Adaptation of internally displaced persons in host communities under conditions of war in Ukraine: The role of local governments

Abstract

The aggravation of the migration crisis in the country against the background of socio-economic instability in conditions of war has triggered the deterioration of the institutional and economic capacity of local governments to ensure further integration of internally displaced persons in the host society. The article aims to identify the resource and economic capacity of local governments in conditions of war to ensure the needs and adaptation of internally displaced persons to new living conditions (using the example of Pidberiztsivska Territorial Community of Lvivska Oblast). The research is based on a questionnaire survey in the form of in-depth interviews with the representatives of local governments. The sample consists of 20 persons; strata are formed in accordance with the staff units of local governments (head of the village council; representatives of the community’s administrative center and starostyn districts; heads of structural units of the village council). The paper emphasizes that local governments face a great challenge in ensuring the adaptation of internally displaced persons in the community, mainly related to the lack of free housing (according to 76.2% of respondents) and the labor surplus in the local market (over 20%). The results show that the majority of internally displaced persons see the community only as a place of “waiting” and seek to return to the former residence place (68.4% of the interviewed representatives of local government), so they shouldn’t be deemed as a potential community asset. Proactive tools for increasing the resource and economic capacity of local governments to ensure further integration of internally displaced persons include interaction with regional authorities, efficient use of the capacity of relocated businesses, cooperation with charitable foundations and NGOs to solve housing problems and create additional high-wage jobs.