only are we supporting them in their needs but to also complement national resources of Ukraine.says Radim Zak, ICMPD’s head of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region
Along with already-ongoing efforts in support of Ukraine’s border management and migration governance projects, ICMPD swiftly recalibrated its efforts in and for the country since the 2022 invasion.
Since opening the centres, the UCCs have become important for displaced Ukrainians in the three host countries they operate in, providing not only basic assistance but also tackling some of the most complex and nearly impossible bureaucratic and legal challenges. Many come to the centres with requests related to the usual documentation or access to social services. But often, the UCCs also face extraordinary cases: such as Anna, a woman without a passport who was about to give birth but had no form of ID; or Alla, who fought to prove her identity after losing her birth documents due to her mother’s 10 marriages.
While host countries provide a range of services, one key component is to strengthen information points specific to the often-difficult situation of displaced Ukrainians. They would look for in-person consultations in their native language – primarily the women with small children or the elderly – where they can feel safe and heard. Other groups disproportionately affected by their displacement, including those with disabilities, face greater challenges, including finding housing and obtaining official documents.
Voices of Resilience: A Conversation with Khrystyna from Donetsk | ICMPD
For displaced Ukrainians like Khrystyn, a 29-year-old mother from Donetsk who is deaf since birth, the UCCs are more than just an information hub. Apart from practical assistance on administration, the UCCs also support them in regaining a sense of normalcy in their host countries.
Khrystyna, a 29-year-old mother from Donetsk, knows all too well how fragile a sense of safety can be. Deaf since birth and raising her four-year-old son alone, she was forced to leave her home when the war began. Her first refuge was in Dnipro, but as the full-scale invasion progressed, she no longer felt safe and made the decision to leave.
Staying in Ukraine was too dangerous. Here in Germany, there was an opportunity for my son to socialise,” says Khrystyna in sign language. She first settled in Magdeburg but later relocated to Berlin, where she found a kindergarten that specialises with deaf children. “It was important to me. I want him to grow in an environment where his needs would be understood.she explains
In Berlin, Khrystyna first found a flat close to both her son’s kindergarten and to the hospital, initially feeling relieved. But as the apartment was over the rent limit, she was asked to move out. Facing additional barriers especially in her condition, she turned to the UCC and, for the first time, she was offered free legal support.
The Centre works closely with Germany-based law firms providing pro bono support to Ukrainian displaced persons. Upon contacting the German authorities on her behalf and submitting the same documents she had previously sent herself, the case was reconsidered and she was allowed to stay. “It wasn’t just about the apartment – it’s about my child’s peace, his kindergarten, and the hospital nearby. It’s our whole life,” she says.
Host countries – Germany, the Czech Republic, and Poland – were also interested to see that the state services they provide could be fully utilised. Thus, the UCCs cooperate with local government offices and with Ukrainian Consular Offices for additional support to those who may not easily get on with the varying (local) rules, language, and differences in administrative processes.
People come to the Consulate with different questions. But often, because of some limitations due to international regulations, it is frustrating for them that we cannot do everything.says Mr Oleksandr Plodystyi, Consul of Ukraine in Gdansk
We understand the difficulty and emotional pain they face, their loss, and feelings of persecution and injustice. That is why we do as much as we can to support these families.says Mr Bohdan Serhiichuk, Consul of Ukraine in Prague
Considering the successful operation of the UCCs in the three host countries, the implementing team has recently launched a new initiative: the CORE UA (Comprehensive Resilience Support for Displaced Persons from Ukraine) project now aims to expand the operations of the UCCs in Munich and Düsseldorf. The two new centres are currently being set up in cooperation with local municipalities and state authorities, as well as with Ukraine’s Consulates in Bavaria and North-Rhine Westphalia.
As the war ensues and displaced Ukrainians continue to grapple with their changing realities – particularly those in difficult situations and facing a lack in resources – the UCCs continuously stay agile to respond to the various challenges. Among many precarious situations, the cases of Anna, Alla, and Khrystyna demonstrate the unique and difficult cases that the centres handle daily. But the UCC consultants and counsellors work tirelessly not only to offer the necessary administrative support.
More than that, they endeavour to restore a sense of belonging even in a place foreign to them; and helping the displaced Ukrainians regain control of their lives and of their future, that many of them have thought they had already lost to the war.
A consultant at the UCC Gdansk providing personalised support to a displaced Ukrainian regarding documentation and residence permits.
¹ The project is funded by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees and the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.