Ukrainian ministry and Office of UNHCR sign memorandum on support for internally displaced persons in Ukraine

KYIV. April 20 (Interfax-Ukraine) - The Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy and the mission of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ukraine have signed a memorandum of mutual understanding and cooperation in supporting internally displaced persons in Ukraine.

"The objective of the memorandum is to establish the foundations for cooperation and coordination between the parties in order to maximize their efforts and capabilities to bolster their response to needs stemming from internal relocation processes and with a focus on access to social protection for internally displaced persons and other affected people in Ukraine," the press service for the Ministry of Social Policy said in a statement on Tuesday evening.

In particular, the document paves the way for a comprehensive financial support program for internally displaced persons as an additional social support measure on the part of the state.

Under the memorandum, categories of internally displaced persons agreed with the Ministry of Social Policy will be entitled to additional financial assistance funded by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

The size of such payments will be 2,200 hryvni per family member a month. The payments will be made on a monthly basis within a three-month period by transferring the money to an internally displaced person's bank account.

The priority category entitled to this additional financial support will be internally displaced persons who receive pensions of 3,000 hryvni or below.

More than 200,000 internally displaced persons are expected to receive payments as part of the comprehensive financial support program of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

"Apart from cooperation in providing internally displaced persons with direct financial assistance from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, this memorandum also lays the foundation for future programs intended to support internally displaced persons, including by providing them with municipal housing, psychological and social support and by enhancing their social protection," the ministry said.