The event brought together representatives of the government, international partners, embassies, humanitarian organizations, and civil society organizations to discuss and coordinate a shared vision of what Ukraine’s recovery should look like in the coming years.

Ahead of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026, Voice of Romni President Anzhelika Bielova and Project Manager and Advocacy Advisor Zina Prokopenko took part in the event “Towards Inclusive Recovery: People at the Centre of Action,” held in Kyiv.

The key message was clear: people must remain at the heart of recovery processes, and all decisions should take into account the interests and needs of different communities, especially those that are often marginalized or underrepresented.

Anzhelika and Zina were among the leaders of working groups focused on economic and infrastructure recovery. These groups developed recommendations that will be presented during the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which will take place on 25–26 June in Gdańsk.

For us, it is crucial that these recommendations reflect the needs of the Roma community and the experience of Roma organizations working directly with communities at the local level.

“We spoke about employment opportunities for people from the Roma community and support for social enterprises that provide jobs for Roma women and internally displaced persons. It was important for us to make sure that Roma-related issues were reflected in the recommendations on Ukraine’s economic recovery,” said the President of Voice of Romni.

The discussions also addressed the need to remove barriers preventing women from vulnerable communities from participating in economic life, including through the development of accessible childcare services and support for inclusive working environments.

Ukraine’s recovery must take into account the needs of people who are most often left out of focus, including the Roma community. For us, it is important that reconstruction is not only about roads or buildings, but also about dignified living conditions for people: access to housing, water, electricity, and other basic services. Roma communities must have the opportunity to participate in decision-making on issues that affect their settlements and communities. Recovery should become a chance not only to restore what has been lost, but also to make people’s lives safer, more comfortable, and more just.

We believe that our recommendations will become part of the international discussion on the future of the country. We are grateful to the Humanitarian NGO Platform in Ukraine for organizing the event, as well as to our partners CARE.Ukraine, who supported this initiative and helped create a space for meaningful dialogue on Ukraine’s inclusive and fair recovery.