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Description
The need for this project is based in preliminary research conducted by the team with regard to the situation that has arisen due to the refugee influx resulting from the war in Ukraine. Within a few months, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Plovdiv and the Plovdiv Province has increased nearly fivefold. Even though the Refugee Convention indicates norms and rules for finding sustainable approaches to reestablishing a dignified and peaceful means of existence for people, there are always some who are not fully aware of the legal frameworks and rights they are entitled to in the sheltering state. Our interdisciplinary team of ethnologists, anthropologists, sociologists, and legal specialists will work in five selected control settlements of varying characteristics in the Province of Plovdiv. Analysis of the data will serve as the foundation for understanding the situation and identifying the problems of this vulnerable group. This in itself is a prerequisite for seeking out a legal response and overcoming potential crises and conflicts, as well as minimising the war-related downsides.
The research includes meetings and interviews with refugees from Ukraine and filming of instances of everyday difficulties and issues, and of meetings and conversations with representatives of institutions and organisations who work with the refugees to help them settle in Bulgaria. The filming and editing of the case videos will be conducted by our project partner - The ‘NEporasnalite’ (those who haven’t grown up) Association, an NPO. The materials resulting from the research will also be used to prepare an info-campaign for refugees and volunteers in order to familiarise them with the legal humanitarian standards.
Summary of project results
The project aims to identify the problems of Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria and the possibilities for a legal response, by developing specific recommendations and conduct campaigns on the information gap. When planning the project, the number of refugees in the Plovdiv region was between 3,000 and 5,000 people, but during the project period, their number doubled and the need for the project activities became even greater.
The project was carried out in cooperation and with the participation of representatives of refugees, NGOs in the region that work with refugees and the responsible institutions. An anthropological analysis and a legal analysis on the needs of refugees was conducted. Five types of case studies were highlighted and the project proposed a solution for them in the Handbook on the rights of asylum seekers in Bulgaria and in short video films. The handbook was also translated into Ukrainian, as the lack of information in the native language was found to be one of the main barriers the refugees were facing.
The project identified problems that hinder the cultural adaptation and social integration of Ukrainians in Bulgaria, in particular in Plovdiv. The proposed solutions were gathered in a Handbook and informative videos, which will be useful not only for refugees from the Plovdiv region, but also for the whole country:
- Recognition of diplomas
- Retraining and training in Bulgarian universities
- Founding a company and creating a bank account.
- Recognition of incapacity for work by specialized state commission
- Voluntary and humanitarian organizations assisting Ukrainian citizens.
The handbook was distributed among institutions and NGOs working with Ukrainian refugees and among the Ukrainians who joined the project. Meetings were held with the Minister of Education and Science to raise the issue of high fees and the inability of Ukrainian youth to continue their education in Bulgaria and with the team of the Social Assistance Agency, Plovdiv.
The project team was included in a network with other organizations that work with Ukrainian refugees in Plovdiv and the country, incl. in the UNHCR register.