Difficult Decisions: Returns
What Is Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP)? (AAP – Accountability to Affected Populations)
Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) is an active commitment by humanitarian organizations to use their position and influence responsibly by taking into account the needs of the people they support, providing them with reliable information about their actions, and remaining accountable to those individuals for the decisions and messages they communicate.
As a humanitarian and charitable foundation providing comprehensive support to forcibly displaced people on a daily basis, we frequently work with individuals in extremely vulnerable situations — elderly people, persons with disabilities, people suffering from illness, those living alone, and individuals entirely dependent on social and humanitarian assistance systems. We understand that the way information is communicated carries enormous significance. For many residents of our centers, messages concerning their future, accommodation, or access to support are not merely administrative formalities — they often determine their sense of safety, mental well-being, physical health, and sometimes even survival itself.
Words and assurances coming from humanitarian organizations, public institutions, and government representatives carry real consequences. Every announcement regarding the ending of support programs, legal changes, or the future of accommodation centers can directly influence dramatic life decisions made by people who have no alternatives and no resources to live independently.
In May 2026, during a specially organized meeting with residents of the collective accommodation center (OZZ), government representatives informed residents about the planned closure of all collective accommodation centers in Poland, the termination of support programs for war refugees, and the lack of guarantees regarding further assistance. At the same time, residents were asked to consider available options, such as paying for accommodation themselves or contacting family members.
For many people, this was interpreted as a clear message:
“I cannot stay here any longer, I cannot afford independent living, I have nowhere else to go — I must return home.”
Among those who made this decision were a mother and her son, who left Przemyśl, Poland, for Nikopol, Ukraine, on May 12, 2026.
The 73-year-old mother, who has a moderate disability and mobility impairments requiring the use of a walking cane, had been living in a collective accommodation center. Her 49-year-old son, who has a severe neurological disability and uses a wheelchair, had been residing in a nursing care facility in Przemyśl. The family had lived in Poland since April 2022.
Their decision to return was driven by changes in Polish legislation concerning assistance for refugees from Ukraine, limited access to healthcare services, and announcements regarding the gradual termination of funding for accommodation and meals in refugee centers from July 1, 2026. The financial resources available to the family were insufficient for independent living in Poland.
Their journey home lasted many hours: first by train from Przemyśl to Dnipro, then by bus, and finally on foot under the threat of hostile drones flying overhead. Returning home meant facing hunger, cold, illness, and the collapse of basic infrastructure — with no functioning shops, pharmacies, or medical facilities remaining in their city.
Most tragically, on the very same day — May 12, 2026 — Ukrainian authorities announced the mandatory evacuation of Nikopol residents due to the escalation of military attacks.
This is only one of many stories of people forced to return to war zones because of uncertainty surrounding continued funding and support for accommodation centers in Poland. There are also individuals who would like to seek safety in Poland again but fear whether stable assistance and accommodation will still be available.
Since this family’s departure, the situation has partially changed. Negotiations are currently taking place at local, regional, and national levels regarding the continuation of selected accommodation centers in Poland. We are still awaiting final decisions.
However, even when administrative decisions change, the consequences of earlier communications often remain irreversible. Returns to bombed cities, loss of hard-earned feelings of safety, deteriorating physical and mental health among residents — these are the real consequences of unstable and irresponsible communication toward people affected by humanitarian crises.
This is why Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) is not merely a procedural requirement or formal humanitarian standard. It is a fundamental principle of trust, safety, dignity, and responsibility toward the people who entrust us with their lives, health, and future.
