Country Facts
DRC present since:
1998
Staff on location:
200
Displaced population:
730,000
Chaos in Ukraine: We are there
On February 24, 2022, Russian troops entered the country. Major attacks have been reported across Ukraine, including in the capital, Kyiv, resulting in large scale displacement as people seek refuge elsewhere within Ukraine or in neighbouring countries.
According to the UNHCR, the attacks have forced more than 500,000 people to cross borders into neighbouring countries, with the number increasing hourly. It is estimated that up to 4 million people might be displaced across the border, with many neighbouring and European countries (including Denmark) expressing a wish to support.
DRC and its partners are preparing to rapidly scale-up its life saving emergency response, once the security situation permits. We are mobilising emergency financing to facilitate an effective, broad and timely humanitarian response providing a combination of the following activities:
· Multi-purpose cash grants
· Food assistance
· Basic shelter repair
· Emergency individual protection assistance
· Psycho-social support
· Legal hotlines and mobile clinics
· Emergency explosive ordinance risk education and marking of contaminated areas when feasible
· Coordination and advocacy
Displacement Situation
The conflict in Ukraine has been on-going since spring 2014, which saw the self-proclamation of two autonomous republics in the eastern Donbass region. The conflict has led to a de-facto partition of Ukraine and the internal displacement of at least 730,000 people, while 1 million people have fled Ukraine entirely. It is estimated that a full 5.2 million people are affected by the conflict, and 3.4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.
Despite numerous ceasefire agreements, civilians are regularly exposed to active hostilities, particularly along the 427-kilometre ‘contact line’ that divides the Government Controlled Areas (GCA) from the Non-Government-Controlled Areas (NGCA). Civilians living along the contact line continue to face damaged homes and civilian infrastructure, disrupted access to critical services, and risks from landmines and explosives.
Beyond the above, this division creates enormous hardships for civilians trying to meet basic needs and maintain family connections across the contact line. There are more than a million crossings made every month between the GCA and NGCA, through only five chronically congested checkpoints. The protracted nature of the crisis has also severely diminished the ability of area residents to earn a living, and stretched coping abilities to breaking point.
DRC Response
DRC-DDG re-opened its operations in Ukraine in November 2014 to respond to the growing humanitarian needs in the country. DRC previously operated in Ukraine in 1998-2000 and 2007-2013, focusing on the resettlement of Tartars returning to Crimea from Central Asia, and on developing the capacities of Ukrainian asylum authorities and civil society working with child refugees.
DRC’s programming in Ukraine takes a multi-sectoral approach, seeking to maximize positive impacts for beneficiaries by offering an integrated range of programming that addresses a variety of individual needs.
Livelihoods business grant recipients benefit from individual legal counselling and analysis, but also broader DRC advocacy designed to promote a favourable environment for small businesses, IDP employees/employers, and conflict-affected value chains.
In communities where mine clearance operations are taking place, residents benefit from a synchronized intervention program where they receive agro-pastoral business support from DRC’s livelihoods programme and critical and social infrastructure support from DRC’s protection team.
DRC also supports national authorities in building their capacity to respond to the needs of IDPs and conflict-affected persons. In part thanks to DRC’s previous work in Ukraine, we have well-developed and close working relationships with local authorities at all levels, as well as with other NGOs present on the ground.
Contact
Ukrayina Office
[email protected]Download
Best International Practices on IDPs Integration Criteria and Indicators
Best International Practices on IDPs Integration Criteria and Indicators
September 2021
1.6 mb
Meeting Report: IDPs Integration Criteria and Indicators
Meeting Report: IDPs Integration Criteria and Indicators
September 2021
1.7 mb
Youth on the line
Youth on the line
April 2021
1.8 mb
Assessment of Perceptions, Opinions and Opportunities for Professional Technical College Students Growing Up Near the Contact Line
The Conflict in Ukraine
Snapshots
Looking ahead
These two boys were born and raised in Ukraine. Their father was killed when his tractor was blown up by a landmine buried in his field. Now the family lives sparingly on the mother's income from the sale of milk and cheese, which comes from two cows. The Danish Refugee Council has helped the family with necessary repairs and maintenance of their house, and given them two beds and a table that they would not otherwise be able to afford. In addition to support of livelihood, the Danish Refugee Council also runs a wide range of other activities in Ukraine, including humanitarian mine clearance.
