State Administration. While there he was allegedly heavily beaten and had to seek medical assistance. The Prayer Marathon has continued gathering in June. No incidents have been reported. 239. Reports have also been received of other denominations being attacked, for example, Protestants. E. Economic and social rights – impact of the violence 240. As background to the situation in the eastern regions and the current impact on economic and social rights being faced by the local population, the HRMMU recalls that Ukraine is a middle-income country, ranked 78 in the Human Development Index in 2013. 241. The recent evaluation of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR) published on 23 May 2014, highlighted the positive steps of the Government in ratification of, or accession to, various human rights instruments. At the same time the Committee identified major problems that have an adverse impact on the enjoyment of all human rights, including the large extent of corruption, discrimination against Roma and Crimean Tatars, a low level of social standards, unemployment among youth, around 30% gender pay gap, employment in the informal economy, a stable poverty rate of 24.7%, absence of a health insurance system, and low expenditure on health care. 242. The Committee made related recommendations to address the root causes of the aforementioned challenges. 243. The violence and security operations in the eastern regions has had a direct impact on the existing level of enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, and has also influenced the State capacity to progressively realize the rights and comply with the Committee´s recommendations in the areas struck by the conflict. Right to education 244. Despite the efforts of the Donetsk Department of education and science, as well as school administrations, studies had to be suspended in several towns of the Donetsk region in May. In Slovyansk, Krasnyi Lyman and Krasnoarmiysk, 62 schools and 46 kindergartens were not functioning, which affected 21,700 students and 5,600 children, respectively. On 28 May, it was reported that during the fights in Slovyansk two school buildings have been damaged; no one was injured. 245. In other towns in the Donetsk region schools remained open, but attendance varied from 25% in Slovyansk district to 98% in Makiivka district. 246. Most schools in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions managed to complete the academic year, which finished on 30 May. The main concern had been the organisation of the “External Independent Assessment65” for the students of these eastern regions. On 29 May, the Ministry of Education announced that testing in these regions would be postponed until 11 July to 27 July, and if necessary could be postponed again. 65 A final test for the high school students to enter universities in Ukraine. 112 | P a g e