SITUATION OVERVIEW
The conflict that erupted in eastern Ukraine in April 2014 continued to result in the loss of human lives, increased suffering and vulnerability of affected civilians. By mid-August 2015, the human cost of the conflict reached 7,883 people killed and another 17,610 people injured. Between February-August 2015, the UN registered 575 civilian casualties, including 165 civilians killed and another 410 injured. Estimates on the number of civilians casualties prior to February 2015 are not available yet.
Throughout August, most of humanitarian partners in Ukraine continued to face persisting access challenges to reach four million most vulnerable people in the east of the country. Aid agencies are prioritising an estimated two million people living in areas along the contact line where insecurity has been endangering their lives and increasing their suffering, with access to basic goods and services severely curtailed. An additional estimated two million people living in areas beyond Government control are also high on the priority list for humanitarian action, in view of the continuous difficulties to access social services and payments amidst lack of operational banking system coupled with prices for basic commodities significantly higher. The suspension of operations of most humanitarian organisations in non-Government controlled areas (NGCAs) by the de facto authorities in Luhansk and Donetsk since 21 July has left many aid agencies unable to access and reach an estimated three million people in NGCAs. This is of particular concern with winter fast approaching.
In addition, while a number of new amendments have been introduced by the Government authorities facilitating the flow of humanitarian cargo to NGCAs and despite constructive dialogue, there are heavy bureaucratic requirements on humanitarian actors to operate in Government-controlled areas close to the contact line and assist an estimated one million people living on the Government-controlled side, and to cross and operate in NGCAs. Moreover, the Government is yet to ensure freedom of movement, resume social welfare benefits and payments as well as banking system, and remove the ban on commercial supplies of food and medicines to NGCAs. These have been amongst the main factors increasing the suffering of civilians in areas beyond Government control.
International humanitarian community has been calling upon all parties to the conflict and stakeholders with influence on the parties to ensure and guarantee free, sustained and principled humanitarian access so that millions of most vulnerable people in need receive assistance they need urgently, especially assistance for winterization. Under international humanitarian law (IHL) and customary IHL, parties to the conflict are responsible for facilitating access for humanitarian organizations to affected people. It is hoped that engagement with the de-facto authorities on finding a practical resolution to the registration issue will lead to the resumption of aid convoys to NGCAs.
Meanwhile, the number of Ukrainians forcibly displaced as a result of conflict is estimated at 2.5 million people. This includes over 1.4 million registered IDPs and about 1.1 million people who fled to neighbouring countries. Meeting the needs of these IDPs who have been in protracted displacement requires synergies and complimentary response by humanitarian and recovery/development actors in the immediate and longer term in view of limited resources available.
Access to safe drinking water remains major concern. According to the WASH Cluster and UNICEF, more than 1.3 million people in conflict-affected eastern Ukraine, both in GCA and NGCA are at risk of losing access to safe drinking water. Exchange of hostilities along the ‘contact line’ continued to damage water and power supply infrastructure, putting an extra strain on already limited capacities of the utilities at local level. Emergency repairs can be challenging and time consuming due to insecurity and limited resources, frequently leaving tens of thousands of people without piped water for weeks or months. Another concern is the sustained flow of water supplies for the central and district heating as well as power generation ahead of the winter.
Against this drop back of major challenges faced, between January and August 2015, humanitarian partners provided close to 1.8 million people with access to safe drinking water. More than 192,000 households were provided with non-food items and shelter repairs across the country. About 47,000 people were provided medical consultations and 31,000 children received nutritional supplements.
By the end of July, Food Security Cluster partners delivered food vouchers and food parcels to 260,000 people. Moreover, 286,000 people were covered by mine risk education. Psychosocial support reached over 57,000 children. Livelihood activities benefited about 53,000 people, mainly in government areas. Most of activities undertaken in August 2015 targeted vulnerable people in Government-controlled areas in view of lack of access to NGCAs.
The Ukraine 2015 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) remains significantly under-funded, with US$116 million disbursed or pledged against the requirement of $316 million. The figures below shows funding reported in the global Financial Tracking Services (FTS) only. Several partners stated having received donor funding, which has not yet been reported to FTS. This complicates monitoring and accountability. National actors, with their own private funding, are also substantially contributing to the humanitarian response in Ukraine. Aid agencies (both national and international) are working to ensure complementarity of relief efforts.