40% of IDPs ready to return to Donbas

18.10.2019 14:49

Ukrinform

Forty percent of IDPs in Ukraine are ready to return to their homes if the Ukrainian authorities guarantee security in non-government controlled territories, according to a report on the results of a study "Prolonged Temporality: How IDPs Live in Places of Compact Living" by the Right to Protection charity foundation.

The results of the study were presented at a press conference at Ukrinform on Friday.

"Of all those surveyed, the majority (38%) do not currently consider any options for resettlement or return, 27% consider only the possibility of returning to their place of permanent residence, and 19% are focused solely on finding separate housing," the study said.

In general, 40% of IDPs consider returning to their place of residence under certain conditions.

"Mainly these are security guarantees (81%) and restoration of the Ukrainian authorities (61%). Quite a significant share is occupied by housing (29%), access to employment (20%), ensuring civil rights (16%) and access to medical care (14%)," the report said.

It also notes that the main reasons why IDPs do not consider returning to Donbas are ongoing hostilities (51%) and general danger in non-government controlled territories (49%).

"Quite common reasons are destroyed housing (23%) and better levels of social security in Ukrainian government-controlled territories (20%), better access to services (17%) and lack of livelihoods in Ukrainian non-government controlled territories (15%)," the study shows.