HIGHLIGHTS
• Humanitarian partners have stepped up aid delivery to NGCAs in Luhanska oblast in November. Additional partners presence is needed. Access to NGCA Donetsk continues to be seriously problematic.
• During his visit to Ukraine, UN Humanitarian Chief Stephen O’Brien called for sustained and unimpeded access to the vulnerable communities who urgently need humanitarian aid.
• Ceasefire violations increased considerably in November while ERW and IEDs remained the major threat to civilians, accounting for 88 per cent of civilian casualties in October.
More aid reaches Luhansk
Throughout November, UN agencies have been stepping up the delivery of humanitarian assistance to non-Government controlled areas (NGCAs) of Luhansk following resumption of operations at the end of October. By the end of November, the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are the only organisations that have been registered with the de facto authorities in Luhansk and resumed their operations. Additional partners presence is crucial to ensure a broader coverage of needs. The situation remains unchanged in Donetsk where only two partners are able to operate. Aid operations to the Donetsk and Luhansk NGCAs were halted on 21 July after the de facto authorities imposed regulations requiring aid organisations to register.
Over 1,700 MT of aid delivered in November
In November, UN agencies and partners have delivered more than 1,700 MT of food,
shelter, NFIs and other assistance to NGCAs, including 1,400 MT to the Luhansk area
and 300 MT to the Donetsk area, according to the Logistics cluster. Assistance to Luhansk
is now being distributed to an estimated 69,000 people. These consignments delivered
aid for the first time since the suspension of activities in July and are very timely as winter
sets in.
Winterization activities have been hampered by the suspension of operations. As temperatures fall across the region, shelter assistance has to be delivered fast to those living in buildings that lack windows, doors, roofs and heating. In addition, thousands of displaced people require warm blankets, winter clothing and shoes as well as coal and heating fuels. Moreover, plummeting temperatures increase the required calorie intake during winter months, making sustainable access to nutritious food more important for the wellbeing of vulnerable people.
Access restrictions continue to be severe in the Donetsk area
While aid deliveries have increased significantly in the Luhansk area during the past
month, in Donetsk, ICRC and the international NGO PIN remain the only international aid
organisations that are registered and continue their operations there. The status of the UN
submission and many INGO applications for registration remains unresolved. UN support
is being channelled through PIN, which has also its own pipeline. Efforts on the ground
are insufficient to cater for needs.
Freedom of movement constraints for civilians and goods continue
The restrictions on freedom of movement as a result of the Temporary Order (TO) of 21
January 2015 and the suspension of public transport affects the free movement of civilians
across the ‘contact line’ in both directions. This is a major concern as temperatures
have plummeted across the conflict-affected area and long queues of civilians waiting for
hours at the crossing points - which are ill equipped - on the ‘contact line’ persist. These
restrictions on freedom of movement of people and goods isolate people, impact family
unity and limit access to social entitlements, medication and humanitarian assistance.
Moreover, the presence of landmines and Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) in areas adjacent
to checkpoints is a serious risk for civilians.
The humanitarian community continues to advocate with the Government of Ukraine to simplify procedures for civilians to cross to and from NGCAs, open new checkpoints, increase personnel at crossing points, authorise commercial traffic across the contact line and bring the orders, regulating movement of civilians and goods, in compliance with the Constitution and laws of Ukraine as well as international norms and standards. This is of paramount importance as many Government regulations are having a disproportionate impact on civilians.