Operational environment
Low-intensity armed conflict continued along the contact line in eastern Ukraine: the number of civilian casualties from the conflict in 2018 decreased by 54%, while the number of damaged houses decreased by 84%. However, the ongoing armed conflict, with the related restrictions on freedom of movement, the continued suspension of social benefits and pensions to hundreds of thousands of people, as well as mine/UXO contamination, continued to significantly affect the lives of IDPs and conflict-affected persons along the contact line. Security conditions continue to constrain the carrying out of recovery and development activities.
In this context, UNHCR’s engagement in protection, shelter and delivery of core relief items remained relevant throughout 2018. The implementation of activities in government-controlled areas (GCA) proceeded smoothly. Variable operational constraints in non-government-controlled areas (NGCA) meant various unavoidable delays in the implementation of humanitarian programmes in 2018.
Protection challenges for IDPs and people affected by conflict remained. In positive developments, Ukraine adopted an action plan on durable solutions for IDPs and improved conditions at checkpoints in 2018, while the parliament passed a law on mine action. However, there was little progress on key issues such as payment of pensions and social benefits to people residing in NGCA, making the system of birth registration more responsive to the needs of parents in NGCA, expanding IDPs’ access to social and affordable housing, or ensuring IDPs’ right to participate in public affairs.
While there was some progress on the asylum process, the Government’s competing priorities hindered the improvement of the asylum procedure. Challenges included lack of sufficient interpretation and a low overall recognition rate, including for asylum-seekers from Afghanistan and the Syrian Arab Republic (Syria).
At the end of 2018, the legislation to introduce statelessness determination procedure remained pending. As a result, UNHCR postponed some capacity-building activities with state authorities. Instead, UNHCR provided legal assistance to persons at risk of statelessness and persons with undetermined nationality.
Population trends
As of the end of 2018, Ukraine hosted close to 2,620 refugees and some 6,410 asylum-seekers. The majority originate from Afghanistan and Syria, while some 60 other countries of origin are also represented. At the end of the year, the number of stateless persons was estimated at some 35,000.
At the end of 2018, some 1.5 million people remained internally displaced. In addition, some 151,000 Ukrainians have received international protection in neighboring and other countries.
Key achievements
UNHCR aimed to strengthen the refugee status determination procedure for asylum-seekers, while focusing on local integration for refugees. There were few substantial changes in the quality of the asylum procedure in 2018; the recognition rate remained low, but stable. UNHCR shifted its strategy to focus more on integration using a community-based approach, implementing 18 peaceful coexistence projects bringing together refugees, asylum-seekers and host communities, and supporting 23 refugee community groups. A total of 355 people received livelihoods support, and as a result of consistent advocacy and a labour shortage in Ukraine, employers became more willing to hire refugees.
Regarding the prevention and reduction of statelessness, the parliament registered a draft legislation on introducing a statelessness determination procedure, but did not yet consider it in plenary session. UNHCR trained state officials on statelessness, conducted joint advocacy, and through legal partners, assisted 148 persons in confirming their nationality.
Along the line of contact, UNHCR delivered emergency response to people affected by the armed conflict with a particular focus on isolated communities close to the line of contact. Humanitarian shelter interventions reached over 3,000 people in both GCA and NGCA. UNHCR began the process of handing over shelter/NFI coordination to the state authorities, which hosted their first national cluster meeting in late 2018. UNHCR provided legal assistance and case management and delivered material assistance to IDPs and conflict-affected people, particularly to the elderly who were affected by the irregular payment of pensions and social benefits.
The people in the NGCA have been waiting for the adoption of a law that would facilitate a more accessible, administrative procedure for registration of births in NGCA. However, the provision has not yet been implemented, and no rise in birth registration rates for babies born in NGCA was registered in 2018. Following advocacy by UNHCR and partners, the Ukrainian authorities started to improve the conditions at the checkpoints along the line of contact. However, waiting times remained long, with half of surveyed people waiting for an average of 4 to 5 hours at the end of 2018.
UNHCR provided training and other support to the Free Legal Aid Centers, which were able to assist 39% more IDPs in 2018 than in the previous year. As a result of training, IDP community groups advocated more effectively for themselves, with several receiving financial support from local authorities. While the state adopted an action plan for its durable solution strategy, insufficient resources were allocated for the plan’s implementation. Due to insufficient funding of Government housing programmes, IDPs reported poor access to housing as a barrier to integration. UNHCR supported the authorities in evaluating its housing programmes in order to advocate for their future expansion.
Unmet needs
The restricted access to NGCA hindered the timely delivery of assistance. In NGCA, with more predictable humanitarian access and additional funding, UNHCR would have been able to make more progress toward meeting the humanitarian shelter needs of the remaining estimated 10,000 households. In GCA, reduced funding for shelter cluster partners meant that the coverage of humanitarian shelter needs was not completed as initially targeted for 2018.
Neither the state nor development actors have invested sufficiently in durable solutions for IDPs. UNHCR has concentrated its resources on the contact line and in NGCA where needs are most acute. This leaves few resources to promote durable solutions for IDPs in the rest of Ukraine where the UNHCR’s focus is limited to advocacy, legal assistance and community mobilization, while durable housing solutions are still unavailable.
In 2018, UNHCR identified over 300 persons who are undocumented and at risk of statelessness in GCA of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, but did not have resources to provide legal assistance to address their situation.
Together with WHO, ILO and FAO, UNHCR has developed an area-based initiative for southern Donetsk Oblast. This contribution to the humanitarian-development nexus has not yet started because of lack of financial support.
Since recognition rates remained low, asylum-seekers had few prospects to obtain documentation, work legally and become self-sufficient. Neither language classes nor employment assistance was available to refugees.