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Article
29 Апрель 2022
Amid war, Ukrainian mothers fight for a healthy future for children
https://www.unicef.org/eca/stories/amid-war-ukrainian-mothers-fight-healthy-future-children
Even war will not stop Hanna Omelchenko, a 30-year-old mother who fled Kyiv with her family, from getting her children vaccinated.  “I believe that vaccination is really the least we can do for our children,” she says. “Not so long ago, many children were dying from dangerous infections or suffering terrible consequences. Now medicine and science allow us to get protected.” image A few weeks ago, Hanna was cradling her twin sons in their basement as the shells pounded the ground above. Now, having found a safe place to stay in Uzhgorod, a city in western Ukraine, she is determined to give one-year-old Solomiya and Myron a shot at a healthy, peaceful future.  Yulia Dovhanych, who founded a medical center in Uzhgorod, is one of the doctors helping her to secure it. "War is not a reason to avoid vaccination,” says Yulia. “On the contrary, now all of us, both doctors and parents with children, need to be even more disciplined and take better care of our health.”   image Many Ukrainians like Hanna have found themselves far from home, without a family doctor. There are 50,000 internally displaced people in Uzhgorod alone. And, as the violence in Ukraine escalates, so too does the risk of infection outbreaks.  At the end of last year, an outbreak of polio was reported in the country’s Zakarpattia and Rivne regions, resulting in the paralysis of at least two children. Now, these regions are seeing the arrival of some of the highest numbers of internally displaced persons from across the country.   image Yulia, who has been working as a doctor for 11 years, knows all too well how crucial it is for children to be vaccinated.  “It is extremely important to protect children from polio, because there is no cure for this disease,” she says. “And it can have grave consequences, such as lifelong paralysis. Vaccination protects against such consequences and death from the disease." In Uzhgorod hundreds of displaced families have turned to local health facilities to get their children vaccinated. Some children will see a doctor for the first time, having been born only recently.  “I am glad that I found a medical center, where the children and I feel comfortable and where we get everything we need,” says Hanna. “I want to address Ukrainian mothers – vaccination is really the least you can do to protect your child. If you are not under fire and are safe, do not hesitate to vaccinate your children! All the barriers you may think of are nothing compared to the threats posed to your baby by infectious diseases.”   image "Everyone has their own fight now,” adds Yulia. “Our fight is against infectious diseases. It is a fight for health. There is no cure for polio. But there is a reliable protection – vaccination.” In the past months, millions of Ukrainian families have fled their homes and now face an uncertain future, meaning that thousands of children across the country are missing vital doses of vaccines to protect them from polio, measles, diphtheria and other life-threatening diseases. Before February 2022, a steady and measurable process has been achieved in revamping routine immunization rates to pre-pandemic levels.  Now, low immunization rates, coupled with an ongoing polio outbreak, limited access to hygiene, and overcrowded waiting and transit points in others, pose a serious threat of infectious diseases outbreaks in Ukraine.  UNICEF is providing ongoing support to the government of Ukraine and its national immunization program through training health professionals, helping to set up and maintain the vaccine cold chain system, launching communication and behavior change campaigns on the importance of vaccination, and combating misinformation about vaccines.  
