6 months since the escalation of the military conflict in Ukraine began

Six months have passed since the escalation of the military conflict in Ukraine began. As it has been in any other war, the decisions that adults make lead to dire consequences for children.

There are no armed operations that do not harm children. At least 972 children have been killed or injured since February 24. On average it is about five children killed or injured every day. And those are just the numbers that the United Nations has been able to verify. We believe the real number is much higher.

Not only the children who remain in Ukraine suffer. Also the ones who had to leave their homes. At least 6.6 million Ukrainians moved to European countries. Most of them are women and children.

UNICEF and its partners continue to work in Ukraine and neighboring countries, including Belarus, to provide children and their families with humanitarian assistance, child protection, water and sanitation, health, nutrition and education services.

In Ukraine, UNICEF together with its partners:

• delivered life-saving medical supplies to nearly 4 million people in areas affected by the conflict;
• delivered hygiene kits to about 455,000 people;
• ensured access to safe water for more than 3.5 million people in areas where networks were damaged or destroyed;
• provided psychological and psychosocial support to more than 1.4 million children, their parents and guardians;
• provided access to education for more than 400,000 children;
• provided school supplies for nearly 290,000 children.
   

UNICEF continues working in countries hosting refugees. Our team continues providing comprehensive assistance at the 33 UNICEF-UNHCR Blue Dots, which are located along the main transit routes. At Blue Dots, children and their parents can receive immediate medical and psychological assistance, relax and recover (children can play) in a warm room.

UNICEF is preparing for the upcoming winter season: many families, hospitals, schools cannot provide heating to buildings due to damage or lack of access to electricity or the necessary fuel.

Help for children and families from Ukraine in Belarus 

From February 24 to August 23, 2022, about 46,000 Ukrainian citizens arrived in Belarus (according to the State Border Committee).

The UNICEF Office in Belarus continues to support people affected by the conflict in Ukraine:

• we provide psychosocial assistance to children from Ukraine and their parents through partner organizations. 534 children have already received support thanks to the work of trained mobile groups of educational psychologists from social and pedagogical centers.
• we provide humanitarian aid to affected families. 884 children and 140 adults received kits with hygiene products, clothes, educational materials, toys, etc.
• we help children from Ukraine to recover and relax. In August, UNICEF Belarus and the Belarusian Red Cross Society (BRC) organized a summer vacation for children from Ukraine: 87 boys and girls aged 6-17 stayed at recreation camps in different regions of Belarus, where they received psychological assistance from specialists.
• we inform people about available services so that they understand where they can apply for help in Belarus. Therefore, together with our partners we create and distribute information brochures (links to online brochures), as well as train people who help to convey this information. Over 7000 people received the information on the services available.
• we help families prepare children from Ukraine for the school year. We have purchased and are delivering school supplies, school uniforms and sportswear to more than 1,000 children.

We are working hard to help more.

Editor’s note: UNICEF programme with Belarus Red Cross and other partners supported children who were in Belarus together with their parents and guardians. UNICEF has obtained consent forms for all children attending the recreation centres we supported through Belarus Red Cross. UNICEF does not support or recommend cross-border movements for recreational purposes, which may lead to family separation, can delay reunification, and poses other risks during a time of conflict.