NEEDS OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS AS A SPHERE OF RESPONSE OF HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS (USING THE EXAMPLE OF THE UKRAINIAN RED CROSS SOCIETY)

The full-scale war in Ukraine has been going on for four years, and the needs of internally displaced persons are undergoing strong transformations. Among the most obvious needs are providing their housing, material assistance, medical care, obtaining their education and training of children, legal assistance, and many others. Organizations of the humanitarian sector of Ukraine direct their activities to assist the war-affected population. For example, the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) is one of the key organizations responding to the needs of IDPs in Ukraine. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify the specifics of the response of the URCS to the needs of internally displaced persons in our country. The goal is achieved through the analysis of domestic and foreign scientific research, a sociological study on the revision of the Strategic Plan of the URCS for 2026-2030. A sociological survey conducted among beneficiaries showed high interest and awareness of the specified category regarding the activities of the URCS. There is a certain discrepancy between the voiced needs (e.g., expectations of monetary assistance) and the assistance offered by society. This is due to the fact that the state’s efforts in terms of material support for citizens are insufficient, and, at the same time, there are objective limitations for humanitarian organizations to cover such needs. In a situation of uncertainty, most of the respondents’ needs are current and urgent (for example, humanitarian assistance in the form of food or hygiene products, provision of firewood for the winter period). For the IDP category, the main differences from the general study sample are a greater demand for monetary support, basic necessities, food, housing, shelter, and employment and, accordingly, less interest in psychosocial support, social integration, and social services at home.