Press release
25 Март 2022
More than half of Ukraine’s children displaced after one month of war
https://www.unicef.org/eca/press-releases/more-half-ukraines-children-displaced-after-one-month-war
NEW YORK/GENEVA/KYIV, 24 March 2022 – One month of war in Ukraine has led to the displacement of 4.3 million children – more than half of the country’s estimated 7.5 million child population. This includes more than 1.8 million children who have crossed into neighbouring countries as refugees and 2.5 million who are now internally displaced inside Ukraine.  “The war has caused one of the fastest large-scale displacements of children since World War II,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “This is a grim milestone that could have lasting consequences for generations to come. Children’s safety, wellbeing and access to essential services are all under threat from non-stop horrific violence.”   According to OHCHR, 78 children have been killed, and 105 have been injured in Ukraine since the start of the war on 24 February. Yet these figures represent only those reports that the UN has been able to confirm, and the true toll is likely far higher.  The war has also had devastating consequences on civilian infrastructure and access to basic services.  The World Health Organisation (WHO), for example, has reported 52 attacks impacting health care facilities across the country over the last four weeks, while Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science has reported damage to more than 500 education facilities. An estimated 1.4 million people now lack access to safe water, while 4.6 million people have limited access to water or are at risk of being cut off. Over 450,000 children aged 6 to 23 months need complementary food support.   UNICEF has already observed a reduction in vaccination coverage for routine and childhood immunizations, including measles and polio. This could quickly lead to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, especially in overcrowded areas where people are sheltering from the violence. “In just a few weeks, the war has wrought such devastation for Ukraine’s children,” said Russell. “Children urgently need peace and protection. They need their rights. UNICEF continues to appeal for an immediate cease-fire and for the protection of children from harm. Essential infrastructure on which children depend, including hospitals, schools and buildings sheltering civilians, must never come under attack.” UNICEF and its partners are working to reach children in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries with humanitarian assistance. In Ukraine, UNICEF has delivered medical supplies to 49 hospitals in 9 regions – including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Lviv – improving access to healthcare for 400,000 mothers, newborns and children. UNICEF continues to distribute water and hygiene items in communities under siege. In addition, UNICEF is increasing the number of mobile child protection teams working inside acute conflict zones from 22 to 50 and has delivered 63 trucks of lifesaving supplies to support the needs of over 2.2 million people. In the coming weeks, UNICEF will start emergency cash transfers to the most vulnerable families and establish child-friendly spaces in key locations across the country.  To protect and support the millions of children and families who have fled Ukraine, UNICEF and UNHCR in partnership with governments and civil society organizations, have created “Blue Dots,” one-stop safe spaces for children and women. ‘Blue Dots’ provide key information to travelling families, help to identify unaccompanied and separated children and ensure their protection. They also provide a hub for essential services. ‘Blue Dots’ have already been established in countries hosting Ukrainian children and women and are being scaled up over the coming days, including more than 20 in Poland. Despite intensive efforts to ensure safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access, significant challenges remain in the most affected areas across the country.  Displaced children UNICEF
Statement
14 Март 2022
Stop attacks on health care in Ukraine
https://www.unicef.org/eca/press-releases/stop-attacks-health-care-ukraine
NEW YORK/GENEVA, 13 March 2022 – “Today, we call for an immediate cessation of all attacks on health care in Ukraine. These horrific attacks are killing and causing serious injuries to patients and health workers, destroying vital health infrastructure and forcing thousands to forgo accessing health services despite catastrophic needs. "To attack the most vulnerable – babies, children, pregnant women, and those already suffering from illness and disease, and health workers risking their own lives to save lives – is an act of unconscionable cruelty. “In Ukraine, since the start of the war, 31 attacks on health care have been documented via the WHO’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA). According to these reports, in 24 incidents health care facilities were damaged or destroyed, while in five cases ambulances were damaged or destroyed. These attacks have led to at least 12 deaths and 34 injuries, and affected access to and availability of essential health services. WHO is verifying further reports, as attacks continue to be reported despite the calls for protection of health care. “Attacks on health care and health workers directly impact people’s ability to access essential health services – especially women, children and other vulnerable groups. We have already seen that the health care needs of pregnant women, new mothers, younger children and older people inside Ukraine are rising, while access to services is being severely limited by the violence. “For example, more than 4,300 births have occurred in Ukraine since the start of the war and 80,000 Ukrainian women are expected to give birth in the next three months. Oxygen and medical supplies, including for the management of pregnancy complications, are running dangerously low. “The health care system in Ukraine is clearly under significant strain, and its collapse would be a catastrophe. Every effort must be made to prevent this from happening. “International humanitarian and human rights law must be upheld, and the protection of civilians must be our top priority. “Humanitarian partners and health care workers must be able to safely maintain and strengthen essential health service delivery, including immunization against COVID-19 and polio, and the supply of life-saving medicines for civilians across Ukraine as well as to refugees crossing into neighbouring countries. Health services should be systematically available at border crossings, including rapid care and referral processes for children and pregnant women.  “It is critical that humanitarian actors have safe and unimpeded access to reach ALL civilians in need wherever they may be. UNICEF, UNFPA and WHO are working with partners to scale up life-saving services and support to meet urgent health needs. We must be able to safely deliver emergency medical supplies – including those required for obstetric and neonatal care – to health centers, temporary facilities and underground shelters. “Health care and services should be protected from all acts of violence and obstruction. Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has already put health systems and health care workers under enormous strain, such attacks have the potential to be even more devastating for the civilian population. For the sake of health workers, and for all people in Ukraine who need access to the lifesaving services they provide, attacks on all health care and other civilian infrastructure must stop. “Finally, we call for an immediate ceasefire, which includes unhindered access so that people in need can access humanitarian assistance. A peaceful resolution to end the war in Ukraine is possible.” Two newborn babies in a maternity clinic in Ukraine. UNICEF Two newborn babies being cared for at a makeshift maternity clinic in Ukraine.
