Ukraine: WASH Study in Eastern Conflict Area

May 31, 2021 | United Nations Children's Fund
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UNICEF, also the United Nations Children's Fund, is a United Nations agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. The agency is among the most widespread and recognizable social welfare organizations in the world, with a presence in 192 countries and territories.

For complete details on opportunity, please visit the full Terms of Reference at link above. 

Background

The Eastern Conflict Area (ECA) of Ukraine is effectively enduring a complex emergency due to seven years of an armed conflict, a situation which is exacerbated by the COVID-19 outbreak. Over 3.1 million people still need assistance due to inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene^[1].

The decrepit water systems continue to be at risk of failure due to lack of maintenance, active military actions, and direct shelling. For instance, in 2020 WASH Cluster Ukraine detected 61 incidents with water and wastewater infrastructure along the Line of Contact. These led to the interruption of water supply, creating risks for access to safe drinking water, limiting opportunities for personal hygiene, and as a result increasing the likelihood of COVID spreading among the conflict-affected population.

UNICEF and WASH Cluster Partners aim to promote stable access to safe drinking water in sufficient volume, adequate sanitation and to ensure proper hygiene for affected people.

Due to the changing nature of the emergency, from pure conflict to a more complex one deteriorating by the COVID-19, it is rational to make a revised estimation of people in need and to identify key challenges for affected people. The new study findings will support the decision-making processes of all humanitarian actors and government, at the strategic and program-level, by providing evidence needed to choose the most appropriate comprehensive and adequate WASH services focusing on the most vulnerable groups.

The primary aims of the study are to measure the number of people and identify types of humanitarian needs in water, sanitation, and hygiene with a specific focus on the vulnerable groups. If applicable, to check if services meet international standards, and more especially those set out by International Humanitarian Law, Sphere standards, and Ukrainian standards.

The 2021 WASH Cluster study is the second wave of the study from 2019, which provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of humanitarian needs in the whole conflict-affected region, including Government and Non-Government Controlled Areas^[2]. Keeping the same methodologies and approaches will allow tracking the trends and type of needs, which might have changed over 2 years due to the nature of the protracted conflict and disease outbreak. Due to the COVID-19 it is rational to extend the 2019 questionnaire by adding a new block of specific WASH-related COVID questions (mainly on Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices).

In the last few years different studies and assessments have been conducted, which could be split up into two main groups: humanitarian and development.

Since the last WASH Cluster Study 2019, several other WASH-related assessments have been completed, which contributed to a better humanitarian response in the eastern conflict areas.

Among humanitarian assessments are several REACH reports^[3] (look at the secondary data list), where WASH was represented as one of the sectors to measuring the need. Among many positives of those assessments we should consider the statistical representativeness of data and the geographical coverage. At the same time, REACH reports are multisectoral, and the number of WASH indicators is limited for obvious reasons. As a result, water, sanitation, and hygiene topics have unequal coverage (between different studies) and some gaps. For instance, sanitation and menstrual hygiene practices are usually underrepresented.

In addition, there were several assessments, which identified needs and gaps in WASH services and human behaviours like Caritas in 2019 and 2020 (look at the secondary date list) Albeit, all assessments were very limited geographically and their scope cover some communities or settlements.

In 2020 many partners focused their attention on assessing COVID-19 related needs, where WASH plays an important role in terms of preventing the spreading of the disease. Among key reports might be mentioning such as multiple assessments of hospitals (UNICEF, REACH^[4]), however, those studies focused, in the main, on the needs of institutions, missing out household-level profiles.

In terms of COVID-19 the hygiene topic was covered by KAPA^[5] in terms of knowledge attitudes and practices at household level. A similar study has been conducted by UNICEF at national level.

Development assessments usually characterised by quite high level of technical focus, focusing on equipment, infrastructure, and risk management. For example, UNICEF’s report on chemicals usage in water treatment^[6]. OSCE published several reports on risk management^[7], for example about the situation around Siverskyi Donets as key drinking water source for Eastern Conflict Area. In 2020 a significant report by DESPRO^[8] illustrated key issues in the economics of water and modernization options.

There is some official governmental information. For example, the annual national report on drinking water quality and the condition of water supply systems, issued by Ministry of Regional Development, Building and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine^[9]. The report provides a detailed review of official data regarding availability of drinking source of water, condition of water supply systems and water quality control. Nevertheless, since the beginning of the conflict the report has not reflected the situation in the Non-Government Controlled Areas (NGCA).

A list of secondary data is available in the Annex 2.

Purpose and Scope of the Research

The purpose of the study is to assess basic humanitarian and COVID-related WASH needs of households in the eastern conflict-affected areas.

Objectives:

• Identify and measure the WASH needs of affected people at household level.
• Identify gaps in WASH services at household level.
• Provide recommendations for WASH programming (i.e., hygiene kit components; kit/ voucher/ cash).

