Photo from UNIAN
With the conflict in eastern Ukraine entering its fifth year, 1.5 million people are registered as IDPs.
IOM, the UN Migration Agency, has highlighted a disturbing lack of funds for the millions affected by conflict in Eastern Ukraine.
“Today, 3.4 million conflict-affected people in Ukraine urgently require humanitarian assistance and protection, but the international humanitarian appeal to help address their needs is a shocking 97% unfunded,” said IOM Chief of Mission in Ukraine, Thomas Lothar Weiss, according to the organization's press release.
Ambassador Hugues Mingarelli, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine said, "The conflict in Eastern Ukraine continues to trigger new humanitarian needs, to damage local infrastructure and negatively affect incomes of many families. Unfortunately, displacement and lack of opportunities forces many internally displaced to return to insecure areas and risk their lives.
“The EU, as the largest donor, will continue doing everything in its power to improve the conditions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and increase their access to employment and basic services. Thousands of IDPs have already benefitted from the EU's assistance for housing; many more are receiving much needed trainings and small grants for starting their own business. Apart from grants and humanitarian aid, European Investment Bank, the EU’s bank, is providing Ukraine loans for reconstruction projects in the five Eastern regions," Ambassador Mingarelli added.
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New data collected by IOM shows that over half (54%) of IDPs have barely enough money to buy food on a day-to-day basis. The United Nations and its humanitarian partners estimate that the number of food-insecure people in Ukraine has doubled over the last year, to 400,000 people in the government-controlled area, and to 800,000 in the non-government controlled territories.
According to the latest IOM survey, the current average monthly income per IDP is UAH 2,239 (US$85), a little less than the UAH 2,446 ($93) recorded in December 2017. These values are lower than the current subsistence levels calculated by the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine of UAH 3,215 ($122) per month. One-fourth of IDP households surveyed have a monthly income of up to UAH 3,000 ($114), while almost half of IDP families live on UAH 3,000 to UAH 7,000 ($114 to $266) per month.
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At the same time, the situation with employment has remained relatively stable since June last year, with 48% of displaced persons having a job. Some 12% of IDPs are currently actively seeking employment. Among them, the overwhelming majority (78%) are women, and up to 40% are concerned about the lack of vacancies.