News note
25 Февраль 2022
UNICEF Geneva Palais briefing note on the situation of children in Ukraine
https://www.unicef.org/eca/press-releases/unicef-geneva-palais-briefing-note-situation-children-ukraine
GENEVA, 25 February 2022 - "As many of you know, the military operation in Ukraine poses an immediate threat to the lives and wellbeing of the country’s 7.5 million children. "As we speak, there have been major attacks in Kyiv that have created great fear and panic among the population, with families really scared, moving alongside their children into subways and shelters. This is clearly a terrifying moment for children across the country. "UNICEF has been working for the past 8 years in and across eastern Ukraine to scale up life-saving programmes for children. This includes trucking safe water to conflict-affected areas; prepositioning health, hygiene and emergency education supplies as close as possible to communities near the line of contact; and working with municipalities to ensure there is immediate help for children and families in need. "We have staff in the country in more than 5 locations. "UNICEF has been supporting mobile teams to provide psychosocial support to traumatized children, and that has further elevated as a result of the insecurity. These child protection teams provide case management - they respond to violence, abuse, separation from family, gender-based violence, mental health and psychosocial support, and disability cases. "But clearly, in the last few days, the needs of children and families are escalating in line with the conflict. As many of you have seen, evacuations are ongoing in Luhansk Oblast and have started in Donetsk. Needs are wide, ranging from hygiene products to blankets, to gas burners , to first aid kits. "UNICEF - along with the rest of the UN family - calls on all parties to protect all children at all times and to ensure that humanitarian actors can safely and quickly reach children in need, wherever they are. "UNICEF also calls on all parties to refrain from attacking essential infrastructure on which children depend - including water and sanitation systems, health facilities and schools. Already we have reports of grave shortages, along with a fast-rising number of requests for psychological support, and care for children. "UNICEF is seeking US$66.4 million to provide access to basic services including water and sanitation, immunization and health care, schooling and learning, psychosocial support, and emergency cash assistance for up to 7.5 million children inside Ukraine. "We will be working with UNHCR and other UN agencies in the coming days for a Flash Appeal for the surrounding countries and we have activated what we call the ‘Blue Dots’ which we used during the refugee and migrant crisis in Europe during 2015-2016, providing essential services en route where families and children have been evacuated in surrounding countries. "I know that as we rush, and my colleagues will probably speak to this, to tally the civilian casualties, including among children, we clearly have to address the trauma of the living. "So we count on the joint efforts of the entire UN family to support this response." Children in Ukraine UNICEF
Article
13 Май 2021
Safeguarding the health of refugee and migrant children during COVID-19
https://www.unicef.org/eca/stories/safeguarding-health-refugee-and-migrant-children-during-covid-19
"When COVID arrived here, I thought: ‘It's over, it will spread throughout the building’. I didn't think it was possible to avoid the spread of the outbreak. Instead, we have had very few cases and we owe this, above all, to the support we received from INTERSOS and UNICEF."  Josehaly (Josy), a refugee living in Rome A field worker from Intersos fastens a mask for a young refugee girl in Rome. A field worker from Intersos fastens a mask for a young refugee girl in Rome. The ‘RM Child-Health’ initiative is funding work across five European countries to keep refugee and migrant children connected to health services. While the COVID-19 pandemic was not foreseen when the initiative was first launched, the strategic principles underpinning the ‘RM Child-Health’ initiative – flexibility, responsiveness to real needs, and building on what works – meant that UNICEF and partners could swing into action to safeguard the health and wellbeing of refugee and migrant children and overcome intensified and unprecedented challenges. Since the launch of the 27-month ‘RM Child-Health’ initiative in January 2020, activities were adapted quickly to address access to health services during the COVID-19 crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Serbia. This €4.3 million initiative, co-funded by the European Union Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, has shown refugee and migrant children and families how to protect themselves and others, and that they have every right to health care – even in