UKRAINE 2019 UNHCR PARTICIPATRY ASSESSMENT Introduction In line with its people-centred approach, UNHCR conducts a participatory assessment on a regular basis in order to deepen its understanding of the protection risks faced by the persons the organization assists and provides protection for. These regular assessment ensures that people are at the centre of decision-making concerning their protection and well-being. Guided by the principles of community and rights-based approach and age, gender and diversity mainstreaming (AGDM), the exercise involves structured dialogue with refugees, stateless persons, internally displaced and other conflict-affected persons. During the participatory assessment, UNHCR analyses risks jointly with them, learns about their capacities and listens to their proposed solutions. These are then used by UNHCR to programme its protection and humanitarian response. During the 2019 participatory assessment, UNHCR met with 184 refugees and asylum-seekers, 86 stateless persons or those at risk of statelessness, and 520 IDPs and conflict-affected persons, including men, women, girls and boys, as well as members of the Roma and Crimean Tatar communities and persons with specific needs (e.g., persons with disabilities, persons living with HIV). In total, 91 focus group discussions and 22 interviews with key informants were conducted over a period of three weeks in February to March 2019. In this exercise, UNHCR was joined by its NGO partners, Government and civil society representatives, as well as donor representatives. UNHCR would also like to highlight the participation of the Ministry of Temporary Occupied Territories and IDPs, the Free Legal Aid Centers, the Ministry of Social Policy, the State Migration Service, the Ministry of Justice (Offices of the Civil Registry), the Civil Military Administration, as well as the EU Delegation in Ukraine and the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, among others. Multi-Year, Multi-Partner Approach at the heart of the 2019’s Participatory Assessment This year’s edition of UNHCR’s Participatory Assessment focused on collecting feedback and suggestions on how UNHCR can strengthen the implementation of its five-year Multi-Year, Multi-Partner Strategy for the period 2018-2022 (MYMP).1 Having launched its MYMP in 2018, this year’s exercise represents the first important landmark for UNHCR Ukraine as it evaluates the impact of year one of its MYMP on the persons it protects and assists. Two cross-cutting themes focussed on included:   UNHCR’s delivery of protection and durable solutions, particularly local integration and community mobilization, UNHCR’s feedback mechanisms and whether they were accessible, safe, appropriate and effective, within the framework of Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP). Methodology Conducted in the government controlled areas of Ukraine only, the 2019 participatory assessment utilized a total of 91 focus group discussions and 22 interviews with key informants, including refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, stateless persons and those at risk of statelessness, and conflict-affected persons. Facilitators asked participants or key informants to share their views on thematic points, with follow-up questions directing the flow of conversation to elicit relevant information. The approach encouraged persons of concern to speak freely, ensuring the prioritization of qualitative information, allowing an initial analysis of risks faced by different groups, as well as identification of capacities and resources within communities to enhance their protection. 1 https://www.unhcr.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/06/Ukraine-MYMP-Protection-andSolutions-strategy-2018_2022_FINAL.pdf 4