Ukraine - Emergency Protection Shelter and Livelihoods - ACTED 2018

May 2018 - With the conflict in Eastern Ukraine entering its fourth year there are currently approximately 3.4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance with women and the elderly bearing the brunt of ongoing hostilities. The protection environment is of particular concern due to the ongoing armed conflict restrictions on freedom of movement and trade across the contact line and the continued suspension of social benefits and pensions to thousands of people. An increase in the price of fuel utilities and food as well as limited access to health care has further heightened the vulnerability of conflict-affected people. An estimated 1.2 million people are currently food insecure as a result of the deteriorating socio-economic environment 1.1 million people are at risk of interrupted water supply due to frequent shelling near critical water infrastructure and increased heating costs and frequent service disruption are reducing vulnerable people’s ability to cope with Ukraine’s harsh winters. With GAC’s support the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) is providing emergency protection shelter and livelihoods support to up to 11 330 of the most vulnerable conflict-affected people particularly women in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine. Project activities include: (1) providing multi-purpose cash assistance and food/hygiene vouchers; (2) providing emergency shelter support to households affected by frequent shelling; (3) providing psychosocial support and raising awareness of sexual and gender-based violence; and (4) providing agricultural inputs to help protect livelihoods.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased ability to meet basic needs through cash assistance/vouchers and agricultural inputs; (2) improved shelter in frontline communities at risk of displacement; and (3) improved sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or that are facing acute food insecurity.