Key research questions include:

1. What is the WASH situation in the eastern Ukraine at household level?

• Access to the safe drinking water in sufficient quantity.
• Access to the improved sanitation.
• Access critical WASH-related supplies
• 2019 versus current.
• GCA/ 20-km from LOC on GCA/ NGCA
• Urban / rural
  • Handwashing and hygiene practices
  • Trust to the sources of hygiene information and COVID-19

1. Are there any changes in terms of access to the basic WASH services?

1. What is the conflict- and covid-related impacts on the most vulnerable groups like household with children, older people, people with disabilities, compared to the overall average?
2. What are the levels of knowledge, attitudes and practice of safe hygiene and COVID-preventing behaviours in the conflict affected areas?

Geographical coverage: 3 geographical area:

• NGCA,
• GCA:
• 0-20-km of Line of Contact from GCA side with splitting up by urban/rural disaggregation.
• >20km from the Line of Contact from GCA side with splitting up by urban/rural disaggregation.

Scope: the overall size of the study is estimated at around 1600 households (statistically representative depiction of households from main geographical areas: GCA, 20-km Line of Contact from GCA side; NGCA).

Theory of change:

The study will inform UNICEF programming and WASH Cluster partners on human-dimensions of WASH needs as well as provide keep the monitoring on dynamics of needs from 2019 for future measure of progress in specific areas. The study will foster a better understanding of the relevance of humanitarian WASH needs or gaps in hygiene practices, and will support discussions within and across agencies, organizations and communities on how to address those needs. Data analysis and interpretation will enable clarify the WASH situation from the dimension of hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices. In addition, the study will provide evidence for further advocacy with the Government on the current risks for conflict-affected people and children. Therefore, the findings of the study would help UNICEF and other agencies to promote and support the development of effective water, sanitation and hygiene programming that ensure the qualitative humanitarian response.

Methodology

This study shall use a mixed-methods approach to investigate the major trends in the WASH situation in the conflict-affected region:

The following methodology is recommended for carrying out the Study:

1. Desk review of documents, studies and reports produced by WASH Cluster, UNICEF and other national and international organizations on Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) humanitarian situation of affected people and children in eastern conflict area of Ukraine. Familiarization with similar studies in other countries.

2. Quantitative research (survey at household level): phone interviews with conflict-affected households in different locations on both sides of the Line of Contact; urban / rural split; which allow identifying the knowledge, attitudes and practices of coping with WASH challenges during the conflict.

The study shall involve the collection and analysis of primary data to fill in the gaps identified during the secondary data review.

Primary data collection should a limited survey of around 1600 households, chosen at random from within Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of the survey. Households should be sampled to provide a statistically representative depiction of households from main geographical areas.

Considering that the total number and structure of population in NGCA is not available public information due to the conflict, the statistically representative sampling of NGCA might be not rigorous.

The same will be stratified by urban/rural settlement type in order to better understand the geographical differences in needs.

Within the same sample there will be sufficient numbers of households to allow comparisons of children’s and older people’s, and people with disabilities’ living conditions to be compared to the average.

3. Qualitative research (focus groups): group discussions among people of same status in the poll who are asked about their opinions on and/or experiences of a certain WASH issue in order to cross-check survey results and understand more deeply the rationale of different practices and programming options.

 A WASH Cluster Working Group (WASH Cluster WG) will oversee the study process in terms of technical quality, from a WASH perspective.

A repeat study will be considered in 2022 to monitor the changes in WASH situation in the conflict-affected region, acting as a monitoring and evaluation tool.

Ethical considerations

1. Potential contractors will need to agree to meet the standards set in the UNICEF Procedure for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation, Data Collection and Analysis. 
2. Potential contractors need to supply evidence of having undertaken ethics training or commit to undertake ethics training if capacity development is a priority and researchers with ethics training are unavailable.
3. Researchers can identify relevant potential ethical issues and mitigation strategies relating to potential harms and benefits, informed consent, privacy and confidentiality and payment and compensation. If applicable, include specific considerations for research related to children and/or sensitive issues (such as violence against women and girls) and reference appropriate additional sources of guidelines and standards (e.g. UNICEF's guidance on children in research, WHO's guidance on violence research).
4. Ethical review will be undertaken if necessary

Limitations and Risk for the Study

It is planned that a phone survey will be conducted in the conflict-affected area, especially, in Non-Government Controlled Area, where there are some unpredictable circumstances which might affect collecting data like broken cell phone coverage. This happened several times during 2014-2021. Considering the possibility of such limitations, UNICEF and WASH Cluster keeps the right to amend the methodology for NGCA data gathering in case of such unpredictable problems, and in line with the allocated budget.

Activities

Deliverables

The Contractor is responsible to submit the following Deliverables:

1. Detailed Inception Report (IR) in English and Ukrainian (Electronic version to be submitted within 10 working days after signing a contract and initial briefing with the Study Manager and WASH Cluster WG).

This report should be 10 to 15 pages in length and should be in line with UN standards for IRs. The IR should outline scope, study framework, methodology, questionnaire, sampling, timing, data collection methods, timeline for activities and submission of deliverables).

