BACKGROUND
This document represents the executive summary of the full report (forthcoming). The study was commissioned by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) to assess issues relating to the housing, land and property (HLP) rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and conflict-affected communities in eastern Ukraine. The assessment covers government controlled areas (GCA), non-government controlled areas (NGCA) and frontline communities along the contact line between GCA and NGCA.
The research for the report was conducted during two field missions in July and August 2015. This included 32 key informant interviews, focus group discussions with 140 IDPs and conflict-affected individuals, and the collection of 50 case studies.
HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT
As of November 2015, there were some 4 million people affected by conflict in eastern Ukraine.
This includes an estimated 2.7 million people living in NGCA and 800’000 people living in frontline communities along the contact line (in GCA and NGCA). According to the Ministry of Social Policy there were over 1.5 million registered IDPs as of November 2015. However, due to Government restrictions on the definition of an IDP, the true number of IDPs is unknown.
Conflict and displacement have disproportionately affected women in Ukraine where they comprise 63 percent of IDPs. Many IDPs families are femaleheaded and women also bear a much larger burden than men in roles as carers for children, the sick and elderly. The majority of frontline community residents are women and older people who risk remaining in insecure environments as they cannot afford to leave their homes or livelihoods.
This research has revealed gaps across a range of shelter and HLP issues which should be urgently addressed to prevent further deterioration in conditions for IDPs and conflict-affected communities.