The communities of Hirske and Mariinka, located on the 'contact line', received two special vehicles to provide transport services to people working at exit/entry checkpoints and to the general public

Zolote, Luhansk Oblast, 6 December 2021 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, with financial support from the Government of Canada, has provided the Hirske community in Luhansk Oblast and the Mariinka community in Donetsk Oblast with minibuses to transport specialists from Administrative Services Centres and other specialists to jobs created as a result of the construction of two modern modular service centres located at the "Zolote" and "Mariinka" entry-exit checkpoints.

The two special minibuses will drive between the EECP and the central areas of the communities. The minibuses are also expected to provide inclusive, population-oriented transport services to people affected by the armed conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic, providing them with better access to essential social, medical and educational services.

The representative of the Canadian Embassy in Ukraine stressed that Canada continues to actively support the communities near the ‘contact line’.

“The two vehicles that were purchased with Canadian support will go a long way to help the local population, especially those coming from NGCA, access vital administrative and social services. Public transportation is often not available along the ‘contact line’. The two minibuses will bring administrative staff to the entry-exit check points where the services will be delivered. This will reduce the travel and hardship that local people experience when seeking to receive services”.

The vehicles have space for eight passengers, and a driver and will provide residents with access to:

-      Employment – giving people the opportunity to make an economic contribution to society;

-      Education and training – leading to increased life opportunities;

-      Local economy – attracting residents to shops, markets, and public events;

-      Social connections – encouraging residents to be active and independent, improving their quality of life, and reducing harm to their mental and physical health due to social exclusion and isolation.

The coordinator of the Local Governance and Decentralisation Reform Component of the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, Olena Ruditch, noted that expanding access to public services for residents of communities along the ‘contact line’ was a priority.

"Crucial to each initiated project is how it will affect the inclusion of vulnerable groups, including those affected by the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine,” Ruditch said. “We hope that the new minibuses will contribute to even greater social inclusion and the empowerment of residents."

Acting Head of Hirske Civil-Military Administration, Inna Demidenko, noted that thanks to the new vehicle, Hirske community will significantly increase the level of administrative and social services provided to the community's residents.

The special vehicles, worth a total of U.S. $62,000 (about 1.7 million hryvnias), were purchased by UNDP under the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, with financial support from the Government of Canada.

Background

The United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP) is being implemented by four United Nations agencies: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

Twelve international partners support the Programme: The European Union (EU), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, and the governments of Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland.

Media enquiries

Vlada Soloviova, Communications Associate, UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, vlada.soloviova@undp.org, +380 95 529 4240