A/HRC/43/CRP.7 Victims should also have access to different forms of reparation, beyond compensation. 22 Ensuring progress on these issues is in line with SDG 1, 5, 10 and 16. 23 35. OHCHR also welcomes the resumption, in January 2020, of the work of the InterAgency Commission to establish the nexus between disability and conflict-related injuries.24 The Commission did not meet between June 2019 and January 2020 because of the change in Government. OHCHR remains concerned that the number of cases considered by the Commission since it began its work in December 2018 remains very low (104 as of 15 February 2020). B. Economic and social rights and freedom of movement of conflictaffected persons “I’ve been fishing my whole life, but now the only thing I can fish for is mines.” – A fisherman explains how the conflict has impacted him. 36. The armed conflict continued to negatively impact the enjoyment of economic and social rights by the civilian population, especially residents of the conflict-affected area and IDPs. The lack of markets and livelihood opportunities further exacerbated the dire socioeconomic situation.25 Many young people leave the area in search of employment and financial stability, while those who remain, often older persons, suffer from a lack of basic services (particularly healthcare and transportation). 37. In addition to its obligations under international human rights law to create conditions for the realisation of an adequate standard of living and continuous improvement of living conditions, Ukraine is committed to the implementation of the SDGs, such as SDG 1 on eradicating poverty, which includes access to social protection and basic services; SDG 5 on gender equality; SDG 10 on reducing inequalities, which includes social and economic inclusion, adequate social protection as well as facilitating safe and responsible mobility of people; SGD 11 on sustainable cities and communities, which includes access to adequate, safe and affordable housing; and SGD 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, which includes reducing all forms of violence, access to justice, and accountable, inclusive and transparent institutions and decision-making as well as enforcement of non-discriminatory laws and policies.26 1. Right to social protection 38. Government policies requiring pensioners registered or residing in territory controlled by the self-proclaimed ‘republics’ to register as IDPs in Government-controlled territory and to regularly verify their IDP registration in order to receive their pensions remained in force. 22 23 24 25 26 Human Rights Council, Report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, 11 July 2019, A/HRC/42/45, para. 44, available at https://documents-ddsny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G19/213/93/PDF/G1921393.pdf?OpenElement. For more information, see the Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Platform, available at https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs. Created to implement law No. 2203-VIII ‘On amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On the status of war veterans and their social protection guarantees’ enhancing the social protection of participants of the anti-terrorist operation, of the Revolution of Dignity and of the family members of such persons’ of 17 November 2017 (entered into force on 24 February 2018). The unemp loyment rate in the conflict-affected Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which used to be Ukraine’s industrial heartland, has become the highest nationwide; it now stands at 15 per cent, compared to the national average of 7.8 per cent. See Humanitarian Response Plan, p. 14 available at www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/documents/files/ukraine_ 2020_humanitarian_response_plan_en.pdf. See Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture, Sustainable Development Goals: Ukraine – 2017 Baseline Study, pp. 76, 82 and 109. 11