The right to a pension: legal support for internally displaced people

During an on-site reception by the lawyers of Caritas Mariupol, a DRC partner, at the IDPs' collective center, Ms. Tetiana* asked for help in resolving her pension issue.

In April 2022, fleeing the hostilities, the woman left Kramatorsk district of Donetsk region for Cherkasy region. She has a son with a disability since childhood, which entitles her to an early retirement with 15 years of insurance coverage.

After applying to the Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU) for a pension, Ms. Tetyana received a verbal refusal. In July 2024, after consulting with a lawyer, she submitted a second application, but the Pension Fund again refused, not counting the periods of work indicated in her employment record book and her maternity leave as insurance period.

The lawyer prepared a lawsuit to the administrative court to cancel the refusal, oblige the Pension Fund to include the disputed periods in the insurance period and reconsider the application.

The financial barrier for the woman was paying the court fee, but thanks to the project, she received financial assistance.

The court upheld Ms. Tetyana's claim, and the Pension Fund voluntarily enforced the decision. Now the woman receives a well-deserved pension

The provision of free legal aid to IDPs in Cherkasy region was made possible through the cooperation of Caritas Mariupol with the Danish Refugee Council and funding from the European Union.

*The name has been changed.