Legal protection of Ukrainian citizens in Poland: social rights of refugees

The article conducts a scientific and practical study of social and legal aspects of the protection of Ukrainian refugees in Poland. One of the most important aspects of this assistance is the provision of housing and other social needs for Ukrainians who have received the legal status of PESEL UKR in Poland. Ukrainians with PESEL UKR have the right to free medical care, and in the field of education, school-age children have the right to free education in Polish schools. Many refugees face obstacles in obtaining them, such as: bureaucratic obstacles, insufficient information support and non-transparent procedures for obtaining guarantees, which calls into question their real availability and effectiveness. In addition, refugees often face difficulties in finding a job or receiving the necessary assistance due to the insufficient level of financial support in the provision of social services. Unfortunately, late access to these opportunities becomes a major handicap in the integration of refugees into the new society. International legal documents in the field of refugee protection have been analyzed, in particular the Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees and other relevant normative legal acts, which establish the rights and obligations of states regarding the protection of asylum seekers. The signatory countries of the Geneva Convention are obliged to provide refugees not only with asylum, but also to ensure their rights, including social rights. It was established that the mechanism and policy of ensuring the social rights of refugees in Poland needs further both normative and practical improvement. The following solutions were proposed: simplification of the procedure for obtaining refugee status and social benefits through organizational and legal reform; ensuring adequate financial support for important social needs of refugees, such as housing; strengthening of informational support and awareness of refugees.