From March 27 to 29, 2024, Rivne hosted a strategic session to discuss important issues of reintegrating veterans into civilian life. The event brought together key experts, representatives of state authorities, local governments, the public sector and educators.
The event was organized at the initiative of the Veterans Space of the Rivne Regional Council in cooperation with the National University of Ostroh Academy and with the support of the European Union and UNDP.
During the three days of the session, participants focused on developing a methodology for evaluating the readiness of communities for effective reintegration of veterans. A significant contribution to the session was made by Karina Doroshenko, Deputy Executive Director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, who presented the latest research of the Foundation, highlighting the problem of stigmatization of veterans in society and emphasizing their needs.
The strategic session focused on two key tasks. The first was to form the basis for developing a self-assessment methodology. It concerned the readiness of communities for the reintegration of veterans. The second task was to develop indicators to measure this readiness. The session program included a variety of activities. Panel discussions, working groups, and presentations were organized. All these activities helped the participants to formulate a common vision. They also contributed to the creation of a methodological framework for further steps.
In her presentation, Karina Doroshenko emphasized: “The latest research by the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation points to a deep problem of stigmatization of veterans in our society. It is important that we not only identify these challenges, but also work to develop specific solutions and initiatives that will help veterans successfully integrate into civilian life.”
This underscores the importance of data collection and analytics for the development of effective veteran support policies.
The event in Rivne was an important step towards strengthening support for veterans by offering new approaches and strategies for their reintegration. The joint efforts of the conference participants indicate the potential for creating an effective veterans’ policy that takes into account the real needs and challenges faced by veterans upon their return to civilian life.
