Ukraine and Lithuanian Civil Society Discuss Expanding Cooperation in Social Protection and Community Resilience

The Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine held a meeting with representatives of the Lithuanian Embassy in Kyiv and Lithuanian civil society organizations to discuss strengthening cooperation in the social area and supporting community-based social services in Ukraine during wartime and recovery.

The discussions focused on the transformation of Ukraine’s social protection system, the development of integrated social services in communities, and strengthening partnerships between the government, local authorities, civil society organizations, and international partners.

Welcoming the Lithuanian delegation, Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine Denys Uliutin expressed gratitude for Lithuania’s consistent political, humanitarian, and institutional support for Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale russian invasion.

“Lithuania remains one of Ukraine’s closest and most principled partners. We highly value your unwavering solidarity with Ukraine, your strong international advocacy, and your practical support for our recovery and resilience,” the Minister stated.

During the meeting, the Ministry presented key priorities of the ongoing social protection reform aimed at transitioning from fragmented, status-based assistance toward targeted support based on people’s real needs.

Today, nearly 2 million people in Ukraine already receive various social services. At the same time, the demand for emergency intervention services has increased nearly threefold since the start of the full-scale invasion, while the need for psychosocial support has more than doubled.

The parties focused on:

• development of social services at the community level

• strengthening the role of non-state providers and NGOs in delivering social services

• support for veterans, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, children, and vulnerable families

• strengthening links between humanitarian response and long-term recovery

• development of integrated support systems through Resilience Centers.

The Ministry highlighted the development of the nationwide network of Resilience Centers within the framework of the “How Are You?” initiative launched by First Lady Olena Zelenska. Currently, 286 communities participate in the project, while more than 738,000 people have already received support through the centers. Importantly, more than 85% of service providers involved in the initiative are NGOs and charitable organizations.

The Ministry also presented the Humanitarian Account as a transparent mechanism for coordinating humanitarian and recovery assistance. The mechanism allows international partners and donors to support emergency assistance, psychosocial services, restoration of social infrastructure, and other resilience-building initiatives through government delivery and oversight systems.

Representatives of Lithuanian NGOs shared their experience of supporting Ukraine during the war and discussed possible areas for deeper cooperation with Ukrainian communities and social service providers, including joint projects, professional training, and strengthening local capacities.

The parties also discussed the importance of developing sustainable financing mechanisms for social services and supporting the growth of the non-state social service sector in Ukraine.

The Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine thanked Lithuania and Lithuanian civil society organizations for their solidarity, practical assistance, and continued support for Ukraine’s recovery and social resilience.

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