Highlights
The resumption of access to Luhansk region for the UN agencies and some international partners enabled the scaling up of the delivery of much needed humanitarian supplies, just as the severe winter weather has set in.
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, 75.1 per cent of the target population of children up to the age of 6 years, were vaccinated against polio in the second round of the nationwide polio vaccination campaign from 30 November to 18 December. UNICEF has provided the vaccines for the second and third rounds and is supporting community outreach and social mobilization. An extensive training programme is also being conducted to improve knowledge and attitudes of health professionals about polio.
In December, UNICEF completed the rehabilitation of 10 schools in governmentcontrolled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, providing a safe learning environment for 2,500 children. These are the first schools out of a planned total of 45 educational institutions due to be rehabilitated by UNICEF with funding from the Japanese Government.
UNICEF has created a safe learning environment for 20,000 children by equipping 300 classrooms with furniture in towns and villages near the contact line.
The expansion of Mine Risk Education (MRE) efforts continued with the printing and distribution of a large number of MRE-related materials that have been approved by the Ukrainian Ministry of Education, which will benefit approximately 306,600 children.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
In the second half of December, the OSCE Monitoring Mission reported an increase in the number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared to earlier in the month. Tensions in Donetsk region were primarily caused by the presence and movement of military on both sides close to the contact line, in particular in the areas where reportedly the military forces are strengthening their positions in so called “grey areas”, such as those around Pavlopil and Pyshchevyk (south of Donetsk) and Zaitseve (north of Horlivka).
During December, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), working under the auspices of the OHCHR, recorded 15 civilian casualties in eastern Ukraine: seven killed and eight injured1. All those killed were adults - four women and three men. Of the eight people injured, seven were adults (a woman and six men), and one was a boy of 15. Except for one man injured from small arms, all the others were injured by explosive remnants of war (ERWs), including a boy who tripped over an antipersonnel landmine near Luhansk in the non-government controlled areas (NGCAs). The presence of landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and explosive remnants of war (ERWs) remains the primary cause of death and injury along the contact line.
Harsh winter weather has now set in and following the resumption of humanitarian access, UN agencies have been scaling up their delivery of humanitarian aid to NGCAs in eastern Ukraine, especially Luhansk. According to the latest figures available, in November UN agencies and partners delivered more than 1,700 tonnes of food, shelter, NFIs and other assistance to NGCAs, including 1,400 tonnes to the Luhansk area and 300 tonnes to the Donetsk region. Assistance to Luhansk is now being distributed to an estimated 69,000 people. On 14 December, 634 metric tons of humanitarian aid were delivered to Luhansk. Led by the Logistics Cluster, the convoy included food, medicines and trauma kits, antiretroviral treatment and test systems procured by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The resumption of humanitarian aid was made possible after the UN obtained registration to operate in the Luhansk area in October. Currently in the Luhansk NGCA, the UN, ICRC, and Mercy Corps are permitted to operate. In Donetsk NGCA, ICRC is operating but UN registration is still pending. UN support is being channelled through the Czech NGO People in Need (PIN).
Restrictions on freedom of movement and the lack of public transport for the local population in conflict-affected areas, including the NGCAs, continue to isolate people and limit access to social entitlements, medication and humanitarian assistance. Many people, including children are forced to wait in cold and unsanitary conditions at checkpoints for many hours before crossing. Tents have now been set up by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine at Zaitseve, Novotroitske and Gnutove checkpoints, and they are available 24 hours a day. People come into these tents to keep warm, and UNICEF is working on the provision of sanitation, drinking water, snacks, and improvement of hygiene facilities.