Oksana Zholnovych: Investments in People Must Become the Foundation of Ukraine's Recovery

At the national forum "Human Capital Dimension at the URC 2025: Focusing on Return and Recovery," Ukraine's Minister of Social Policy, Oksana Zholnovych, presented her vision for transforming social policy amid war. The forum, a key part of preparations for the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025 (URC 2025), brought together government officials, civil society, international partners, media, experts, and thought leaders.

Deputy Prime Minister — Minister of National Unity of Ukraine, Oleksiy Chernyshov, opened the event by emphasizing that people are Ukraine's greatest asset and the driving force behind its recovery, adding that the strength of the Ukrainian people lies in unity. He noted that the issue of citizens' return is directly linked to one of the state's key challenges — demographics.

In turn, Minister of Social Policy Oksana Zholnovych stated that a new philosophy of social support is emerging today. The system now functions as a platform for human potential development, not just a tool for financial redistribution.

"Investments in people must become the foundation of Ukraine's recovery. Social support is not just crisis payments — it is a comprehensive set of services that help individuals overcome hardship. Psychosocial assistance, retraining, care services, and targeted financial aid are all part of this new model. Our focus is on creating an environment that fosters an intellectually, physically, and economically capable society. I thank all our international partners for supporting these changes," said Zholnovych.

The Ministry of Social Policy is already implementing new solutions for dignified care, updating legislation for persons with disabilities, and procuring social services from diverse providers, not just state institutions. This approach helps build a flexible, high-quality, and human-centered system that meets modern challenges.

The Minister added that Ukraine today is a unique hub of resilience and innovative practices born in wartime. These are not just new developments — they represent large-scale transformations contributing to Europe's stability.

On July 10 in Rome, the Ministry's team will present this new policy approach at the international Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2025).

Background:

The "Human Capital Dimension at the URC 2025" forum was organized by the Ministry of National Unity of Ukraine on the platform of the Center for Economic Recovery, with support from the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine (UNHCR) and Stabilization Support Services.

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