Situation Overview: Area Based Assessment in Government Controlled Areas within 5km of the Line of Contact Ukraine, July 2017 Key Findings restrictions on goods significantly reduce Map 1: Assessed Settlements connectivity between large urban centres In order to support humanitarian planning, NGCA and GCA periphery settlements. KHARKIVSKA REACH, between May and June 2017, Adjusting to restrictions, GCA cities and LUHANSKA ² conducted an assessment of access to basic settlements formed new basic service units LUHANSK GCA services and markets in 100 settlements in (BSUs) along the LoC (Map 3). The separation DONETSKA ZAPORIZKA RUSSIAN Government Controlled Areas (GCA) within of large NGCA urban centres from surrounding FEDERATION 5km of the line of contact (LoC). GCA settlements creates significant service EAST LUHANSK The assessed area, a 5km-wide buffer along access and delivery challenges within the assessed area, due to security concerns, SIEVIERODONETSK the 500km LoC, represents an area of nearly SLOVIANSK 2,000 square kilometres. Within the area, lack of transport and departure of qualified POPASNA personnel. KRAMATORSK the estimated population is between 150,000 BAKHMUT 1 STANYTSIA and 200,000 , including registered internally Protection BAKHMUT DONETSK GCA POPASNA LUHANSKA displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees. The Local populations experience regular shelling, LUHANSK population is older than the national average KOSTIANTYNIVKA exposure to mines and other risks related to TORETSK as many youths and younger families have ALCHEVSK explosive remnants of war (ERW). These TORETSK fled the area. concerns were particularly reported in South AVDIIVKA HORLIVKA Throughout the 27 cities and 73 villages in the Donetsk, West Donetsk, Avdiivka and East 2 LUHANSK NGCA area, there is regular military activity , which Luhansk. The presence of military and shelling AVDIIVKA poses a major protection risk (Map 2). Since was mainly reported in West Donetsk and January 2017, most surveyed settlements Avdiivka. MAKIIVKA KURAKHOVE DONETSK have reportedly experienced systematic Education shelling on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. WEST Disruption of Access to Basic Services Education facilities experience regular shelling DONETSK and Markets and over 15 are no longer operational. As DONETSK NGCA of July 2017, 80 facilities reportedly require The LoC has disrupted health, education and support with infrastructure repairs, heating, VOLNOVAKHA market networks. Assessed settlements, most and supplies for gym, libraries and kitchens. Surveyed Settlements RUSSIAN NGCA of which were previously serviced by larger Main access challenges were reportedly BSU Boundary cities in non-government controlled areas distance to facility, specifically in larger BSUs FEDERATION 5km Buffer from INSO Grey Zone SOUTH INSO Grey Zone (May 2017) (NGCA), now access services and markets such as South Donetsk and East Luhansk, and DONETSK almost exclusively in GCA (Map 3). unsafe travel to facilities, particularly within the Kms Although 200,000 to 400,000 people cross the more populated areas of West Donetsk and 0210 040 LoC on a monthly basis, long lines and heavy Avdiivka. MARIUPOL 1 Population data was provided by the local administrations based on their official records.The range is due to significant variation between the official data and estimates provided by OCHA and WFP, which adjusts for displacement. 2 Based on key informants’ perception of shelling frequency concerns to those living both on and off the Map 2: Frequency of shelling Health centralized heating grid. In 25 settlements living off the grid, the availability of heating fuel Two thirds of health facilities have been in local markets was reported as insufficient. KHARKIVSKA LUHANSKA ² damaged (54 out of 81), with 38 requiring WASH LUHANSKGCA reconstruction assistance while healthcare DONETSKA ZAPORIZKA delivery challenges include shortages in Access to drinking water was overall reported RUSSIAN medicines and basic supplies. Healthcare as sufficient. However, due to conflict, utility FEDERATION access challenges include an overall lack of facilities are regularly hit by shelling causing facilities, distance to care and costs. Absence widespread water, electricity and heating SIEVIERODONETSK EAST LUHANSK of healthcare facilities was particularly shortages. Water shortages predominately reported in West Donetsk and East Luhansk. affect those living in urban centres who rely SLOVIANSK POPASNA Unstable acces to water, gas and electricity is on piped water, as many rural areas are not KRAMATORSK widespread, with one in three facilities unable connected to the municipal water and waste BAKHMUT STANYTSIA to provide 24 hour water and electricity. management networks. BAKHMUT