General Coordination Meeting – Kharkiv, Ukraine
21 August, 2015
Discussion
Overview of key humanitarian issues
IDP Statistics – Update from SES
According to State Emergency Service (SES) for Kharkiv Region, the total number of IDPs
registered by the SES Regional Headquarters in Kharkiv Oblast as of 21 August is 186,674
persons (as compared to 177,638 as of 30 June). Of them, there are 21,658 children, 40,808
persons of working age, 8,725 people with disabilities, and 115,482 pensioners. According to SES,
the IDP influx dynamics remains stable, with around 1,200-1,400 IDPs registering per week
during the past few weeks.
Overview and discussion of the new Law on Local Elections, its implications for
IDPs and other problems faced by internally displaced
1. OHCHR/MMHR briefed the participants on the current situation following the adoption of
the new Law on Local Elections. Article III of the Law, which was adopted on 14 July,
excludes IDPs from the election process, regardless of their registration status. Even duly
registered IDPs cannot participate in local elections because they lack passports issued by
Ukraine. Those, who receive the required passport, immediately lose their IDP status and,
consequently, all social benefits. An amended draft law was recently proposed by the
opposition block, which envisages the IDP right to take part in local elections. A similar
draft law will also be jointly submitted to the central government in one week’s time by
public associations.
2. According to OHCHR, yet another draft law is currently under preparation. This one
proposes amendments in the Civil Practice Act. As is well known, birth and death
certificates, marriage certificates and other similar documents issued in NGCAs are not
recognized by Ukraine, to say nothing of the stamps applied in the so-called DPR and LPR.
There is always an opportunity for a legal action, e.g. filing a suite in a court of law, and
the proposed draft law is aimed at simplifying this procedure. The court decision in this
case must be made within 23 hours.
3. OHCHR provided an update on the implementation status of the Resolution of Cabinet
Ministers on the introduction of amendments into Resolutions #509 and #505. This
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) | Ukraine
Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org
Action Points / Decisions
Resolution, which was issued on June 15, envisages an exceptional use of Oschad Bank
by IDP population. Moreover, Oschad Bank must take over the IDP registration function
from the Social Security Department. All IDPs willing to receive the so-called target
assistance must now register with Oschad Bank and sign their agreement to a ‘disclosure
of banking secrecy’, including all their personal data. As of 21 August, most Oschad Bank
operators in the region are unaware of the new Resolution and refuse to accept documents
from IDPs.
4. On 19 August, Prime Minister of Ukraine solicited the Cabinet of Ministers to improve the
IDP registration procedure in order to find out the exact number of IDPs living on the
territory of Ukraine (GCAs). This implies intensified checks on part of the state migration
service and local police. According to the meeting participants, new numbers will hardly be
precise, as checks are conducted during the day when people are at work, in hospitals or
run different errands, and consequences are unpredictable.

OHCHR will follow up on further developments
and will inform the GCM meeting participants
accordingly.

