NGO Foundation.101 has been researching and monitoring the situation in eastern Ukraine as well as holding advocacy work there for the third year now. Most recent research was conducted in October-November 2016 in Bakhmut, a frontline city that is facing new challenges. Among the main problems of the near-front Bakhmut is a considerable increase of burden upon infrastructure, medical institutions and the state agencies dealing with provision of social benefits.
Problems of the near-front Bakhmut
According to the statistics, 78 thousand of internally displaced persons are registered in the city. “Out of the 78 thousand registered internally displaced persons, 11 thousand are the people of working age, three and a half thousand – are children, almost three thousand are disabled and 61 thousand are retired,” said Halyna Yanchenko, head of the research at the NGO Foundation.101 at a press-briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. Prices for consumer goods as well as the burden upon the medical infrastructure have increased. In particular, the burden on maternity hospitals has increased as parents want to register their children in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation. The researcher also points at the problem of lines at control points across the contact line. “It takes five-six hours on average,” Yanchenko said.
Target audience of the research
“We have conducted 46 in-depth interviews that lasted on average an hour – an hour and a half,” said Halyna Yanchenko. The research’s target audience comprised several categories: internally displaced persons, the so-called short-term visitors – people who come from the occupied areas to register the documents, buy goods, withdraw cash, see their relatives; as well as representatives of NGOs, volunteers and representatives of the local authorities.
Positive change
There are some changes created by the military conflict that are not negative. Thus, considerable part of business ventures have moved [to the government controlled areas] creating new working places. However salaries still remain quite low. Profitability of business has increased, property is being actively leased. As a result of the research Foundation.101 developed recommendations for NGOs and local authorities and will release them in open access on February 27.