Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, UNDP launch new electronic service for IDPs

May 17, 2021

Internally displaced persons can apply to take part in the state program of subsidised mortgage loans.

Photo: UNDP in Ukraine

Kyiv, 17 May 2021 — Officially registered internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine can now apply for benefits from a subsidised mortgage programme through the “Diia” portal.

The programme expects to serve up to 680 families or over 1,700 individuals, providing loans of up to EUR 40,000 for 20 years at a 3 percent interest rate. The new service was presented at the Diia Summit 2.0, which is being held on May 17-19 in Kyiv.

The funds for the subsidised mortgage programme, which has a total pool of EUR 25.5 million, were allocated by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) German government development bank. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, with funding from the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, at the request of Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation helped develop the application form for the Diia portal and ensure its integration into the service’s business process.

UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Dafina Gercheva said UNDP provides systematic support to vulnerable groups, including internally displaced persons affected by the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine and by the temporary occupation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

Our task is not just to promote the creation of new electronic services or increase the number of users,” Gercheva said. “The United Nations Development Programme is working with partners to increase accessibility and remove numerous barriers to the use of such services. Our main priority in the field of digital transformation is to leave no one behind.”

Regulations on the mechanism for allocating subsidised loans were approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine three weeks ago – on 28 April 2021. The Government-approved mechanism for IDP subsidised mortgage loans foresees that citizen-clients can fill in an electronic application form on the “Diia” portal.

The information they provide will then be immediately checked against electronic registries. If all of the data matches, the application form will be securely transferred to the State Fund for the Support of Youth Housing Construction. The fund will then use its methodology to randomly select applications (without human intervention) on a regular basis, compiling lists of pre-selected applications for subsidised mortgage loans. This information is then sent back to the “Diia” system and its users’ personal online spaces.

Importantly, the selected applicants will not be removed from other waiting lists or programmes (including waiting lists for housing) until there is a final confirmation that loan funds have been allocated, or the registries show the applicant can obtain housing from a different source (through purchase or another mechanism). The transparency and integrity of the process will also be monitored by representatives from KfW.

Commenting on the introduction the new service under the “Digital, Inclusive, Accessible: Support to Digitalisation of State Services in Ukraine (DIA Support)” Project, Ambassador of Sweden to Ukraine Tobias Thyberg noted that Sweden has been supporting Ukraine in promoting human rights and democratic processes, as well as fostering inclusive economic growth and environmental protection.

“We believe that digital transformation based on personal data integrity and due protection from cyber threats can catalyze Ukraine’s progress in these areas. We are glad to partner with UNDP and the Ministry for Digital Transformation of Ukraine to advance an inclusive digital transformation agenda,” Thyberg  said.

Background:

The electronic application service for the IDP subsidised mortgage programme was developed as part of the UNDP “Digital, Inclusive, Accessible: Support to Digitalisation of State Services in Ukraine (DIA Support)” Project, which is funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine.

The three-year project aims to help bridge digital divides due to age or belonging to certain vulnerable social groups in Ukraine, such as the elderly and retirees, people with disabilities, those living below the poverty line, rural residents, young people in conflict-affected areas, distinctive ethnic groups (such as the Roma population), IDPs, and veterans returning to civil life.

For media inquiries:

UNDP Ukraine:  Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Communications Team Leader, yuliia.samus@undp.org+380971391475