The overview of the current social and humanitarian situation, within the territory of the Donetsk People`s Republic as a result of hostilities between 6 and 12 October 2018

On 7 October, Day of Education and Science Professionals, citizens of the Donetsk People’s Republic congratulated educators and teachers, leaders of clubs and interest groups, lecturers of higher educational institutions and secondary vocational institutions, and scientists of the Donetsk People’s Republic. This Day is devoted to people who lend soul to teaching and consider it their duty to teach the younger generation. They help to shape the right attitudes based on cultural traditions and values of the people.

Educators who have not left their Homeland in difficult times, putting their life at risk, were next to their students, stayed committed to their cause, shown patriotism and love for the Motherland. Educators bring up those children, for whom Heroes of the Donetsk People’s Republic fought and have given their lives, as an example of courage, gallantry, bravery and patriotism for the younger generation of defenders of the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Currently, various models of patriotic education are used in educational institutions of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The educational process determines the main development pathways of the system of patriotic civic education, considering experience and achievements of the past, present-day realities and problems, and trends of development of the civil society.

On 9 August 2017, Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic established a Programme “Patriotic Upbringing of Children and Youth of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” aimed at implementation of the state policy in the sphere of patriotic education, priority and promising measures aimed at the development of a decent person who is aware of his/her inseparable relationship with the Motherland.

In this difficult times, the leadership of the Donetsk People’s Republic managed not only to maintain but also develop the sphere of education and science of the Republic. Planned reforming of the sphere is being carried out, new state educational standards are being adopted, aimed at optimizing the educational process, giving deep knowledge to students, new interest groups are being opened in supplementary education establishments, as well as new specialities and departments in institutions of secondary and higher vocational education to meet the needs of the national economy of Donetsk People’s Republic.

The state has a support system for gifted children and young people; a database of students who have shown a high level of intellectual development and creative abilities in a particular field of study and research, in scientific, technical and artistic creativity, in physical culture and sports has been created.

Since the creation of the Donetsk People’s Republic, positive changes have occurred in the sphere of higher education: the existing higher education institutions have been re-registered and new ones have been opened, a new list of training areas and specialities has been introduced, there is a process of shifting towards the Russian educational system.

In its short existence, the Republic has managed to reach an agreement on the recognition by the Russian Federation of general secondary education certificates, secondary and higher vocational diplomas issued by the Ministry of Education and Science of the DPR, as well as academic titles granted in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

The Russian Federation appreciated the high level of development of the training, education and science system of our state. As a result, the Donetsk National Medical University named after M. Gorky became the first one in the Republic to be accredited in the Russian Federation. This is a truly historic event, confirming the high level of student training and the professionalism of the teaching staff. Now, as soon as it gets accredited, the university will be able to independently issue diplomas of the Russian model for six years.

The success achieved in reforming the industry means that the leadership of the Donetsk People’s Republic is on the right track. The systems of education and science, the patriotic education of children and young people are being improved to meet the demands of the modern world.

The DPR legislation guarantees the right of every citizen to education, non-discrimination, the humanistic nature of education, the priority of human life and health, the rights and freedoms of individuals, the free development of personality, the cultivation of mutual respect, diligence, civic consciousness and patriotism.

In the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Ombudsman Office is responsible for observance of the rights and freedoms. So, one can file a complaint with the Ombudsman or make an appointment for a personal reception if his\her rights have been violated.

Citizens can apply to the Ombudsman in any suitable way. Now, the majority of applications are still verbal and submitted through personal reception either with the Ombudsman or the heads of the Office, addressing the Public Complaints and Appeals Department, via hotlines and via web-reception on the Website of the Ombudsman. There is a possibility to file a written complaint that may be submitted either in person or via e-mail.

Since the beginning of 2018, the Ombudsman received 4613 complaints. In the period of work between 6 and 12 October 2018, 10 citizens attended personal reception of the Ombudsman, 61 persons received counselling by the Appeals department, 12 citizens received counselling by the Working Group on Issues of Temporary Displaced Persons, and 12 persons received legal counselling. 10 written appeals were approved for consideration, 9 – have been reviewed among those received earlier. 25 calls were received via hotlines, 5 applications were received via e-mail.

All appeals received can be divided into six categories: violations in criminal law – 323 appeals, violations in civil law – 385 appeals, administrative and legal violations against the DPR citizens – 5 appeals, social and humanitarian issues – 2279 appeals, issues connected with hostilities – 560 appeals, other issues – 1061 appeals (diagram 1).

The number of appeals (complaints, applications) from citizens,  submitted to the Office of DPR Ombudsman as of 12.10.2018

Among all incoming correspondence to the Ombudsman of DPR, the one which deals with the issues of exercise of social rights of citizens and violations of these rights is the most frequent.  These issues are: pension and social payments, benefits, disability, humanitarian aid – 591 appeals, temporary accommodation – 576 appeals, issues of housing legislation, protection of consumers of housing and public utility services – 253 appeals, migration legislation issues – 383 appeals, labour legislation issues – 194 appeals, healthcare issues – 127 appeals, guardianship and family law issues – 53 appeals, issues of education, culture and sport – 26 appeals, activities of public associations, organizations and trade unions, religious organizations – 28 appeals, land use and tenure – 15 appeals, the rights of servicemen and law enforcement officials – 33 appeals. (Diagram 2).

