Almost half of the Donbas war veterans were prejudiced or unfairly treated by their fellow citizens, according to a study titled "Life after Conflict: Survey on the Sociodemographic and Socioeconomic Characteristics of Veterans of the Conflict in Eastern Ukraine and Their Families" conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

"Almost half of the surveyed respondents reported biased attitudes or unfair treatment of veterans by different community members, particularly when exercising the right to free public transport or accessing medical or administrative services," the study reads.

The respondents were asked if they had faced any bias or unfair treatment (discrimination) directed at veterans in the last six months in different spheres. In general, almost a half of the surveyed respondents (49%) indicated that they had encountered at least one such case. Some 31% of respondents said that such a case occurred in transport, 14% - when receiving medical services, 11% - when registering for benefits for veterans and their families, 10% - when receiving administrative services in social protection institutions (respondents had the opportunity to choose several options).

"The sample survey of the veterans showed that they felt excluded from society and strongly identified themselves with their reference group. A high share of respondents supported the idea that the veterans’ experience can be understood only by those who are at least somehow connected to individuals with a military background," the study reads.

Most of the veterans supported the statement that citizens do not understand that the country is going through an armed conflict (78% agreed); 77% also agreed with the statement that "in the line of fire, people understand what is important and what is not"; "participation in the armed conflict has changed my life forever" (74%), "only those who have fought themselves can understand the veterans" (73%). Sixty-six per cent of the interviewed veterans shared the opinion that in civil life, the rights of the veterans are violated. Thirty-two per cent (32%) of the respondents confirmed this with the statement that "I feel that I am detached from the main part of the society (I am excluded from the society)."

The survey was conducted during July-October 2019. A total of 2,530 respondents, including veterans and their families, were interviewed in Kyiv city and the Kyiv region, as well as in the Dnipropetrovsk and Lviv regions, where the concentration of registered veterans is the largest.

A total of 1,780 interviews were conducted with veterans who had been directly involved in the execution of military operations in the east of Ukraine (Donetsk/Luhansk oblasts) since April 2014. A total of 750 interviews were conducted with family members of veterans (wives, husbands, or partners with whom veterans shared a household).

A snowball sampling technique was applied for the selection of respondents for the survey.

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