A/HRC/43/CRP.5 fairness and transparency.24 It would also contribute to social inclusiveness among the population affected by the conflict. 3. Freedom of movement, isolated communities and access to basic services 39. During the reporting period, civilians crossed the contact line between Governmentcontrolled territory and territory controlled by ‘Donetsk people’s republic’ and ‘Luhansk people’s republic’ more than 3.5 million times, often facing physical difficulties due to the insufficient number of EECPs, especially in Luhansk region, and arduous crossing conditions. Positive developments were observed at the EECP Stanytsia Luhanska (Luhansk region) where a temporary bypass had been functioning from 4 October, and repairs to the broken bridge were in the process of being completed as of 15 November. The repairs to the bridge will significantly facilitate freedom of movement, alleviating the daily suffering that people face while traversing this pedestrian crossing. However, this EECP remains the only crossing point serving the entire region. Efforts to open up additional crossing points must be scaled up. 40. OHCHR welcomes the decision of the Government to terminate the enforcement of the Resolution regulating the movement of individuals and transfer of goods across the contact line pending its revision, including to simplify the crossing of children under the age of 14 who do not have a valid passport. OHCHR recalls that in order to facilitate freedom of movement and the right to an adequate standard of living, individuals should be able to transfer their personal belongings without unnecessary restrictions. 41. Restrictions on freedom of movement in villages close to the contact line, such as Government-controlled Lobacheve, Lopaskyne, and Novooleksandrivka, curb the civilian population’s enjoyment of their socio-economic rights. For example, the approximately 18 residents of Novooleksandrivka have lost access to basic services. Electricity to the village has been cut since the beginning of the conflict, and the roads have been blocked. Ambulances cannot reach the village and there are no hospitals, pharmacies, or public transport in the village. These issues are not being addressed in part due to the Government’s failure to assign responsibility for the village to any local authority. 4. Registration of birth and death 42. On 23 October 2019, the Cabinet of Ministers approved regulations 25 introducing an administrative procedure to simplify the registration of births and deaths occurring in territory controlled by the self-proclaimed ‘republics’.26 While OHCHR has long recommended that the procedure be simplified,27 the regulations still require an additional administrative layer in the civil registration process, reportedly to address concerns about the authenticity of documents issued in territory controlled by the self-proclaimed 24 25 26 27 14 For more information, see Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture’s Sustainable Development Goals: Ukraine – 2017 Baseline Study, p. 76. Cabinet of Ministers Resolution “On amendments to the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 9 of 9 January 2013 (‘On approval of the procedure on confirmation of the fact of birth of a child outside a public health facility’)” was approved on 23 October 2019, but the text of the Resolution had not been published by 15 November. See Ministry of Justice, www.kmu.gov.ua/news/kabmin-sproshchuyereyestraciyu-faktiv-narodzhennya-ta-smerti-na-timchasovo-okupovanih-teritoriyah. According to the Ministry of Justice, the regulations aim to ensure implementation of Article 2(3) of the Law of Ukraine ‘On particular aspects of public policy aimed at safeguarding the sovereignty of Ukraine over the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine’ no. 2268-VIII of 18 January 2018, which allows for the registration of births and deaths occurring in territory controlled by the self-proclaimed ‘republics’ with the use of the relevant documents issued there, without judicial involvement. Statement available at www.minjust.gov.ua/news/ministry/kabmin-sproschue-reestratsiyu-faktiv-narodjennya-ta-smerti-natimchasovo-okupovanih-teritoriyah. See OHCHR, Reports on the human rights situation in Ukraine, 16 November 2017 to 15 February 2018, para. 132; 16 February to 15 May 2018, para. 43.