Challenges of ensuring the integration of internally displaced persons into host communities: Behavioral determinants

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Internal migration caused by the war of russia against Ukraine (with the active phase starting in February 2022) has increased the socio-economic burden on the host communities welcoming internally displaced population from the frontline and occupied territories. On the other hand, it intensifies behavioral reflections of local residents on the integration of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The study aims to identify opportunities, challenges, and prospects for IDPs’ adaptation in host communities (a case study of Lviv oblast, Ukraine). The paper conducted a sociological survey among 2,500 respondents in November 2022–February 2023. The results show that the lack of housing, lack of permanent employment, language contradictions, and forced limited contact with relatives who remain in the combat zone are existential barriers to the integration of IDPs into host communities. The study identified such opportunities for the integration of IDPs into the host society: reducing the risk of depopulation of territories, reducing imbalances in the local labor market in certain sectors of the economy, strengthening social cohesion, developing small businesses, and improving social infrastructure. The respective challenges include increased social tension, competition for jobs and housing, shortage of places in preschool institutions, and disproportionate distribution of budget funds between the local population and IDPs. Conflicts between IDPs and local residents, as well as IDPs and local authorities, require a proactive position of local authorities to initiate psychological support programs and create communication platforms for the exchange of individual experiences and discussion of psychological and emotional issues.

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    • Figure 1. Causes of conflict situations that arose between the local population of Lviv oblast and IDPs
    • Figure 2. Willingness of the local population of Lviv oblast to provide temporary housing and other types of assistance
    • Figure 3. The types of assistance most needed by IDPs in Lviv oblast and the organizations that provide it: Opinions of local residents
    • Figure 4. The main reasons for competition between IDPs and local residents of communities in Lviv oblast
    • Figure 5. Integration opportunities and intangible barriers that hinder IDPs’ adaptation to life in the region’s communities: Subjective assessment of local residents
    • Conceptualization
      Halyna Voznyak, Olha Mulska, Khrystyna Patytska
    • Formal Analysis
      Halyna Voznyak, Olha Mulska, Khrystyna Patytska
    • Investigation
      Halyna Voznyak, Khrystyna Patytska
    • Project administration
      Halyna Voznyak
    • Supervision
      Halyna Voznyak
    • Validation
      Halyna Voznyak, Iryna Storonyanska, Olha Mulska, Khrystyna Patytska
    • Writing – original draft
      Halyna Voznyak, Iryna Storonyanska, Olha Mulska, Khrystyna Patytska, Andriy Kaspshyshak
    • Writing – review & editing
      Halyna Voznyak, Iryna Storonyanska, Olha Mulska, Khrystyna Patytska, Andriy Kaspshyshak
    • Funding acquisition
      Iryna Storonyanska, Olha Mulska, Khrystyna Patytska, Andriy Kaspshyshak
    • Resources
      Iryna Storonyanska, Khrystyna Patytska
    • Data curation
      Olha Mulska
    • Methodology
      Olha Mulska
    • Visualization
      Olha Mulska, Khrystyna Patytska, Andriy Kaspshyshak