The Ministry of Social Policy, the State Enterprise "Information and Computing Center of the Ministry of Social Policy" (SE "ICC of the Ministry of Social Policy"), and the United Nations World Food Programme have signed an agreement to continue their cooperation in digitalization. The agreement outlines the further modernization of the Unified Information System of the Social Sphere (UISSS).

Since 2022, the UN WFP has supported the digitalization of the social sphere. Projects and tools developed with their support now enable Ukrainians to access social assistance and services more quickly and conveniently. Among these achievements are the integration of 10 types of benefits into the UISSS and the "Electronic Case Management" functionality, which allows users to submit online applications for social services on the Social Portal of the Ministry of Social Policy at soc.gov.ua. This project was shortlisted for the European Social Services Awards 2024 in the “Digital Transformation” category by the European Social Network (ESN).

"Thanks to the support of our partners, we are making social assistance more convenient and modern. Automatic extensions of payments based on data, simplified procedures for reporting changes in residence, and new options for accessing assistance are all real changes in the Unified Information System of the Social Sphere. These improvements ease the lives of Ukrainians and enhance the administration of social benefits. We are implementing modern digital solutions to ensure that everyone experiences the benefits of these new tools," emphasized Kostiantyn Koshelenko, Deputy Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformations, and Digitalization (CDTO).

The cooperation within the UISS framework will focus on the following areas:

• Payments for internally displaced persons (IDPs): Enhancing automation for extending payments for six months without requiring applications, based on data from the State Tax Service and the Pension Fund of Ukraine. Simplifying procedures for reporting residence changes and automating payment recalculations.

• Data exchange with the Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU): Automating the transfer of income data to reduce errors in benefit calculations and improve interagency cooperation.

• Social benefits: Enhancing automation for extending payments and developing functionality for granting childbirth assistance.

• Electronic case management: Testing functionality to improve targeted assistance delivery, including assessing individual or family needs for social services.

• Verification of applications: Shifting application verification to local social protection authorities, which will speed up processing and reduce the workload on Administrative Service Centers.

• Support for children deprived of parental care: Automating the process of providing the “Child not Alone” benefit, including application registration, eligibility verification, and payment calculations.

"Our partnership with the Ministry of Social Policy helps introduce modern solutions that enhance transparency and efficiency in delivering social assistance. It also enables the UN WFP to respond swiftly to the needs of the most vulnerable populations using accurate and reliable data. We value this collaboration and will continue to support the development of digital tools that improve access to social and humanitarian aid," said Marianne Ward, Deputy Director of the UN WFP in Ukraine.

"The signing of this agreement with the UN WFP marks an important step in the development of Ukraine's social sphere. We are grateful for the trust and support that allow us to enhance digital tools for social protection. As the administrators of the Unified System, we are committed to supporting users, organizing training seminars, and providing necessary consultations to ensure the effective use of new functionalities. Our goal is to create user-friendly and transparent services that make social assistance more accessible and straightforward for citizens," added Yurii Konovalov, Director of SE "ICC of the Ministry of Social Policy."

With WFP support, practical training sessions are planned for social sector professionals across all regions of Ukraine on using UISS subsystems. Previously, such training covered the specifics of implementing 10 types of benefits in the UISSS.

It is also worth noting that the Additional Cash Assistance Program for residents of frontline areas was recently expanded ahead of the winter season.