ReliefWeb

Highlights

• As winter approaches, continued hostilities and indicators of deliberate targeting of strategic pipelines and water treatment facilities in South Donbass put the lives of almost 1.2million people, including 220,000 children, at risk.

• To ensure continued access to learning in the conflict-affected area, UNICEF provided education and early childhood kits to over 13,000 children in the non-government controlled areas.

• In the heavily populated locations in the conflictaffected areas in eastern Ukraine, UNICEF distributed over 28,000 hygiene kits in schools and hospitals for improved sanitation and hygiene.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

The situation in eastern Ukraine remains volatile, and violence continues despite the latest ceasefire agreements committed on 19 July 2017. The lives of children and their families, especially those living along the ‘contact line,’ continue to be at risk. From 1 to 31 October 2017, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 24 conflict-related civilian casualties in 17 localities of Donetsk and Luhansk regions: five killed (all men) and 19 injured (six women, 12 men and a boy). This is a 33 percent increase compared to September 2017, when the lowest number of civilian casualties during the entire conflict period was recorded (two killed and 16 injured).

Civilian infrastructure continues to be hit, putting an added strain on the ability to provide sustained access to basic social services. According to the reports provided by Voda Donbasa to the WASH Cluster, on 3 and 4 October, the 1st lift Pumping Station (PS) of the South Donbas Water Pipeline was shelled three times in 36 hours, putting the lives of 1.2 million people at risk. These incidents affected 850,000 people in the government controlled areas (Mariupol, Volnovakha, Pokrovsk and Avdiivka) and 350,000 in the nongovernment controlled areas (the western part of Donetsk city). As winter approaches, and damage to or destruction of strategic pipelines and water treatment facilities located on the front line continues, the entire heating systems in settlements are put at risk and there is need for strengthened advocacy on adherence to ceasefire agreements.

UNICEF and the WASH cluster continues to advocate for the “windows of silence“ (suspension of hostilities by all parties), to be respected to ensure that repairs to damaged pipes are undertaken and the heating systems are working efficiently. UNICEF also continues to advocate for adherence to the ceasefire agreements to ensure respect for the rights of children and families affected by the conflict. In 2017, 3.4 million people including 612,000 children are in need of humanitarian assistance to ensure access to safe water supply and sanitation. Water supply to 4.2 million people, including 756,000 children, is directly at risk due to the conflict.