Overview of the Situation in Kharkiv Region, Ukraine
Re: evacuation of residence care institutions
Prepared by Fight For Right OPD, 21 June 2024
The Kharkiv region in Ukraine has been significantly affected by the ongoing conflict due to the Russian invasion in the last couple of months. The shifting front lines and increased intensity of shelling have made it imperative to evacuate civilians, including adults with disabilities and older adults from residential care institutions. The decision to evacuate was announced on 10 May by the Kharkiv Oblast Council. Evacuations were planned and implemented only a month later in June in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Policy, which was responsible for setting the evacuation framework and identifying options to resettle residents in various institutions across safer areas of Ukraine.
While evacuation of civilians including residents of care institutions is a high priority and should have been conducted earlier in the past, there are concerns that FFR would like to express and draw attention to.
Transportations
Concerns have been raised regarding the transportation of people with disabilities, especially those with high support needs. There is uncertainty about whether local authorities possess sufficient transport means and the necessary skills to conduct these evacuations safely and effectively. This aspect requires careful consideration and further recommendations to ensure the well-being of all evacuees. Another aspect that is alarming on the third year of full-scale invasion and huge number of evacuations performed, is lack of clear instructions and knowledge on how to evacuate people with different disabilities, older people and patients, lack of means and transport on city and village level, regarding both evacuation of civilians from their own homes and civilians residing in institutions.
Negative Consequences and Challenges of this mass evacuation
- Overcrowding in Receiving Institutions: The institutions in safer regions are becoming overcrowded due to the influx of evacuees since 2022 already. Situation is only worsened now with mass evacuation from Kharkiv region. This overcrowding strains the available resources and space, impacting the residents rights.
- Lack of Staff: A significant issue is the shortage of staff in the receiving institutions. The staff from the evacuated institutions often remain behind, leading to a lack of familiar caregivers who know the specific needs of the residents, also depriving residents of their daily routine and causing them additional stress. There were also reports from previous evacuation about residents files being left behind etc.
- Fragmentation of Social Connections: Residents are often evacuated in small groups of 10–20 persons, which leads to the disruption of established social bonds with other residents and staff. This can have a detrimental effect on their mental and emotional well-being.
- Resource Shortages: The receiving institutions face a lack of essential resources, including medical supplies, specialized equipment, and adequate living facilities to accommodate the increased number of residents.
- Strain on Local Services: The local communities and services in the safer regions are also under pressure to support the additional population, potentially leading to a reduced capacity to provide necessary services and assistance to both new and existing residents.
- Preserving evidence: Some of the evacuated institutions had previous experience of being under the occupation in 2022, both staff and residents are witness of potential war crimes. Such evidence should be properly documented and analysed which is not possible under the circumstances of stress caused by moving frontline, shelling and now evacuation.
Positive Outcomes of Evacuation
The primary benefit of these evacuations is the increased safety of the residents. Moving them away from active conflict zones reduces their risk of injury or death due to shelling and other military actions, as most of the institutions do not have proper shelters, etc. according to the data from the Kharkiv ODA it is 6 institutions that had to be evacuated (5 psycho neurological institutions and 1 geriatric institution, 533 residents in total).
Also, this relocation is a much-needed measure that ideally should have been implemented earlier in the conflict to protect these vulnerable populations. There are previous reports on documenting conditions in institutions at the beginning of the full scale invasion and threats people faced being left behind close to the front line, as well as investigating into the number of institutions that ended under occupation at the temporary occupied territories because of the delays in evacuations in the past (2022-2023).
Other regions of concern that should prepare for the evacuation of institutions are – Sumy, Zaporizhia and Dnipro oblasts. Studying lessons learnt from previous experience and advocating for allocation of additional resources is very much needed.
While the evacuation of civilians including residents from the institutions from the Kharkiv region is a crucial step for their immediate safety, it brings a range of serious challenges. Overcrowding, staff shortages, disrupted social connections, and resource constraints in the receiving institutions create a complex situation that requires urgent attention and support. Additionally, the Ministry of Social Policy views this evacuation as an opportunity to start piloting alternatives to residential care services and needs a lot of support and resources to be able to do so sustainably.
In light of this mass evacuation and the hardships faced by the institutions receiving evacuees, the Ukrainian government might seek assistance from the international community and organizations to address the resource gaps and explore potential solutions. The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine had a meeting with OPDs and other civil society actors on 30 May 2024 to discuss options of urgent social services piloting for those evacuated. Un Clusters are involved in coordination and support with emergency requests, but work on sustainable and scalable solution and further panning is needed.
It is crucial that international organizations act based on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and adhere to the 2022 Guidelines on deinstitutionalization produced by the CRPD Committee. Support should focus on creating alternative community based services rather than building new institutions. Addressing these immediate issues, while exploring long-term, sustainable people oriented solutions, is essential to ensure that the evacuees receive the care and stability they need during this turbulent period and beyond.
In addition to addressing the immediate needs created by the mass evacuation, it is essential to support the long-term development of community-based services in Ukraine. Ukrainian civil society and local communities will benefit from:
- Support OPDs and NGOs: Empowerment of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in their advocacy efforts. These organizations play a crucial role in promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities and advocating for systemic changes within the care system.
- Support local NGOs and local authorities in improving their evacuation plans, protocols and SOPs to ensure that staff is trained and has means to conduct evacuations of different people with disabilities, older people or patients with high support needs. Such inclusive approach must become integral part and be based on disability mainstreaming into all emergency and rescue provision.
- Create Community-Based Services: Facilitation of the development of new community-based services that provide personalized and inclusive care, enabling individuals to live independently and participate fully in society. This aligns with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Committee guidelines on deinstitutionalization and should be primarily focus of international humanitarian organizations, as well as efforts to ensure all humanitarian aid is equally accessible to all population including persons with disabilities.
- Advocate Before the Ukrainian Government: Advocacy for policy changes and support to the Ukrainian government to prioritize deinstitutionalization and the establishment of community-based services to ensure independent living for all people including persons with disabilities, older people and IDPs. This includes pushing for the allocation of resources, legislative changes, and the implementation of best practices in care and support services.
- Provide Resource Support: Financial, technical, and logistical support to address the resource gaps in the receiving institutions is needed. This ensures that evacuees receive adequate care and services in their new locations, can adopt and restore their wellbeing and routine, such efforts also crucial for people to be able to start learning new skills and preparing for transition within the possible future deinstitutionalisation process.
- Ensure Safe Transportation: Support local authorities in providing adequate transport means and skilled personnel for the safe and effective evacuation of people with disabilities, particularly those with high support needs. This includes training for staff and the provision of specialized vehicles and equipment.
- Preserve Evidence of War Crimes: Assistance in preserving evidence of war crimes witnessed by staff and residents of the evacuated institutions is key to ensure every person with disability has access to justice and redress one day. This includes documenting testimonies and providing legal and psychological support to witnesses, ensuring that justice can be pursued and historical records are maintained.
By supporting OPDs, NGOs, and the development of community-based services and also clearly committing to deinstitutionalisation and moratorium on rebuilding institutions, international organizations can play a pivotal role in ensuring the rights and well-being of displaced and vulnerable populations in Ukraine, contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable care system.
