A New Social Contract Must Be Based on Support Tailored to Real Needs – Denys Uliutin

During a working visit to Moldova, Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine Denys Uliutin took part in the side event “Social Rights – Pillar for Democratic Stability and Resilience for the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine” held on the margins of the High-Level Conference on Social Rights in Chisinau.

The event brought together more than 80 participants, including high-level representatives of the Council of Europe, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and EU Member States.

In his remarks, the Minister noted that the war has created a new social reality in which vulnerability is no longer limited to traditional groups but affects a much broader segment of the population.

“We are currently facing an extremely complex reality: millions of internally displaced persons, communities that have received large numbers of new residents, and families who have lost their homes, jobs or social ties. In this context, our task is not only to provide humanitarian support, but to build social resilience – the ability of people and communities to recover, adapt, and continue functioning despite the war,” said Denys Uliutin.

The Minister emphasised that, in response to these challenges, social policy reforms in Ukraine are focused on several key areas. These include building a comprehensive support system for internally displaced persons, strengthening the capacity of communities, and reforming the system of support for persons with disabilities, including rehabilitation and prosthetics for those who have lost limbs.

For her part, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Moldova Natalia Plugaru presented major steps in reforming social protection system in Moldova amid economic and security challenges, focusing on support for children, families, and the most vulnerable.

At the same time, Denys Uliutin stressed that Ukraine’s reforms go beyond responding to the humanitarian consequences of the war – they are shaping a new social model that will ensure recovery, social justice and long-term resilience.

“The war has shown that the previous social system was fragmented and often based on guarantees that the state could not always deliver. We are now building a new social contract based on realistic guarantees, support tailored to people’s actual needs, and an understanding of social policy as an investment in human capital,” the Minister underlined.

In this context, Ukraine is advancing the preparation of a Social Code, reforming social services and modernising the pension system to ensure its fairness, transparency and financial sustainability.

For his part, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset stressed that social rights are an integral part of the response to current threats to democracy.

The event “Social Rights – Pillar for Democratic Stability and Resilience for the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine” was organised by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Moldova.

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