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

SITUATION UPDATE

Over 500 days since the escalation of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, relentless fighting and hostilities continue to drive increasing humanitarian needs, particularly impacting hundreds of thousands of people who remain in communities close to the front line. In the first six months of the year, a further escalation of hostilities and major incidents, including the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in early June, has deteriorated the already dire situation, increasing challenges for people struggling to access water, food, health services, materials to repair homes, among others. Children’s vaccinations have been impacted and coverage has steadily dropped to levels below COVID-19 times, while their right to go to school cannot be taken for granted.

Humanitarian organizations have continued efforts to support people in Ukraine, reaching nearly 7.3 million people with vital aid and protection services by the end of June. Five million people received health services and 3 million people had access to clean water and hygiene products amidst increased shortages. Humanitarian partners have also provided food to over 3.7 million people and reached 1.5 million people with emergency shelter or critical household items. Around 1 million children who fled their homes and whose schools are not fully functional have received support to continue their education and around 1 million people received protection services, including counselling, legal services, mine-awareness campaigns and services to prevent gender-based violence and to support survivors. In addition, 2.5 million people – including nearly 20,000 people affected by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam – have received multipurpose cash assistance.

Only 4 per cent of the people reached, however, live in areas under the control of the Russian Federation. Insecurity, access impediments and interferences continued to hamper assistance in these areas, despite extensive efforts and ongoing engagements to enable humanitarian operations in all parts of Ukraine.

Lack of funding, however, is hampering operations, adding to the challenges imposed by insecurity and other obstacles. Humanitarians in Ukraine had received, at the end of June, less than 30 per cent of the $3.9 billion requested for the response. In some parts of the south, east and north of the country, the humanitarian response could not reach more than 25 per cent of people targeted, due to a combination of funding shortages and other operational challenges. With escalating hostilities, international support will be critical to ensure that humanitarians in Ukraine can continue their work to assist people whose lives have been upended by the war