Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
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Ongoing war in Ukraine continues to devastate the lives of children and families. Over 4.7 million people have returned to Ukraine, while more than 3.5 million remain internally displaced.
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Nearly 6 million refugees are hosted across Europe, 88 percent of them women and children.
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Children's mental health, learning and access to services, including health, water, electricity, and heating, continue to be impacted. Many remain at risk of diseases, separation and violence, including gender-based violence.
In Ukraine, UNICEF is working with Government and inter-agency partners to sustain critical humanitarian assistance in the south and east where war continues, while supporting recovery in the east, centre and west. In refugee-hosting countries, UNICEF is complementing national efforts, addressing persistent humanitarian needs of those in protracted displacement while facilitating sustainable handover to national authorities. In this complex, protracted crisis, with persisting, intensified attacks, UNICEF continues to provide critical support, remain agile and prepare for changing conditions and impacts. -
UNICEF requires $633.6 million to ensure crucial support for children and families in 2024. This includes critical supplies, services and support in child protection, health and nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene and social protection, including humanitarian cash assistance; and strengthening national and local systems to address needs. The amount includes $495.9 million for support inside Ukraine and $137.7 million for the refugee response.
KEY PLANNED TARGETS
888,312 children, adolescents and caregivers accessing school and communitybased MHPSS
5.7 million people accessing a sufficient quantity and quality of water
557,550 People with access to safe spaces, protection and support hubs
444,130 children accessing formal or non-formal education, including early learning
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AND NEEDS
Pillar 1: Ukraine
The prolonged war in Ukraine continues to have devastating consequences for children, increasing risks of disease, family separation, trafficking, exposure to unexploded ordnance and violence - including gender-based violence. Since the war began, nearly 2,000 children have been killed or injured. A third of Ukraine is contaminated by explosive remnants, posing a threat especially to boys and men, who make up 90 per cent of those injured or killed.
Over 3.5 million people remain internally displaced, while over 4.6 million have returned to Ukraine.12 Half of the 1.4 million returnees to the east or south cite no accessible schools; a quarter cite insufficient water supply.
Active fighting threatens communities across a 1,000 km frontline along the south and east, where over 3.3 million people face intense shelling, damaged housing and severe constraints to accessing water, electricity and health services.14 Humanitarian access to families on frontlines and occupied areas remains limited.
The war has tremendously impacted children’s mental health. Half of 13- to 15-year-olds have trouble sleeping; 1 in 5 show manifestations of post-traumatic stress.15 Gender-based violence is believed to be rising.16 The situation is particularly tenuous for children who are displaced, unaccompanied and separated, living in institutions and with disabilities – including those now returning.17 Half of all students, nearly 2 million, rely on online/blended education, with 2,321 schools across the frontlines closed for safety reasons.18 Fighting has destroyed over 1,000 km of water networks.19 The national water and sanitation system, already in dire condition before the war, is on the brink of collapse. Central district heating systems - which support 47 per cent of the population - have received US$2.1 billion in damage.
The intensification of attacks in 2024 has resulted in increased civilian casualties, new displacements and devastated infrastructure countrywide, disrupting access to vital services for hundreds of thousands of people. In the first three months of 2024, 36 health facilities and 140 educational facilities were verified as damaged or destroyed. Continuing attacks on energy infrastructure have caused the worst power outages since the war started. These situations underscore continued need for humanitarian support, delivery of critical services, repair of critical infrastructure, capacity enhancement of service providers and systematic recovery efforts, to safeguard children and improve resilience, including in advance of winter.