New York/Kyiv, 29 July 2022 (TDI): The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is supporting Ukraine in promoting the well-being of children and families.
The ongoing war changed everything for the children across Ukraine. Many families took shelter underground during the fighting and were cut off from their homes, schools, and hospitals.
UNICEF has worked in Ukraine to promote the well-being of children by offering them makeshift schools, art classes, counselling, and other forms of assistance.
The Russian invasion changed everything for children across Ukraine.
Amid the fighting, many families sought safety underground.
See how @UNICEF has worked to support their well-being through makeshift schools, psychological aid, art classes & more.https://t.co/d5Xunquy99
— United Nations (@UN) July 29, 2022
The Russian invasion has displaced millions of people in Ukraine including children. More to this, children are being killed, wounded, and deeply traumatized by the violence resulting from the war.
UNICEF assistance to children and families in Ukraine
UNICEF is aiming to provide life-saving aid and crucial services to Ukrainian children and their families, including health, education, water, and sanitation.
To create secure environments for a child to play, study, and get emotional support, mobile child protection teams are moving across Ukraine. The teams have also distributed hygiene items, clothes, blankets, and early childhood development kits.
UNICEF distributed life-saving health and medical supplies to almost 3.8 million children and families. Almost 3.1 million people have been helped to access safe water in areas where networks have been destroyed.
UNICEF provided cash to 35,000 families, helped more than 288,000 children through the provision of learning supplies, and provided health and psychosocial support to 1.3 million children.
Additionally, UNICEF also assisted around 60,000 children through case management and referral services.
UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Afshan Khan said, “The number of children on the move is staggering, an indication of how desperate the situation for children and families in Ukraine has become.”
Khan further said that children are leaving behind everything they know as they search for safety.
UNICEF has established “Blue Dots”, one-stop safe spaces that offer essential information to traveling families.
Along with the capability to identify separated and unaccompanied children and to ensure their protection. That is, to help children and families in countries hosting Ukrainian refugees.
Furthermore, UNICEF is appealing for US$ 349 million. Specifically to prevent further deterioration of the welfare of children in Ukraine and neighboring countries. Thus, to enable the effective provision of critical life-saving support.
Most importantly, Khan said, “We’re doing everything we can to help the children and families in need but the war must end. Peace is the only sustainable solution.”
In conclusion, supplies provided by UNICEF continue to help families and children who are internally displaced.
