Attachments
Highlights:
- In 2024, Europe experienced a significant rise in Ukrainian refugees due to increased attacks on infrastructure and ongoing economic instability in Ukraine, elevating the number of displaced individuals to 6,253,700 by 30 November. The extension of the European Union’s Temporary Protection Directive to 2026 highlights the protracted nature of the crisis, with challenges in housing, employment, education, and health care persisting, especially for vulnerable groups like women, children, and those with chronic illnesses.
- In 2024, 360,806 children and caregivers accessed mental health and psychosocial support, 43,764 women and children received primary health care services, and 485,228 children benefitted from formal and non-formal education, including early learning. Over 6.6 million people were reached with messaging on prevention and access to services. Moreover, 3,854 households with children received UNICEF-funded multi-purpose humanitarian cash transfers.
- UNICEF's interventions to support Ukrainian refugees are generously funded by a broad community of donors. By the end of the year, UNICEF had secured 94 per cent of its 2024 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal of US$137.7 million, but funding gaps persisted in the critical areas of education and social protection.
Regional Funding Overview & Partnerships
In line with the UNHCR Regional Refugee Response Plan (January–December 2024) and under Pillar 2 (refugee response) of the revised 2024 Ukraine and Refugee Response Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC), UNICEF required US$137.7 million in 2024 to ensure the sustainability of the response and provide critical support to 820,600 Ukrainian refugees and other vulnerable groups in host communities, including 533,390 children, across Europe, primarily in Belarus, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. As of 31 December 2024, UNICEF had US$129.3 million available, which included US$60 million carried over from 2023 and U$69.4 million received since the beginning of 2024. Funding received under the HAC was prioritized to support the refugee-hosting countries listed above, as well as regional, multi-country initiatives. In addition to the main eight refugee response countries, the critical needs of Ukrainian refugees were also supported in other refugee-hosting countries reported under this response. UNICEF continued to collaborate with UNHCR, other United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners, as well as its network of National Committees. UNICEF also worked closely with national governments, regional and local authorities, municipalities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs), academia and media, while engaging in multi-country partnerships.
Regional Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
In 2024, Europe witnessed a steady influx of Ukrainian refugees, largely due to escalating attacks on crucial energy, heating, and transport systems in Ukraine, compounded by economic instability. According to UNHCR, the number of refugees rose from 5,953,500 at the end of 2023 to 6,253,700 by 30 November 2024, turning the crisis into a protracted displacement issue. The longer refugees stay in Europe, the less inclined they are to return, with those who fled in early 2022 showing a 54 per cent willingness to go back, compared to 62 per cent and 66 per cent, respectively, for those who left later in 2022 and in 2023. The European Union’s Temporary Protection Directive was extended to March 2026, and Moldova’s similar regime will last till March 2025, though future protective measures remain uncertain. These frameworks are vital, yet refugees face increasing vulnerabilities, especially women, children, and marginalized groups. Family separation is a major concern, with 63 per cent of the refugee population being women and girls, and 33 per cent children, who are at higher risk of gender-based violence (GBV), human trafficking, and exploitation, including sexual exploitation. Housing, employment, and access to education and health care continue to be persistent challenges. Overall,17 percent of refugees with chronic illnesses or disabilities struggle with healthcare access, and more than a third (36 per cent) of households have members with mental health issues that affected daily functioning. In 2024, around 600,000 Ukrainian children remained out of school across the European Union from an estimated 1.4 million. In Romania, for example, school participation was below 30 per cent, with many Ukrainian families choosing to maintain the Ukrainian online curriculum. Poland saw only about 20,000 out of an estimated 70,000–150,000 children enrolled in schools by October 2024, highlighting the urgent need for outreach efforts.