DONETSK GCA LUHANSKA Food, Markets and Livelihoods Next Steps POPASNA KOSTIANTYNIVKA LUHANSK Pork and beef were reported as unavailable The area based assessment shows the TORETSK ALCHEVSK in more than half of markets. Compared to current challenges faced by populations living TORETSK the average food basket price in Donetsk and in conflict affected areas of Donbas. It offers a AVDIIVKA 3 Luhansk oblasts in September 2016 , prices tool for humanitarian and development actors HORLIVKA LUHANSK NGCA are on average 6 to 10% higher within the to identify critical service providers to enable AVDIIVKA assessed area. Self-production in vegetable communities close to the LoC to meet their gardens was identified as a primary coping basic needs. It offers detailed insight about MAKIIVKA strategy to market product scarcity. the six sectors of the assessment, i) protection ii) education iii) health iv) food v) shelter and KURAKHOVE DONETSK Local authority representatives indicated a vi) water and sanitation hygiene (WASH), to lack of employment opportunities as a main WEST understand the basic service and market livelihood concern throughout all assessed DONETSK networks in which aid actors operate. Frequency of shelling settlements. Farmers reported a lack of DONETSK NGCA (in the past 3 months) access to traditional markets with the NGCA The ‘Grand Bargain’ commits to ‘engage none as their main concern. with local and national responders in a spirit infrequently VOLNOVAKHA monthly of partnership and aims to reinforce, rather weekly Shelter 4 daily than replace, local and national capacities’ . RUSSIAN Housing and infrastructure are regularly This assessment provides a granular picture FEDERATION BSU Boundary affected by shelling. Approximately 1 housing of areas where development action can SOUTH 5km Buffer from Grey Zone unit in 10 is damaged and an estimated 2,700 invest in local capacities, while humanitarian DONETSK Grey Zone (May 2017) to 5,000 people live in damaged accomodation. action continues supporting conflict affected Kms More than 500 houses and 60 apartment populations until their full integration into new 0210 040 buildings have been damaged since January basic service delivery and markets networks. MARIUPOL 2017. Access and cost of heating are major This type of analysis bridges humanitarian and 3 WFP, 2016. Market Update 13. Kyiv. Available online. 2 4 Inter-Agency Standing Committee, 2017.Available online. Introduction Methodology (UNOCHA) and Shelter Cluster. Figure 3: Number of KIs per Status Conflict between Ukrainian forces and armed This assessment was designed in partnership UNICEF published the ‘Children of the Contact Administrators 85 opposition groups broke out in eastern Ukraine with 14 agencies involved in the research Line’ report which provides a detailed analysis Community informants 395 of needs for children in the assessed area. in April 2014. More than three years later, design, questionnaire and product validation Health representatives 81 process. From February to August 2017, the The INSO database was important to verify fighting continues to affect civilians living along Education representatives 144 the LoC and restricts access to basic services. ‘community of practice’ chaired by REACH met security dynamics around the LoC. Population Restricted movements of people and goods seven times to ensure regular communication figures were compiled using data from Total 705 significantly disrupt the socio-economic fabric with all stakeholders (Figure 1). UNOCHA, UNICEF, UNHCR, PIN and state of the area. In addition, the humanitarian and statistics of Ukraine. To establish area based basic service units Based on existing humanitarian community (BSUs), REACH used a software called Gephi recovery response to the crisis is hampered priorities and geographic proximity, the area PIN local needs assessments provide a by information gaps regarding access to basic detailed analysis for most assessed areas in the to create a network analysis of basic service of assessment was determined to include access. For this analysis, each settlement services in settlements located along the LoC. a total of 100 settlements within 5km of Donetsk oblast. UNHCR shared a settlement level dataset providing population, housing, was represented as a ‘node’ in the network. To fill these information gaps, REACH the government controlled side of the LoC. The responses on service access were used conducted an assessment of all 100 This is due to heavy military presence, infrastructure and protection information for 106 areas in Donetsk and Luhansk. The to identify ‘connections’ between nodes. settlements within 5km of the LoC with systematic ceasefire violations and movement REACH used community detection algorithms two main objectives: 1.