a pandemic. The rapid escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe in 2020 exacerbated the already worrying state of health and wellbeing of the region’s most vulnerable people, including refugee and migrant children, and has had a protracted impact on their access to health and other vital services. The situation has been particularly dire for refugees and migrants who are not in formal reception sites, and who are, therefore, harder to reach and monitor. Refugee and migrant families living in over-crowded conditions with limited access to sanitation are at high risk of infection. These communities have often had to face a ‘double lockdown’, confined to their settlements and camps and having little or no access to accurate information on protecting themselves and others.  The additional pressures have been severe. UNICEF and its partners in Bulgaria have seen appeals for support double from 30 to 60 cases per day. Far more refugees and asylum-seekers have been in urgent need of financial and material support, having lost their incomes because of the pandemic. There have been increased requests for support to meet the cost of medical care for children, which is not covered by the state budget, and more requests for psychosocial support. This increase in demand has, of course, coincided with serious challenges for service delivery. Restrictions on movement have curtailed in-person services, and partners have had to adapt the way in which they connect with refugees and migrants. The pandemic has had a direct impact on the provision of group sessions to share health-related information, as well as on the timely identification of children and women suffering from or at risk of health-related issues. The impact on vital services for timely and quality maternal and child health care, psychosocial support, recreational and non-formal services, and on services to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV) has been profound. In Bulgaria, UNICEF and its partners were able to take immediate measures with support from the ‘RM Child-Health’ initiative to alleviate the impact, including online awareness raising and information sessions and the use of different channels for communication, including social media. UNICEF’s partners, the Council of Refugee Women in Bulgaria (CRWB) and the Mission Wings Foundation (MWF) adapted service delivery to allow both face-to-face interaction (while maintaining social distancing for safety) as well as assistance online and by telephone. Partners were able to continue to provide direct social services support while also delivering online consultations to refugees and migrants on cases of violence, as well as referral to specialized services. In Greece, the initiative supported the development of child-friendly information posters and stickers for refugee and migrant children and their families on critical preventive measures and on what to do and where to go if they experience any COVID-19 symptoms. In Italy, the initiative has supported outreach teams and community mobilization, providing refugee and migrant families with the information and resources they need to keep the pandemic at bay. In Rome, for example, health promoters from Intersos continued to work directly with refugee and migrant communities in informal settlements, not only to prevent infection but also to keep their spirits high, as one health promoter explained: "We have organized housing modules that are not only designed to keep the community safe, but also to stop loneliness overwhelming the people forced into isolation. The entire community has assisted people affected by the virus by cooking, washing clothes and offering all possible support, particularly to the children."  UNICEF and its partners in Italy, as in other countries, have aimed to maintain continuity and unimpeded access to key services. Child protection, for example, has been mainstreamed into all project activities, and additional measures have been introduced, with a ramping up of activities to raise awareness and share information. UNICEF partners adapted quickly to the pandemic, with Médecins du Monde (MdM) activating a hotline number to provide remote counselling and psychological first aid (PFA). Centro Penc shifted to remote case management and individual psychological support, strengthening the capacity of cultural mediators to support GBV survivors, with UNICEF’s support. Young people were consulted and engaged through UNICEF’s online platform U-Report on the Move, with young U-reporters sharing information on the increased risks of GBV, as well as on available services. In Serbia, the initiative has supported UNICEF’s efforts to improve the immunization process for refugee children and migrants by strengthening the assessment and monitoring process. As a result of such efforts, refugees and migrants have been included in the national COVID-19 Immunization Plan.  
