On 9 September, the fourth webinar for partner hromadas of the Polaris Programme’s “Locally-Led Recovery” area was held, focusing on “Socially Oriented Recovery Projects in Hromadas: Working with Examples.” The session was led by Polaris gender expert and trainer Yuliia Savelieva, who emphasised that recovery must be inclusive, barrier-free, and non-discriminatory.
Key discussion points
Participants explored how social orientation becomes the foundation of recovery in hromadas. The experience of the Mamaivtsi hromada was highlighted, where gender aspects were taken into account to convert an old apartment block into a shelter for internally displaced persons (IDPs) – the St. Olha Shelter. The group also discussed how school shelters can meet principles of inclusion and accessibility, and how to prepare projects that are more likely to receive donor support.
Special attention was given to gender indicators in recovery: how to measure the effectiveness of investments and budget expenditures in monitoring and evaluation. Participants concluded that integrating gender perspectives makes projects more responsive to the needs of diverse population groups and more competitive for international financing.
Practical examples
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In Mamaivtsi hromada, high-quality data collection on IDPs helped to design projects that truly respond to people’s needs.
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In Koblevo hromada, preparations are underway for donor negotiations on water supply and sanitation systems, with a focus on social aspects.
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In Novyi Buh hromada, an agreement is being signed with NEFCO to restore water supply.
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Examples from education and kindergartens were discussed, focusing on accessibility for children with disabilities and equal access to employment for women.
Why it matters
Yuliia Savelieva emphasised:
“Social orientation in recovery is not only about infrastructure. It is about creating an environment that meets people’s needs and improves their quality of life. It is essential to take into account the voices of different population groups, especially women, children, and people with disabilities, to ensure that recovery truly works for everyone.”
Next steps
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Hromadas will prepare energy-efficient and climate-friendly projects with investment appeal.
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All new project proposals will integrate gender-sensitive approaches.
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Hromadas will receive methodological materials from the webinar to apply in their work on budget programmes.
Thus, the webinar became a platform for sharing practices and preparing for new stages of recovery — with a focus on people, their needs, and fair access to quality services. Currently, the Programme supports 13 hromadas under the “Locally-Led Recovery” area.
