Ukraine: Humanitarian Response and Funding Snapshot (January - May 2024) [EN/UK]

SITUATION UPDATE

In May, strikes across the country and intensified hostilities continued to severely impact civilians and critical civilian infrastructure, triggering new displacement and leading to power outages for millions of people. Escalated hostilities in Kharkivska Oblast caused massive destruction, forcing over 18,000 people to leave their homes. Civilians were also affected, and homes and civilian infrastructure were damaged in other front-line areas, particularly in Donetska and Khersonska oblasts, as well as in the urban centres of Odesa and Zaporizhzhia. Attacks on energy facilities disrupted electricity and water supply, exacerbating humanitarian needs.

Humanitarian organizations promptly mobilized to provide emergency support to newly displaced people. Complementing the efforts of first responders and local authorities, humanitarian partners supported over 10,000 people through the Kharkiv City Transit Centre, providing accommodation, food, hygiene supplies, clothes, as well as multi-purpose cash assistance, health care and protection services.

As of the end of May 2024, humanitarian assistance in Ukraine reached 5.2 million people. In May alone, 800,000 received at least one form of aid. The assistance was provided by over 500 humanitarian partners, including more than 360 national non-governmental organizations. Aid workers provided water, sanitation and hygiene assistance to some 3.9 million people, mainly through water system maintenance and emergency water supply. Also, nearly 2.7 million people received food assistance and farming-stimulating inputs. Nearly 1.2 million people received health-care assistance, and shelter-related emergency support was provided to almost 1 million people. Some 750,000 people received general protection assistance, and nearly 700,000 children were provided with protection services, including mental health and psychosocial support. Close to 550,000 people received assistance to ensure the continuity of learning despite the disruptions caused by the war. About 500,000 people received multi-purpose cash assistance, providing flexibility for affected families to cover their needs. Humanitarians also continued activities aimed at preventing gender-based violence and supporting survivors, conducted explosive ordnance risk education sessions and improved living conditions for internally displaced people in collective sites.

In the five months of 2024, partners delivered humanitarian assistance through 19 inter-agency convoys, providing aid to nearly 30,000 people in the most-affected front-line areas of Donetska, Kharkivska, Khersonska and Zaporizka oblasts, complementing partners’ regular programming activities.

The overall funding shortfall — only 26 per cent of the US$3.1 billion requested under the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan received as of the end of May — has resulted in humanitarian actors being unable to respond to critical needs. Predictable and timely funding is needed to ensure sustained humanitarian assistance to existing and newly arising and deepening humanitarian needs as the war continues.