FACT SHEET oblast. Luhansk village, Muratove in distribution Chicken Nov 2016 Photo: NRC Photo: Norwegian Refugee Council’s Country programme in Ukraine NRC established an initial presence in Ukraine in late 2014, with its operations centred in Severodonetsk (Luhansk oblast). Our impact In 2015 NRC reached Since becoming operational in eastern Ukraine, 63,607 NRC has progressively expanded activities as Individuals, with Information, concerns programme responses, core Counselling and Legal Assistance competencies and geographic reach in order to (ICLA), Shelter, Non-Food Assistance address evolving humanitarian needs (NFI) and Water, sanitation and The NRC strategy has focused on addressing the hygiene (WASH) needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and conflict-affected communities, especially along the Budget: 45 million NOK front-lines (the so-called “contact-line”) in Luhansk Donors: NMFA, UNHCR, ECHO, DFID oblast (both in government controlled areas (GCA) International staff: 8 and non-government controlled areas (NGCA). In National staff: 76 March 2016, NRC expanded activities into districts of northern Donetsk oblast (GCA), which is another Established: 2014 location of a very high IDP concentration. In July 2016, NRC opened a field office in Stanytsia Luhanska (Luhansk oblast), which provides protection and assistance services to civilians in stabilisation in communities away from the front- this front-line district – including to the thousands line and the reduction in intensity of the conflict in who travel regularly between GCA and NGCA at the many localities, there is an evolution from purely crossing point in this town. emergency towards early recovery needs; consequently, in 2016 NRC has initiated some NRC provides basic support to improve the living activities to address such needs (livelihoods). conditions of the most vulnerable conflict-affected population in GCA through cross-sectoral assistance and protection. With the relative www.nrc.no 1 Areas of operation: Luhansk and Donetsk Regions Country office: Kyiv Humanitarian and political context in many areas and continues to be a serious threat to civilians in many front-line communities. Despite two years of negotiations to resolve the The civilian population in eastern Ukraine conflict in eastern Ukraine, hostilities remain a fact continues to be affected by the conflict. The of life for millions of people affected both directly Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for 2016 and indirectly by the armed violence. Although estimates some 3.7 million persons have been efforts continue to implement the provisions of the affected, directly or indirectly, by the armed Minsk II agreement established in February 2015 conflict, of whom some 3.1 million require between the parties to the conflict, negotiations humanitarian assistance. This includes an have yet to produce effective steps towards conflict estimated 800`000 people living in front-line resolution. communities along the contact-line (200,000 in GCA and 600,0000 in NGCA), as well as an The situation along the front-lines in both Luhansk additional 2.1 million people living in NGCA. The and Donetsk oblasts remains volatile. As ceasefire conflict has caused the displacement of some 2.7 violations along the contact-line increased through million persons, including some 1.7 million July-August 2016, so to did concern for the registered IDPs (per the Ministry of Social Policy of humanitarian situation of civilians. In some Ukraine). Since the beginning of the conflict, localities, shelling became more frequent, adding 22,236 people have been wounded and 9,578 to the risks faced by the thousands of civilians killed; serious human rights concerns persist, living along the contact-line or crossing between according to the latest report of the UN Human GCA and NGCA. Although a renewed ceasefire Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (September came into effect in September, this has not 2016) substantially decreased the military engagements in many areas along the contact-line. In parallel to The hostilities have generated significant this, mine/ERW contamination is a major concern humanitarian needs among displaced and resident Contact: Country director: Christopher Mehley Country office: Kyiv Phone: +380 67 828 5818 Address: Yaroslaviv Val, 3301054, Kyiv, Ukraine E-mail: [email protected] www.nrc.no 2 communities alike. In many localities affected by for humanitarian cargo and clearer regulations for hostilities – especially in frontline communities, the movement of humanitarian personnel. basic life-supporting services have been disrupted; some civilians have little access to income, little in NRC established a full presence in NGCA (Luhansk the way of medicine, food, heating or money. city) in July 