Looking ahead
These two boys were born and raised in Ukraine. Their father was killed when his tractor was blown up by a landmine buried in his field. Now the family lives sparingly on the mother's income from the sale of milk and cheese, which comes from two cows. The Danish Refugee Council has helped the family with necessary repairs and maintenance of their house, and given them two beds and a table that they would not otherwise be able to afford. In addition to support of livelihood, the Danish Refugee Council also runs a wide range of other activities in Ukraine, including humanitarian mine clearance.
From Mines to Milk 💣🐄 #integrated #mineaction
#Cattlefarmers in Komyshuvakha #Ukraine only get water 4x a day for 15 min. Their key communal #waterwell is broken - and located between #minefields. Complicated #landproperty issues further prevented interventions. At #DanishRefugeeCouncil, with support from the #EuropeanUnion, we integrated our versatile expertise for a holistic response: ✔#demining began with clearance ✔#legal resolved the HLP problem ✔#protection engaged a local repair company ✔#EORE delivered mine safety session to repairmen ✔#livelihoods distributed cash grants to farmers "We are there, moving forward together."
From Mines to Milk 💣🐄 #integrated #mineaction
#Cattlefarmers in Komyshuvakha #Ukraine only get water 4x a day for 15 min. Their key communal #waterwell is broken - and located between #minefields. Complicated #landproperty issues further prevented interventions. At #DanishRefugeeCouncil, with support from the #EuropeanUnion, we integrated our versatile expertise for a holistic response: ✔#demining began with clearance ✔#legal resolved the HLP problem ✔#protection engaged a local repair company ✔#EORE delivered mine safety session to repairmen ✔#livelihoods distributed cash grants to farmers "We are there, moving forward together."
Miners Learn about Mines
The town of Hirske (Luhanska oblast, GCA) is a ten-thousand-strong community five kilometres away from the ‘contact line’. In the vicinity, DRC-DDG identified nearly two million square metres of contamination with Explosive Ordnance (EO) and recorded over 50 mine victims over the past years. Historically, Luhanska oblast is famed for its mineral reserves and Hirske is no exception. While unemployment there remains rampant, most of the population found work at nearby coalmines. Due to years of a localised response, DRC-DDG collaborates with a variety of community gatekeepers – such as the coalmine Hirska. Providing Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) greatly benefits from the arising multiplier effect: coal miners will return home across the town and share the EORE materials and knowledge with their families and friends.
Miners Learn about Mines
The town of Hirske (Luhanska oblast, GCA) is a ten-thousand-strong community five kilometres away from the ‘contact line’. In the vicinity, DRC-DDG identified nearly two million square metres of contamination with Explosive Ordnance (EO) and recorded over 50 mine victims over the past years. Historically, Luhanska oblast is famed for its mineral reserves and Hirske is no exception. While unemployment there remains rampant, most of the population found work at nearby coalmines. Due to years of a localised response, DRC-DDG collaborates with a variety of community gatekeepers – such as the coalmine Hirska. Providing Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) greatly benefits from the arising multiplier effect: coal miners will return home across the town and share the EORE materials and knowledge with their families and friends.
Mine Action event in eastern Ukraine
Recently, DRC, OSCE, and UNDP organised a three-day-long Mine Action event in Mariupol, dedicated to the harmonisation of Mine Action data collection, messaging, and nationally-owned work plans. Supported by the American people through USAID, DRC and UNDP held two workshops and working groups on Victim Assistance and digital Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) on the first day. These two pillars were recognised by the Mine Action community to need more in-depth coordination. A variety of Mine Action stakeholders attended, both in-person and online, ranging from governmental institutions, vested international organisations, to local Mine Action operators in Ukraine. The workshops featured a number of presentations and discussion – including the launch of DRC’s EORE mobile Augment Reality application, EORE online courses, and a refurbished stopmina.com website. The second and third day were dedicated to the OSCE roundtable and the Mine Action Sub-Cluster meeting where DRC also actively participated.
Mine Action event in eastern Ukraine
Recently, DRC, OSCE, and UNDP organised a three-day-long Mine Action event in Mariupol, dedicated to the harmonisation of Mine Action data collection, messaging, and nationally-owned work plans. Supported by the American people through USAID, DRC and UNDP held two workshops and working groups on Victim Assistance and digital Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) on the first day. These two pillars were recognised by the Mine Action community to need more in-depth coordination. A variety of Mine Action stakeholders attended, both in-person and online, ranging from governmental institutions, vested international organisations, to local Mine Action operators in Ukraine. The workshops featured a number of presentations and discussion – including the launch of DRC’s EORE mobile Augment Reality application, EORE online courses, and a refurbished stopmina.com website. The second and third day were dedicated to the OSCE roundtable and the Mine Action Sub-Cluster meeting where DRC also actively participated.
