'Right To Protection' EECP Survey Report (October 2019)

November 18, 2019

Today we present The report ‘Crossing the line of contact’ covering October 2019, prepared by CF “Right to Protection (R2P). It is based on information collected in October during 49 visits to 5 entry-exit checkpoints (EECPs). More statistical data can be found on the Eastern Ukraine Checkpoint Monitoring Online Dashboard.
  • The movement across the contact line at Stanytsia Luhanska EECP was suspended on October 11 around 12:00 due to a bomb threat call. Police and SES staff immediately evacuated civilians from the EECP, its service zones and the objects listed in the call. No explosive objects were found in the thorough inspection. The EECP resumed operation after 15:00.
  • On October 28 the CMU Resolution №815 was postponed for 30 days due to the concerns it raised among civilians and humanitarian actors. According to the Resolution, children under the age of 14 would have international passports to cross the contact line. 
  • Individuals applying to the CG representative at Marinka EECP complained that they applied for a permit in early summer, however their permits cannot be found in SBGS data base. It was reported that an error occurred in a file, damaging the data for June and July, so some of these permits are not displayed in SBGS data base. Such people have to re-apply to the CG representatives.
  • The disaggregation of concerns expressed by respondents remained the same, however the share of respondents who did not indicate any concerns sharply increased.
 The report is based on the results of a survey conducted during October by R2P at the five entry-exit checkpoints (EECPs) to enter the non-government controlled area (NGCA) and administered on a regular basis since June 2017. The survey is a part of the monitoring of violations of rights of conflict-affected populations within the framework of the project ‘Advocacy, Protection and Legal Assistance to IDPs’ implemented by R2P, with the support of UNHCR. The purpose of the survey is to explore reasons and concerns of those traveling from the NGCA to the government-controlled area (GCA), as well as conditions and risks associated with crossing the line of contact through EECPs. The information collected in the survey helps identify protection needs, gaps and trends, and provides an evidentiary basis for advocacy efforts.    The document can be downloaded in English and Ukrainian.