Humanitarian action and emergencies

Humanitarian Action is at the core of UNICEF’s mandate to realize the rights of every child. This edition of  Humanitarian Action for Children  – UNICEF’s annual humanitarian fundraising appeal – describes the ongoing crises affecting children in Ukraine; the strategies that we are using to respond to these situations; and the donor support that…, Appeal highlights, The ongoing war in Ukraine continues to devastate the lives of children and families. Across Ukraine, 4.6 million people have returned, while more than 3.7 million remain internally displaced. Nearly 6 million refugees are hosted across Europe, 88 percent of them women and children, and 5 million have applied for national protection schemes.…, Key planned targets, Child protection icon 500,000 children and caregivers accessing mental health and psychosocial support Wash icon 4.5 million people accessing a sufficient quantity and quality of water Child protection icon 582,400 people with access to safe spaces, protection and support hubs Education icon 425,367 children accessing formal or non-formal…, Funding requirements for 2024, Ukraine and refugee response crisis Pillar 1: Ukraine Pillar 2: Refugee receiving countries, Pillar 1: Ukraine needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, The prolonged war in Ukraine continues to have devastating consequences for the country’s children. War has heightened children’s risk of disease, family separation, violence (including gender-based violence), trafficking and unexploded ordnance. Since the onset of the war, 531 children have been killed and 911 children injured. Across the country…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, In line with the Government’s Recovery Plan and the inter-agency response plan, UNICEF will tailor its approach in Ukraine to meet the humanitarian and early recovery needs of children in 2024. UNICEF will focus 90 percent of its humanitarian efforts in the east and south, where the war is ongoing, providing life-saving assistance to children and…, Pillar 1: Ukraine programme targets, Pillar 2: Refugee receiving countries needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, After almost two years of war, the Ukraine refugee crisis remains one of the largest displacement crises worldwide. Nearly 6 million refugees from Ukraine – approximately 88 percent of them women and children – are currently hosted across Europe. Some 5 million have applied for national protection schemes. Among refugees, 23 percent of households…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, In refugee-hosting countries, UNICEF, humanitarian partners and national and municipal authorities – under the overall leadership of host governments – have supported and complemented national responses through coordinated and inclusive interventions. However, public resources and national systems are increasingly stretched thin. In 2024, UNICEF…, Pillar 2: Refugee receiving countries programme targets, Find out more about UNICEF's work, December 2023, 2024 www.unicef.org/appeals/ukraine HumanitarianAction for Children Ukraine and Refugee ResponseHIGHLIGHTS1 The ongoing war in Ukraine continues to devastate the lives of children and families. Across Ukraine, 4.6 million people have returned, while more than 3.7 million remain internally displaced.2 Nearly 6 million refugees are hosted across…

Updated 13 May 2024 Two years of destruction and displacement, violence, separation from family members and friends, as well as disrupted schooling, health care and social services, have led to a mental health crisis and a learning crisis among Ukraine’s children.  Despite their resilience, for many children inside and outside Ukraine the war has…, Support UNICEF’s work for children, Latest updates and stories, What’s happening in Ukraine?, Ukraine’s children are paying an extraordinary price in lives lost and upended. The war has resulted in death, injuries and mass displacement, with millions of people forced to flee their homes. Some children have fled alone, increasing their exposure to abuse, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking. Children are being robbed of their…, Ukraine. A boy does his homework by candlelight in Bucha, Ukraine. Education disrupted, Schools and other educational facilities are not only places of learning – they also provide a crucial sense of structure and safety for children. Yet across the country, around 40 per cent of Ukraine’s children cannot access continuous education due to a lack of facilities. In areas nearer to the frontline, half of school-age children are unable…, Ukraine. A boy and girl hold hands as they look at a badly damaged building. Psychosocial effects, The war in Ukraine is robbing children of stability, safety, school, friends, family, a home and hopes for the future. The mental wounds of the war could affect children well into adulthood. To avert a generation of children scarred by the conflict, their mental health and psychosocial needs must be prioritised. This should include age-appropriate…, Poland. A Ukrainian woman holds her daughter at the train station in Przemysl, Poland. Impact beyond Ukraine, The war sparked displacement on a scale and speed not seen since World War II – with far-reaching impact across the region and beyond.  UNICEF welcomes the international solidarity shown to Ukraine’s children and to those across the globe negatively impacted by the war. But as the conflict and displacement continues, support is still needed across…, How is UNICEF helping children and families?, UNICEF was in Ukraine before the conflict broke out, and since its escalation two years ago has stayed and delivered. In countries hosting refugees, UNICEF works with national and local authorities, as well as civil society organizations, to deliver emergency assistance and support services to families fleeing war in Ukraine. Inside Ukraine, this…, What UNICEF is calling for, An end to attacks on the critical infrastructure children rely on, including schools, hospitals, energy, water and sanitation systems. Respect of humanitarian principles, international humanitarian law, and human rights law, including to end and prevent grave violations against children. Recovery inside Ukraine that focuses on and encourages the…, Moving forward, UNICEF will engage as and where support is needed to reach affected populations, including children.   UNICEF has been in Ukraine for many years and has maintained a principled humanitarian approach in past instances of violence and conflict, to ensure continued access to vulnerable populations. Since the start of this war, UNICEF together with UN…