2015. However, a registration process Additionally, the destruction of water infrastructure was subsequently imposed on all international in some areas poses a threat to the civilian humanitarian actors by the de facto authorities (in population. The economy in Ukraine has suffered Luhansk and Donetsk) and, in late September, from serious economic decline due to the conflict almost all NGOs - including NRC - were informed and ongoing economic reform efforts. Consumer that they were no longer authorised to operate. prices have increased at a faster pace than many Consequently, NRC was unable to implement household incomes, thus negatively affecting planned activities in NGCA of Luhansk oblast purchasing power and access to life’s necessities, during 2015. Following negotiations, at the end of especially for vulnerable groups already heavily 2015 NRC submitted a new request to the de facto impacted by the armed conflict. authorities in Luhansk to conduct humanitarian activities in NGCA. In parallel, in March 2016 NRC Freedom of movement across the contact-line submitted a first request to the de facto authorities remains a major concern, as thousands of civilians in Donetsk NGCA to undertake humanitarian move between GCA and NGCA on a regular basis; it activities there. However, NRC has yet to receive a is estimated (by the UN Refugee Agency) that 46% positive response to these authorisation requests. of inhabitants in eastern Ukraine cross the contact- line every month. Difficulties are linked to the NRC activities in the field destruction of infrastructure, but also because of a strict permit system, which has been put in place to The situation in Ukraine remains volatile and of cross between GCA and NGCA. Indeed, at the few concern to the international community. With the crossing points open, civilians often stand in needs of affected-communities being diverse, NRC queues for hours – or at times days - while awaiting has developed a holistic programme within the document checks; additionally, due to ceasefire core competencies of ICLA, Shelter and Food violations, localised hostilities sometimes force the Security/Livelihoods. This responds to needs both closure of crossing points. These imposed in the conflict and post-conflict areas. Due to the restrictions on movement continue to weaken the unstable situation, new and secondary coping capacities among civilians. displacements can take place; thus, NRC maintains the capacity to rapidly respond to Humanitarian access evolving humanitarian needs. At the same time, NRC is working to mitigate the risk of protracted Humanitarian access into NGCA remains a major displacement and has begun to pursue issue of concern due to the numerous restrictions approaches that offer durable solutions for the of the de facto authorities and of the Ukrainian displaced and host communities; in this regard, government. A “registration” process imposed by NRC has launched projects aimed at meeting early- the de facto authorities for international recovery needs in certain localities. humanitarian actors resulted in the suspension in late 2015 of most international agencies and their Shelter and Non-food assistance departure from Luhansk and Donetsk. As of the The primary components of NRCˈs Shelter present, only a few international agencies have programme include: emergency shelter and relief managed to acquire authorisation from the de assistance (primarily non-food items (NFI)), facto authorities to operate in NGCA. The Ukrainian recovery shelter, transitional shelter for IDPs, government also has complicated procedures for winterization, community infrastructure repairs and allowing humanitarian agencies to operate in household contingency preparation. Shelter/NFI NGCA; the humanitarian community has continued activities are mainly conducted in communities to advocate on the need for multiple crossing along the contact-line in Luhansk oblast (GCA). In points to NGCA, simplified, fast-track procedures www.nrc.no 3 the period of May-August 2016, 609 households Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts through NRC Legal (1,272 individuals) received NRC assistance to Aid Centres (in Severdonetsk, Stanytsia Luhanska repair or reconstruct their homes; NRC activities and Kramatorsk), mobile teams of lawyers, home included: visits to the elderly and to people with disabilities, group information sessions and through a • Provision of building materials for light and telephone hotline. medium repair of damaged houses in 18 towns and villages located along the contact- In July 2016, NRC opened a field office with a Legal line; this benefitted 558 households (1,190 Aid Centre (LAC) in Stanytsia Luhanska, a town individuals). In terms of the renovation of located on the frontline; this town hosts the only infrastructure,