The Site Monitoring Assessment and the On-Site Needs Assessment, which were undertaken through interviews and semi-structured questionnaires with Ukrainian refugees who had entered Slovakia as a result of the ongoing civil war in Ukraine, are summarized in this paper, a ReliefWeb press release writes.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with assistance from REACHIMPACT Initiatives and the Slovak Humanitarian Council for the needs assessment at one of the sites, conducted the assessments in 38 housing sites throughout Slovakia between July 28–29 and August 22–31, 2022.
The Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP) for the crisis in Ukraine, and specifically under Slovakia’s RRP, contains an inter-agency deliverable called the Site Monitoring and On-Site Needs Assessment. An instrument for multi-sector planning and cooperation among agencies is the RRP. In order to better meet the needs of refugees entering Slovakia from Ukraine, the RRP in Slovakia supports efforts directed by the government and builds on the collective and coordinated activity of humanitarian actors, volunteer groups, and other local responders. In order to establish a solid evidence base for an inter-agency programmatic response under the RRP Slovakia, the two assessments were carried out.
From the perspective of the occupants at these sites, the On-Site Needs Assessment complements the Site Monitoring Assessment. The needs assessment provides an overview of the needs and difficulties faced by Ukrainian refugees housed at these sites, including access to health services, employment, education, housing, and childcare. The site monitoring assessment covers accommodation sites in Trnava, Preov, Koice, Bratislava, Illina, and Banská Bystrica and provides information on the type, capacity, and services at these sites.
According to the On-Site Needs Assessment, 96% of residents at the monitored sites felt safe overall. However, there are still significant limitations, such as accessibility for elderly and disabled persons. Other significant findings include the need to improve the inclusion of older people and people with disabilities. According to information provided by site managers, 55% of sites did not provide for the basic needs of older people, and 66% of sites did not offer safe and respectable access for people with disabilities.
