Ukraine: Humanitarian Response and Funding Snapshot (January - December 2023) [EN/UK]

SITUATION UPDATE

In December, waves of indiscriminate attacks and vast aerial assaults on Ukrainian populated areas spiked again, highlighting the persistent pattern of civilian death and destruction that generated serious humanitarian needs in Ukraine throughout 2023. Across the country, almost 30 attacks on health care – 25 of them causing damages to facilities – were verified by the World Health Organization in December alone, averaging almost one attack per day. Schools were also hit, mainly in Kharkivska and Khersonska oblasts, where almost half of the educational institutions had already been damaged, and Donetska Oblast, where over 80 per cent of schools had been damaged or destroyed, according to the Ministry of Education. Airstrikes, which steadily increased towards the end of the month, damaged hundreds of homes, primarily in Kharkiv and the capital Kyiv, according to preliminary data from humanitarian partners, and disrupted other critical services, including electricity, power, water and gas. Along the front line, fighting and hostilities also continued, worsening the humanitarian situation for hundreds of thousands of people already facing severe needs.
Humanitarian partners continued to make every effort to support people impacted by the war . By the end of the year, nearly 11 million people – 60 per cent of whom were women and girls, and nearly 20 per cent children – had received vital aid and services. The winter response was a priority in December, when an additional 900,000 people received critical supplies and services, totalling 1.7 million people reached as part of the winter response. Overall, the humanitarian community provided health services and supplies for 7.6 million people; water, sanitation and hygiene services for 6.8 million; food and livelihood support for 4.1 million; cash assistance for 3.9 million; materials for emergency repairs and critical household items, including winter supplies, for 4 million people; and support to continue education for 2.5 million children and teachers. Aid organizations also provided critical child protection services for 3 million children and care givers and other protection services — counselling, legal aid and awareness programmes – to about 2.2 million. Nearly 1.6 million people were reached with services to prevent gender-based violence and assist survivors, while mine action efforts reached 1.2 million people, mostly through mine awareness and risk education activities.

In 2023, 107 inter-agency convoys ensured that critical supplies were delivered for nearly 400,000 people living close to the front line, including 7 in December alone. Throughout the month, three inter-agency convoys reached war-torn communities of Donetska Oblast, and supplies were also sent to Kharkivska and Khersonska oblasts, complementing the regular humanitarian response in these areas and the remarkable work carried out by volunteer groups and humanitarian organizations.

This provision of humanitarian assistance and aid in 2023 was possible due to strong donor support and the efforts of almost 600 humanitarian organizations, of which over 400 were national NGOs. Almost 70 per cent of the total US$3.9 billion was received for the humanitarian response. In 2023, the United States was the largest donor, contributing over $1 billion for the response, followed by Germany ($345 million), the European Union ($331 million), Japan ($171 million) and Norway ($168 million)