WHAT IS THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN UKRAINE?
The children and families of Ukraine have suffered devastation and displacement since the war escalated in February 2022.
Nine years of conflict in eastern Ukraine have already taken their toll on the region. Children are caught in the crossfire of ongoing hostilities, while schools, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure they depend on continues to be damaged or destroyed. Economic instability and the ongoing war in Ukraine have left nearly 18 million people, including over 3 million children, in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.
Children continue to face high risks of violence, exploitation and abuse with decreased access to protection services. The war has also left invisible wounds that must be addressed without delay through sustained efforts to prioritize children’s mental health and psychosocial needs.
Children are bearing the brunt of this crisis. They need protection. Please donate to help Ukraine now.
WINTER IN UKRAINE
The intensifying hostilities, the ongoing impact of COVID-19, and the impending winter conditions are creating an unprecedented crisis.
Full-scale war and attacks continue across the country, causing widespread power, water and services outages affecting the lives of children and their families as sub-zero winter temperatures set in. Attacks on energy infrastructure have forced the country to adopt emergency power cuts in all regions, despite the harsh winter conditions, preventing access to essential services such as schools and hospitals.
Within Ukraine, families – many of them displaced – are already struggling to meet their needs faced with the additional costs and difficulties of winter during a time of war, while those living in refugee-hosting countries will confront freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls while uprooted from their homes, families and livelihoods.
”Millions of children are facing a bleak winter huddled in the cold and the dark, with little idea of how or when respite may arrive.”
UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell.
Ukraine’s children urgently need our help. Please give now.
HOW IS UNICEF RESPONDING TO THIS EMERGENCY?
UNICEF has been responding to the conflict in Ukraine since it started in 2014, providing safe water, child protection, healthcare and education. For the past nine years, we have been at the forefront of the humanitarian response in eastern Ukraine and are well-positioned to respond to the growing crisis.
We have expertise in responding to emergencies and have staff, field offices and partners across the country.
In response to growing humanitarian needs across Ukraine and Ukrainian refugee-hosting countries, we are scaling up our efforts by:
- Providing safe water and sanitation supplies to over 4.2 million people in areas where critical infrastructure has been targeted;
- Prepositioning health, hygiene and emergency education supplies close to communities near the conflict;
- Supporting immunization and healthcare for children vulnerable to the ongoing polio outbreak;
- Providing mental health and psychosocial support interventions to protect children through safe spaces and psychosocial care to reach over 2.6 million children and caregivers;
- Providing access to primary healthcare to more than 4.89 million women and children in areas affected by conflict;
- Procuring $21M USD of winterization supplies for Ukrainian children and families;
- Delivering critical life-saving supplies including winter clothing such as hats and coats, warm blankets, and hygiene kits. As of November 21, 2022, UNICEF has provided approximately 150 metric tonnes of life-saving supplies to Kherson, Ukraine.