OCHA will provide partners with more detailed
information on cash training, including dates and
registration procedures.
Updates from partners and introduction of new humanitarian partners
OCHA confirmed the relocation of its office from Kharkiv to Kramatorsk. While the geographical
coverage remains the same (namely, Kharkivska, Dnipropetrovska, Zaporizhska, and northern
part of Donetska oblasts), relocation will make it possible for OCHA team to pay increased
attention to the issues of Donetska Oblast.
OCHA informed participants on the arrival of the Civil-Military Coordination Officer in the area
whose work, despite he is based in Kramatorsk, will have positive implications on the activities of
all humanitarian partners engaged in IDP assistance. Specifically, his tasks and responsibilities
include as follows:
 Creating and sustaining a dialogue with military forces, establishing information exchange;
 Maintaining appropriate relationship between humanitarian and military actors;
 Assisting in negotiations in critical areas of humanitarian-military interaction.
The key expected outcome is the facilitation of access of humanitarian organizations to the
conflict- affected population.
OCHA introduced the Cash Coordination Officer from its main office in Kiev, currently on mission
in the region. She informed the meeting of the tasks carried out by OCHA with regard to the
interagency cash coordination efforts and about close cooperation between UN, international
organizations, NGOs, which are involved in the implementation of all possible cash modalities.
An announcement was made of the forthcoming cash training in September in Kiev for all
interested partners.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org
German Red Cross (GRC) has been assisting the Red Cross Ukraine since the beginning of the
current crisis. Today, the GRC begins a new project, which is fully IDP-oriented, with funding
made available by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany. The new project targets 6,000 IDPs in
Kharkivska oblast and envisages the distribution of 41,000 food vouchers and e-cards through
ROST supermarkets. The distribution point was opened on 19 August for eight categories of
beneficiaries, including disabled persons, single parents, foster families, big families, persons of 70
plus, and pregnant women.
The total amount of cash per person is 3,500 UAH ($157.4). IDPs will be receiving it during seven
months – 500 UAH ($22.5) per month. Distribution will be made with through the Red Cross
(Kharkiv) and its volunteers.
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) will formally open its office in Kharkiv on 3 September. Its
first project in the region will be focused on the provision of legal assistance to IDPs, which will be
provided through the Legal Assistance Center. Other project components include establishing of
hotlines for IDPs and creation of mobile teams of lawyers.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has launched its new project, which will be
implemented in Kharkivska, Dnipropetrovska, Zaporizhska, Donetska (GCA & NGCA), and
Luhanska (GCA only) regions. The project is aimed at strengthening of humanitarian response to
the needs of girls and women, including gender violence and other related issues. The project
envisages the creation of special services and rapid response, with a special focus on IDPs and
affected population. In particular, the project will be aimed at the following (the list is not
exhaustive):
 Establish the inter-sector coordination;
 Integration of stationary operation procedures with the participation of education, health
care, social protection sectors, distribution of ‘rape kits’;
 Creation of the statistics database;
 Training of PSS providers, law enforcement personnel; establishing hotlines and referral
mechanisms;
 Medical assistance to victims of gender violence.
The key envisaged results include: (i) establishing standards for intervention; (ii) ratification of the
Istanbul Convention and roadmap.
In September, UNFPA will open a few field offices, including one in Kramatorsk.
OHCHR expressed its concerns with regard to the following issues:
Unlawful mobilization – people are captured in the streets and public transport and are escorted
to military commissariats, often even without medical examinations. This picture can be observed
in at least in Kharkiv, Sumy and Poltava, despite the high-level promises to avoid coercive actions.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org
This is the sixth ‘mobilization wave’, which is aimed at replacing those drafted during the third
wave. However, the plan was implemented only by 50 percent. The most vulnerable in this
situation are IDPs who have no money ‘to buy themselves out’.
Another issue raised by OHCHR relates to child summer camps in Mariupol area where 7-8 years
old children are undergoing a military training in the use of firearms, etc. The training is
provided by “Azov” battalion, with the approval of child’s parents and sometimes even for a fee.
During the follow up discussions, participants including OCHA, UNFPA, WHO, and others brought
up several issues of concern: family violence has been reported in module sites caused by
alcohol abuse, resulting in deprivation of parental rights.
UNHCR:
 signed a cooperation agreement with NGO “Station Kharkiv”. The project envisages opening
of IDP assistance centers in the region;
 cash assistance to IDPs.
WHO reported on cases of oncological diseases and injectable drug abuse among IDPs.
Current activities include:
 creation of a single project database (ready by 80%);
 increasing the number of mobile teams in the region.
UNICEF reported on receiving alerts with regard to IDP child abuse. Update on activities
includes:
 assistance to ‘Clowns without Borders’ performance in Kharkiv on 25 August;
 WASH kits received for distribution for children and adults.
UNDP Early Recovery Project is currently finalizing the NGO tender on the provision of legal and
PSS assistance to IDPs. Yet another project component is focused on IDP training in the
development of business plans to be followed by allocation of grant money for the development of
private business – up to $10,000, depending on the proposal. It is important to note that the
Project coordinates its activities with the similar project of IOM in order to avoid duplication.
Other news include: (i) enrolment of Case Managers - until 28 August; and (ii) invitation of IDPs to
participate in IT training.

UNDP CBA Project:
 The geriatric boarding house in Khoroshevo is receiving IDPs with limited capacities;
 35 IDPs with psychologic diseases admitted in the boarding house in Chervonny Oskol.
Upon completion of the current repair efforts, the boarding house will be able to admit 50
more persons.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org
UNDP is requesting partners to refer IDPs with
special needs / elderly to the newly renovated
boarding houses.
Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) is implementing Phase 3 of its current project, namely,
assisting 500 families with three or more children. It is envisaged that this work will be expanded
and will include not only distribution but also psychosocial assistance (PSS) and reconstruction of
facilities. HIA is asking participants to share good ideas.
PCPM continues its (i) cash-for-rent project, (ii) distribution of humanitarian aid to IDPs, and (iii)
provision of psychosocial assistance to IDPs.
Right to Protection (R2P) announced the launch of its new project implemented in cooperation
with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), with the participation of the “Kharkiv Human Rights
Group”. The project will be implemented in rural areas, including the most remote locations. The
R2P part in the project relates to monitoring and advocacy efforts. Other project components
include community protection initiatives as well as individual protection of IDPs, not excluding
financial aid.
The meeting was attended by Director of the Department of Competitive Performance of
Kharkivska Oblast State Administration, whose responsibilities include, among other,
coordination of both technical and humanitarian assistance efforts implemented by national and
international partners. The Department is ready to share its project database, which is updated on
its website on a weekly basis.
All requests and suggestions of the international community and its national counterparts, which
relate to ongoing or proposed technical and humanitarian assistance can also be published at the
Department website - http://www.compet.kh.gov.ua/rus/- Additionally, the Department can offer
its venue and other resources for the organization of different types of events.

A request followed for an improved information exchange, including, among other, sharing
information on various organizations’ missions and mandates, areas of activities, etc. In
particular, a suggestion was made to arrange for a round table for the department officials with
the participation of key international partners and donor agencies operating in the region.
The next general coordination meeting is tentatively scheduled for 25 September.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org
OCHA will consider arrangement of the requested
round table for civil service focusing on ‘who is
doing what in humanitarian sphere.