The number of appeals (complaints, applications) from citizens on social and humanitarian issues, received by the DPR Ombudsman`s Office as of 12.10.2018

The majority of complaints are traditionally received from Donetsk, by territory (Diagram 3).

The number of appeals (complains, applications) from citizens, received by the DPR Ombudsman`s Office as of 12.10.2018

1. Death toll, injuries to civilians and soldiers as a result of hostilities in the territory of the Donetsk People`s Republic.

Almost every day the DPR Ombudsman’s Office records cases of violations of Donbass citizens’ rights by Kiev authorities: the right to life, to security of the person, to inviolability of the home.

On 5 October, as a result of military operations outside Debaltsevo, a DPR serviceman born in 1967 sustained mine-blast trauma and an abdominal injury.

On 6 October, as a result of military operations in Bezimennoye village, Novoazovsk region, four DPR servicemen sustained injuries of varying severity.

As a result of shelling against Petrovsky District of Donetsk, a civilian man born in 1963 sustained a bullet wound to interscapular region and occipital region of head.

On 7 October, as a result of military operations in Dokuchaevsk, a DPR serviceman born in 1974 sustained perforating shrapnel wound, penetrating into the mouth.

On 8 October, as a result of military operations near Debaltsevo, a DPR serviceman at the age of 42 sustained shrapnel wound to the right shoulder, penetrating into the neck.

On 10 October, as a result of military operations in Novoazovsk region, a DPR serviceman born in 1974 sustained multiple non-penetrating wound to the left shoulder, body and thighs.

On 11 October, as a result of military operations in Sosnovka village, Novoazovsk region, a DPR serviceman born in 1970 sustained mine-blast trauma, non-penetrating blunt shrapnel wound.

 Within the period between 5 and 11 October 2018, 10 persons (9 DPR servicemen and one civilian man) sustained injuries in the territory of the DPR as a result of armed aggression of the Ukrainian side.    

Within the period between 1 January and 11 October 2018, 278 persons sustained injuries of various severities in the territory of the DPR.

Within the period between 5 and 11 October 2018, 5 DPR servicemen were killed in the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic.    

Within the period between 1 January and 11 October 2018, 136 persons died in the territory of the DPR, including 9 women and 127 men, including 5 underage children.

To be specific, since the beginning of the armed conflict   4703 persons died. Among them, there are 614 women and 4089 men, including 81 children under eighteen.

Officially confirmed information on individuals, who have been wounded since the beginning of the conflict continues to be reported to the Ombudsman’s Office in DPR.

2. Register of the prisoners of war, missing soldiers

and civilians

 This week the Ombudsman’s Office in the Donetsk People’s Republic received one appeal on arrest.

A 45-year-old man was detained in Odessa oblast. He was charged with having committed several offences under Part 1, Article 258-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Based on the updated figures as of 12.10.2018, 278 persons are held by the Ukrainian side including:

– 88 of those whose presence on the territory of Ukraine had been confirmed. One person has been released as he has served his sentence.

– 190 persons whose whereabouts are unknown or are being clarified by the Ukrainian side.

This week the Ombudsman’s Office in the Donetsk People’s Republic didn’t receive any appeals on missing persons.

As of 12 October 2018, 453 persons are considered missing. There is a possibility that they are held in Ukrainian captivity.

3. Register of displaced persons and affected citizens.

At the time of the armed conflict, the civilian population living in the zone of fighting and near the contact line is often affected. With the view to protect the human right to life and security of the person, and to provide assistance to victims as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine, social housing objects (dormitories, preventative clinics, health care centres).

Since the beginning of the conflict 5380 referrals for accommodation in social housing objects (dormitories, preventative clinics, health care centres etc.) have been issued, 137 of them – in 2018. With the coming into force of the Order of the Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic No. 137 of 24.04.2018, Territorial authorities in cities and districts are now responsible for accommodating affected civilians. Social housing objects, which used to carry out activities under the patronage of the Ombudsman Office, are authorized to supervise the authorities.

During the period of work between 6 and 12 October 2018, 12 persons have applied to the Ombudsman’s Office on the issues related to internally displaced persons. There are currently 1393 accommodation places available for IDPs in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Since the beginning of the conflict, 7414 persons, including 1813 children under the age of eighteen have been registered as persons affected as a result of the conflict. 75 social housing objects (dormitories, preventative clinics, health care centres) have been opened in the territory of DPR. 51 of them operate, 24 of them are held in reserve. Currently, 2571 individuals live in social housing objects (dormitories, preventative clinics, health care centres) of the Donetsk Administration, including 487 underage children, 4843 persons live in the housing fund of the DPR, including 1326 children under eighteen.

4. Employment of DPR citizens

The Republican Employment Centre is the main institution responsible for providing jobs to the population.

As reported by the Centre, in the period from 1 January to 12 October 2018:

• there were 42.8 thousand vacant positions registered in the Centre by employers;
• there were 37.6 thousand job-seekers registered at the Employment Centre. Among them: 28.5 thousand have been employed (19.1 of them – on permanent positions, 9.4 – temporarily).
• 311 job-seekers have undergone professional training facilitated by employment centres: 55 persons undergone training and 256 persons – retraining.

The training covered most demanded professions: electric and gas welder, plasterer, bricklayer, painter, roofer (roll-roofing and shingles), maintenance technician, automotive service technician, repair and maintenance electrician, operator of chemical treatment of water, furnace equipment inspector, boiler-house operator, stoker, seamstress, hairdresser, seller, chef.