Human Rights Organizations Issued a Joint Position on the Return and Reintegration of Ukrainians

Representatives of the Coalition of organizations working to protect the rights of people affected by the armed aggression against Ukraine, including the EAST SOS Charitable Foundation issued a joint position. It emphasizes the importance of integrating return policies into the recovery and protection policies for the war-affected population of Ukraine. This approach should be based on human rights, focused on people, and aimed at strengthening social cohesion.

The document was prepared ahead of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 (URC 2026), which will take place on June 25–26 in the city of Gdańsk, and focuses on the return of Ukrainians, reintegration, and the restoration of human capital.

The joint position stresses that the return of Ukrainians is far more than just a humanitarian issue. It is also an important component of Ukraine’s economic recovery, demographic resilience, and the future of hromadas.

We call for return and reintegration policies to become part of the country’s recovery system, ensuring people have access to housing, social services, employment, and support in the hromadas where they live. This also requires stronger cooperation between the state, local hromadas, international organizations, and civil society.

We invite organizations to support the joint position.

We believe that broad support for this position will help strengthen advocacy for a people-centered approach to the return and reintegration of Ukrainians and will contribute to ensuring that these issues are taken into account in Ukraine’s recovery processes.

You can support the position here.

The full text of the position can be downloaded below.