Ukraine

Behind IDP Status: Observance of the rights of internally displaced persons

This report is for the media and the general public.

SHOOTING NEAR REPAIR BRIGADES OF VODA DONBASA ON SOUTH DONBAS WATER WAY:

Voda Donbasa (VD) informed the WASH Cluster, that repair brigades of Voda Donbasa, came under shooting from small arms and mortars between Yasynuvata and Avdiivka in no man’s land, during their work with replacement of 8 meters of the 1400 mm pipe of the South Donbas Water Way (SDWW) on Sunday, September 23, at 2.20 – 2.30 p.m.. Fortunately, no one was injured.

The European Union has started as a peace project and has successfully transformed a war-torn and conflict-prone continent into a global actor in peacebuilding and conflict resolution. The European Union promotes peace across the globe by addressing the root causes of conflict, contributing to creating the necessary conditions for the reconstruction of societies and supporting the recovery of affected civilians. The International Day of Peace reminds us that peace is not a given.

This report is for the media and the general public.

This report is for the media and the general public.

Mykolaivka, Donetsk Oblast, 21 September 2018 – Over 17,000 residents of Mykolaivka territorial amalgamated community in Donetsk Oblast will have access to some 170 administrative and social services thanks to the rehabilitated Administrative and Social Service Centre in Mykolaivka town, Donetsk Oblast.

KYIV, 13 September – What are the recurring human rights issues faced by internally displaced persons? A recent sociological poll of internally displaced persons and service providers working with them confirmed that they face many socioeconomic challenges. These include need to submit additional documents and certificates, to confirm acts of civil status in courts and to undergo verification procedures, as well as the challenges that displaced people face due to relocation, that put IDPs in a more vulnerable position and sometimes means they face discrimination.

This report is for the media and the general public.

This report is for the media and the general public.

Key findings

LIVELIHOODS
• 99.3% of older women and men rely on a pension as their main source of income
• 89.2% of older people have only one source of income
• Older people spend the majority of their income on medicines (55.8%) and food (26.2%)
• 19.8% of older people are in debt, including arrears on utilities

Introduction

A tense situation connected to military conflict in the eastern part of Ukraine led to an upsurge in civilian casualties and a worsening security situation for people living along or near the contact line as well as at checkpoints. This, coupled with the suspension of social benefits and pensions for hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of whom constitute older people and people with disabilities, has led to a sharp deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Over the past decade, the number of wars has tripled and in 2016, more countries were experiencing violent conflict than at any time in nearly 30 years.

Wars can only be ended by the parties to the conflict and their supporters. An important part of ending war and restoring peace is the resolution of internal displacement caused by the conflict. And for that peace to last, internally displaced persons should participate in the process.

Executive Summary

1. This twenty-third report on the situation of human rights in Ukraine by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is based on the work of the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) , and covers the period from 16 May to 15 August 2018.

18 September 2018, Sumy - The “World of Happy Children” Psycho Social Rehabilitation Centre, a project supported by UNHCR and “Crimea SOS”, opens in Sumy with the aim to provide effective socialization support for children with mental challenges with application of modern inclusive approaches to enhance their quality of life.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Bringing together the views of more than 100,000 people, the Peace Perceptions Poll sought to answer questions around how people experience and respond to violent conflict, and and how they think their government should respond to conflict.

More countries are experiencing violent conflict now than at any time in the past 30 years. People have been displaced from their homes at a rate not seen since the Second World War. The cost of conflict is currently estimated at US$1.04 trillion a year.

This report is for the media and the general public.

SUMMARY

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons slightly decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 22 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO). The Mission is supported administratively by a Vienna-based staff member.

This report is for the media and the general public.

KYIV, 17 September 2018 – The Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Alexander Hug, is travelling to eastern Ukraine from 17 to 21 September to assess the security situation and its impact on civilians.

He will meet local authorities in Luhansk and Donetsk regions as well as interact with civilians on both sides of the contact line. He will also encourage all concerned to work towards normalization of the situation. Hug will also visit Kharkiv and Dnipro regions towards the second half of the week.