Druzhkivka, Donetsk Oblast, 20 March 2019 – Inhabitants of Druzhkivka in Donetsk Oblast now have improved access to the law enforcement system following the official opening of the rehabilitated Druzhkivka National Police department. The building has undergone major refurbishment of the entrance and the waiting area in accordance with the principles of Universal Design, to make it more accessible for various categories of people, including persons with children and persons with disabilities. The rehabilitation was carried out within the framework of the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, with financial support from the Government of the Netherlands.

“Facilitating the availability of law enforcement agencies for citizens is important for increasing community security and social cohesion. The support of our international partners – the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine – is very important for us”, stated Mykola Semenyshyn, Head of Donetsk Oblast National Police.

The police department is now equipped with a ramp, and has reconstructed heating, ventilation and sewage systems, LED lamps, new furniture and other equipment. Henceforth, 68,000 Druzhkivka residents and more than 10,000 internally displaced persons living in the city can better access law enforcement system.

In the words of Victor Munteanu, head of the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, “reconstructing police department front office following the principles of Universal Design is an important step towards improving access to law enforcement for Druzhkivka locals, internally displaced persons and Ukrainian citizens visiting Druzhkivka from the non-government-controlled area. We are systematically working to improve access to both the law enforcement and the justice systems, and plan to continue this work for at least three-four upcoming years.”

Background:

The United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (RPP) addresses priority needs in eastern Ukraine after armed conflict erupted in the spring of 2014. The Programme is intended to strengthen community security and social cohesion, support the economic recovery of conflict-affected communities, and further the implementation of decentralisation and healthcare reforms in government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

The RPP is being implemented by four United Nations agencies: UNDP, UN Women, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The Programme is supported by nine international partners: the European Union, the European Investment Bank and the governments of Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Japan. Its total budget for 2019-2022 is over US$50 million.

Media enquiries:

Maksym Kytsiuk, Communication Associate, maksym.kytsiuk@undp.org,+380635761839