The project is being implemented by Foundation.101 with the assistance of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights and the Donetsk and Lugansk Regional Military-Civilian Administrations with additional support provided by the People's Project, USAID, UNHCR and UNICEF.

With this initiative, Foundation.101 will monitor entry and exit control points on the contact line in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions to determine whether human rights are observed and whether the requirements of the "Temporary order of control over the movement of people, vehicles and cargo (goods) through the contact line within Donetsk and Lugansk regions" are fulfilled.

PROBLEMS

• Long-term screening procedures at the entry and exit control points lead to the creation of large queues, systematic human rights violations and extortion of money from the citizens by the inspectors.
• The current procedure for obtaining permission to travel to and exit from the occupied territory is excessively lengthy.

URGENCY

The situation is complicated by the inability of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regional Military-Civilian Administrations and the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights to conduct an independent and objective monitoring project to influence the process of screening individuals at the entry and exit control points.

OBJECTIVES

1. Conduct at least one-month long monitoring of entry and exit control points in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions on a daily basis;
2. Record human rights violations, extortion and other violations at control points;
3. Pass the results of the monitoring with recommendations on how to improve the conditions for admitting citizens through the entry and exit control points to the Donetsk and Lugansk Regional Military-Civilian Administrations and the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.
4. Publish both the results of the monitoring as well as recommendations for a general audience.

EXPECTATIONS

1. The monitoring will yield recorded facts that will draw an objective picture of procedural compliance with "the interim order of control over the movement of people, vehicles and cargo (goods) through the contact line in Donetsk and Lugansk regions" as well as ensure the observance of the human rights of people crossing the contact line.
2. The daily presence of monitors at the control points as well as public campaigns in cases of violations will eliminate corrupt schemes and extortion of the citizens of Ukraine who pass through the exit and entry control points.
3. Communicating the recommendations to the Donetsk and Lugansk Regional Military-Civilian Administrations and the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights as well as the implementation of the recommendations will improve the control point system, bolster respect for human rights and stop the extortion of citizens at the control points.

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