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Ukraine

Humanitarian Bulletin: Ukraine | Issue 18 | 1 - 31 May 2017 [EN/RU/UK]

Attachments

HIGHLIGHTS

• Increase in hostilities in Krasnohorivka

• Impediments deprive hundreds to access benefits

• Interrupted water supply systems affect thousands

• Preparedness efforts are scaling up

• Cash Transfer Programming reaches new levels

• Underfunding continues to pose serious threat on UN / NGO ability to deliver

Access to health constrained for some 70,000 people

The impact of the conflict in eastern Ukraine continues to have a detrimental impact on the lives of millions of people. Ongoing hostilities continue to generate multi-sectoral needs.
The rapid escalation of shelling in Krasnohorivka (Donetska oblast, Government controlled area) at the end of May 2017 affected more than 70,000 people after the Central District Hospital serving Marinskyi raion was damaged. Hostilities in the same area damaged nearly 50 houses and three schools, serving approximately 1,000 students. Local authorities were quick to begin repairing the damage. On 3 June, the Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs (MTOT) appealed to the humanitarian community to cover critical assistance gaps. The recent spike in hostilities in Krasnohorivka has resulted in shelter and non-food items, education, health, and water, sanitation and hygiene needs. The UN and NGOs have scaled-up their response efforts and plan to support the Government through the provision of initial assistance, including construction materials and other non-food items.

Limited access to benefits aggravate lives of most vulnerable

With the timeframe for peace uncertain, some of the most vulnerable groups of an estimated of 3.8 million people in need of urgent assistance continue to face daily hardships. Bureaucratic impediments imposed by all parties to the conflict and a lack of solutions to address some of the systematic bottlenecks restrict access to pensions and other social benefits. The elderly, female-headed households, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups are struggling to claim their entitlements. Thousands more are being deprived of benefits altogether, which in many cases is their only source of income.

Since February 2016, the Government suspended social payments and pensions for some 600,000 IDPs, until they revalidate their IDP certificates. This decision has increased movement of civilians across the frontline, and affected particularly pensioners residing in non-Government controlled areas (NGCAs), who, according to the Ukrainian legislation, are forced to register as IDPs to receive their entitlements. The process includes the physical verification of IDP pensioners’ housing, in addition to regular verifications at relevant responsible entities.

The verification of a pensioner’s status imposed by multiple entities, including the Government’s banking institute, further restricted IDPs’ access to social benefits. The latest of such verification was launched in March – April 2017, resulting in widespread protection concerns. The Protection Cluster indicates that the latest verification process in 2017 alone resulted in delay or suspension of pensions to some 200,000 people, while massive queues at checkpoints and bank branches aggravated health conditions of vulnerable pensioners.
Different practices were observed by different or sometimes the same entities in different locations. Protection Cluster monitoring indicates that Pension Fund and Social Policy departments in various raions in Donetska and Luhanska oblasts (GCA) applied a range of ad-hoc approaches to reinstate pensions or verify IDP statuses.

Disclaimer

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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