Half of Ukrainian children have left their homes because of the war

More than half of Ukrainian children have had to leave their homes to flee the insecurity and the fighting triggered by the invasion of the Russian Army on February 24, El UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has reported that in “a month of war in Ukraine, 4.3 million children have been displaced, more than half of the estimated child population in the country, which is 7.5 million.” Some 1.8 million Ukrainian children have crossed the border into neighboring countries and 2.5 million are displaced within Ukraine.

“The war has caused one of the fastest large-scale displacements of children since the Second World War,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, adding: “It is a sad reality that may have lasting consequences for generations to come. because children’s safety, well-being and access to essential services are threatened by unremitting and horrific violence.”

At least 81 children have died in Ukraine and 108 have been injured, according to the latest count released on Wednesday by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which stresses that the true number is likely to be much higher. The war has also had a devastating impact on civilian infrastructure and access to basic services. For example, 1.4 million people do not have access to drinking water.

Devastation

More of 450,000 children between 6 and 23 months need additional food aid, according to UNICEF. The UN agency has already observed a reduced immunization coverage for routine and childhood vaccines, including measles and polio, and fears that this will quickly lead to epidemics, especially in areas crowded with people fleeing violence. “In just a few weeks, the war has wrought great devastation on the children of Ukraine,” said Russell.

“Children urgently need peace and protection. They need their rights. UNICEF continues to call for an immediate ceasefire and the protection of children. The critical infrastructure that children depend on, including hospitals, schools and the buildings that house civilians, they must never be attacked,” he asked.

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Unicef ​​and its allies work to provide humanitarian assistance to the children of Ukraine and neighboring countries. In Ukraine, UNICEF has delivered medical supplies to 49 hospitals in 9 regions, including kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Lvivand continues to distribute water and hygiene items to besieged communities.

In the coming weeks, the organization plans to start carrying out cash transfers to the most vulnerable families and create child-friendly spaces in key locations across the country. But “despite intensive efforts to ensure safe, timely and unhindered humanitarian access, significant challenges remain in the worst-affected areas of the country,” she notes.