The previous questionnaire from the WASH Cluster Study 2019 will be reviewed by adding a block of WASH-related COVID-19 questions.

The Contractor will prepare a PowerPoint presentation discussing the IR.

The IR should also include initial data and findings based on the documentary review and final study design/plan.

The Inception Phase will be used as a study phase and to collect and review all available evidence.

This report will be used as an initial point of agreement and understanding between the Contractor and Study Manager. A draft will be shared in advance for comments and approved by the WASH Cluster WG. The Contractor will present final inception report to the WASH Cluster WG and quality assured by RSE Steering Committee.

2. First Draft of Study Report in English and dataset in Excel (Electronic version of the first draft should be submitted after completion of telephone data collection). The draft report should be in line with UNICEF adapted UNEG Study Report Standards and contain the same sections as the final report and will be at least 25 pages in length (excluding annexes). It will also contain an executive summary of no more than 5 pages that includes a brief description of the WASH situation, its context and current situation, the purpose of the study, its methodology and its main findings, conclusions and recommendations.

Findings from 2021 should be analyzed in line of the WASH Cluster Study report 2019, comparing key indicators and trends.

The drafts will be shared with the WASH Cluster to seek their comments. The draft report will be quality assured by WASH Cluster and RSE Steering Committee.

3. Presentation to WASH Cluster Working Group based on First Draft of Study Report and incorporated comments from WASH Cluster and RSE Steering Committee (Electronic version of the presentation should be submitted in English and Ukrainian after approval of the First Draft of Study Report). The presentation based on the first draft study report summarizing the entire process, purpose, objectives, methodology, findings from the survey and recommended issues for focus group discussions. The presentation will be shared with the WASH Cluster WG to seek their comments.

4. Formatted and edited Study Report (Final draft) in English and Ukrainian. Audio records of focus groups discussions (Electronic versions to be submitted after receiving consolidated comments and feedback from UNICEF). The final report will be 40 to 50 pages in length. It will also contain an executive summary of no more than 5 pages that includes a brief description of the WASH humanitarian situation, its context and current situation, the purpose of the study, its methodology and its major findings, conclusions and recommendations.

The final report will be formatted based on the WASH Cluster Study 2019

The final report should include all received comments and suggestions provided by QA review providers. The Study Report should systematically answer the key study questions posed. It should fairly and clearly represent the views of the different actors/stakeholders. It should clearly give the conclusions and recommends in a way that is substantiated by evidence.

5. Power point presentation in English and Ukrainian (electronic version)

Presentation based on the finalized study report summarizing the entire process, purpose, objectives, methodology, findings and recommendations and conclusions.

The Contractor should propose a timeline to submit the deliverables in their implementation plan (in proposals).

For complete details on opportunity, please visit the full Terms of Reference at link above. 

ENGLISH VERSION:

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND (UNICEF)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR SERVICES (RFPS) – reference LRPS-2021-9166950

Subject: WASH (WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE) STUDY IN THE EASTERN CONFLICT AREA OF UKRAINE 2021.

Inquiries may be addressed to e-mails: okirova@unicef.org and ipeftiyev@unicef.org

See attached files :

1. Annex B_Terms of Reference_9166950
2. Annex C_Vendor registration form_9166950
3. Invitation_WASH STUDY_LRPS-2021-9166950_Eng
4. Invitation_WASH STUDY_LRPS-2021-9166950_ukr
5. Questions and Answers

UKRAINIAN VERSION:

ПРЕДСТАВНИЦТВО ДИТЯЧОГО ФОНДУ ООН (ЮНІСЕФ)

ЗАПИТ НА ПОДАННЯ ПРОПОЗИЦІЇ (RFPS) – посилання LRPS-2021-9166950

Предмет: Оцінка гуманітарних потреб у секторі води, санітарії та гігієни у східній зоні конфлікту України 2021 року

За інформацією звертатися електронною поштою до okirova@unicef.org та ipeftiyev@unicef.org

Див. документи у вкладеннях:

1. Annex B_Terms of Reference_9166950
2. Annex C_Vendor registration form_9166950
3. Invitation_WASH STUDY_LRPS-2021-9166950_Eng
4. Invitation_WASH STUDY_LRPS-2021-9166950_ukr
5. Questions and Answers

[1] Humanitarian Needs Overview Ukraine 2021

[2] WASH Cluster Study of Humanitarian Needs in Eastern Ukraine 2019

[3] 1. Analysis of Humanitarian Trends 2019; 2. Multisectoral needs assessment. NGCA; 3. Ukraine- 2020 Multi Sectoral Needs Assessment within 20km of Contact Line

[4] Rapid Health Facility Assessment, REACH 2020

[5] KAPA Survey, REACH 2020

[6] Risk assessment associated with use of chemicals at Popasnianskyi vodokanal, UNICEF 2019

[7] State of the Siverskyi Donets Basin and Related Risks under Military Operations. Technical Report, OSCE, 2019

[8] Time for Water, DESPRO 2020

[9] Національна доповідь про якість питної води та стан питного водопостачання в Україні у 2019 році