Press release
04 Май 2020
With financial support from the European Union UNICEF launches the ‘RM Child-Health’ project to strengthen vulnerable refugee and migrant children’s health
https://www.unicef.org/eca/press-releases/financial-support-european-union-unicef-launches-rm-child-health-project-strengthen
Logo Logo   BRUSSELS, GENEVA, 5 May 2020 – Under the Health Programme of the European Union, the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety has committed a project grant to  UNICEF to support work ensuring refugee and migrant children and their families have access to quality health care and accurate health information in Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Spain, Bosnia Herzegovina and Serbia. Refugee and migrant children and their families often have more health-related risks and face a number of barriers accessing quality health care. Many children and families also live with severe emotional distress due to the trauma of fleeing home, undertaking dangerous journeys and experiencing abuse and exploitation, including sexual and gender-based violence. The global COVID19 pandemic further exacerbates these health challenges.  “With the ongoing pandemic, protecting every child and adult’s right to health care and accurate heath information is paramount. This collaboration with the EU Health Programme will help ensure the most vulnerable refugee and migrant children will have better access to primary healthcare services, psychosocial support as well as violence prevention and response services,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia and Special Coordinator for the Refuge and Migrant Response in Europe, Ms. Afshan Khan. The project ‘RM Child-Health’ will help improve the health of refugee and migrant children by improving their access to life-saving immunizations, mental health and psychosocial support, gender-based violence prevention and response activities as well as maternal and newborn health care and nutrition support. Information materials on health-related risks and services available for refugee and migrant populations will be created and shared. Medical interpreters and cultural mediators will be deployed to support communication between children and families and health care providers. The project ‘RM Child-Health’ will also support training programmes so frontline health care workers can better respond to the specific needs of refugee and migrant children and their families. In parallel, national health authorities will benefit from technical support to develop, update and improve the implementation of health policies and address bottlenecks in national health systems that currently prevent refugee and migrant children from accessing services. Refugee mother feeding her baby at ADRA community centre in Belgrade. UNICEF/UNI220342/Pancic
Press release
30 Январь 2018
UNICEF seeks $3.6 billion in emergency assistance for 48 million children caught up in catastrophic humanitarian crises
https://www.unicef.org/eca/press-releases/unicef-seeks-36-billion-emergency-assistance-48-million-children-caught-catastrophic
NEW YORK/GENEVA, 30 January 2018 – UNICEF Humanitarian Action for Children 2018 UNICEF appealed today for $3.6 billion to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance to 48 million children living through conflict, natural disasters and other emergencies in 51 countries in 2018.  Around the world, violent conflict is driving humanitarian needs to critical levels, with children especially vulnerable. Conflicts that have endured for years – such as those in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Nigeria, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, among other countries –  continue to deepen in complexity, bringing new waves of violence, displacement and disruption to children’s lives.  “Children cannot wait for wars to be brought to an end, with crises threatening the immediate survival and long term future of children and young people on a catastrophic scale,” said UNICEF Director of Emergency Programmes, Manuel Fontaine. “Children are the most vulnerable when conflict or disaster causes the collapse of essential services such as healthcare, water and sanitation. Unless the international community takes urgent action to protect and provide life-saving assistance to these children, they face an increasingly bleak future.” Parties to conflicts are showing a blatant disregard for the lives of children. Children are not only coming under direct attack, but are also being denied basic services as schools, hospitals and civilian infrastructure are damaged or destroyed. Approximately 84 per cent ($3.015 billion) of the 2018 funding appeal is for work in countries affected by humanitarian crises borne of violence and conflict. The world is becoming a more dangerous place for many children, with almost one in four children now living in a country affected by conflict or disaster. For too many of these children, daily life is a nightmare.  The spread of water-borne diseases is one of the greatest threats to children’s lives in crises. Attacks on water and sanitation infrastructure, siege tactics which deny children access to safe water, as well as forced displacement into areas with no water and sanitation infrastructure – all leave children and families at risk of relying on contaminated water and unsafe sanitation. Girls and women face additional threats, as they often fulfil the role of collecting water for their families in dangerous situations.  “117 million people living through emergencies lack access to safe water and in many countries affected by conflict, more children die from diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation than from direct violence,” said Fontaine. “Without access to safe water and sanitation, children fall ill, and are often unable to be treated as hospitals and health centres either do not function or are overcrowded. The threat is even greater as millions of children face life-threatening levels of malnutrition, making them more susceptible to water-borne diseases like cholera, creating a vicious cycle of undernutrition and disease.” As the leading humanitarian agency on water, sanitation and hygiene in emergencies, UNICEF provides over half of the emergency water, sanitation and hygiene services in humanitarian crises around the world.  When disasters strike, UNICEF works with partners to quickly provide access to safe drinking water, sanitation services and hygiene supplies to prevent the spread of disease. This includes establishing latrines, distributing hygiene kits, trucking thousands of litres of water to displacement camps daily, supporting hospitals and cholera treatment centres, and repairing water and sanitation systems. These measures save lives, have long-term impact and pave the way for other important services like health clinics, vaccination programmes, nutrition support and emergency education.  The largest component of UNICEF’s appeal this year is for children and families caught up in the Syria conflict, soon to enter its eighth year. UNICEF is seeking almost $1.3 billion to support 6.9 million Syrian children inside Syria and those living as refugees in neighbouring countries. Working with partners and with the support of donors, in 2018 UNICEF aims to: Provide 35.7 million people with access to safe water;  Reach 8.9 million children with formal or non-formal basic education;  Immunize 10 million children against measles; Provide psychosocial support to over 3.9 million children; Treat 4.2 million children with severe acute malnutrition. In the first ten months of 2017, as a result of UNICEF’s support:  29.9 million people were provided with access to safe water; 13.6 million children were vaccinated against measles; 5.5 million children accessed some form of education; 2.5 million children were treated for severe acute malnutrition; 2.8 million children accessed psycho-social support.    Sonia, 14 remembers the teachers helping to her calm down. UNICEF/UN0312564/Filippov
Press release
07 Декабрь 2016
Nearly a quarter of the world’s children live in conflict or disaster-stricken countries
https://www.unicef.org/eca/press-releases/quarter-worlds-children-live-conflict
NEW YORK, 9 December 2016 – An estimated 535 million children – nearly one in four – live in countries affected by conflict or disaster, often without access to medical care, quality education, proper nutrition and protection, UNICEF said today. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to nearly three-quarters – 393 million – of the global number of children living in countries affected by emergencies, followed by the Middle East and North Africa where 12 per cent of these children reside. The new figures are released as UNICEF, on Sunday 11 December 2016, marks 70 years of relentless work in the world’s toughest places to bring life-saving aid, long-term support, and hope to children whose lives and futures are threatened by conflict, crises, poverty, inequality and discrimination. “UNICEF was established to bring help and hope to children whose lives and futures are endangered by conflict and deprivation, and this enormous figure – representing the individual lives of half a billion children – is a sharp reminder that our mission is becoming more urgent every day,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. The impact of conflict, natural disasters and climate change is forcing children to flee their homes, trapping them behind conflict lines, and putting them at risk of disease, violence and exploitation. Nearly 50 million children have been uprooted – more than half of them driven from their homes by conflicts.  As violence continues to escalate across Syria, the number of children living under siege has doubled in less than one year. Nearly 500,000 children now live in 16 besieged areas across the country, almost completely cut off from sustained humanitarian aid and basic services. In northeastern Nigeria, nearly 1.8 million people are displaced, almost 1 million of them are children. In Afghanistan, nearly half of primary-aged children are out of school. In Yemen, nearly 10 million children are affected by the conflict. In South Sudan, 59 per cent of primary-aged children are out of school and 1 in 3 schools is closed in conflict affected areas. More than two months after Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti, more than 90,000 children under five remain in need of assistance. The emergencies faced today by the most vulnerable children threaten to undermine immense progress made in recent decades: Since 1990, the number of children dying before their fifth birthday halved and hundreds of millions of children have been lifted out of poverty. Out-of-school rates among primary-school-aged children have reduced by more than 40 per cent between 1990 and 2014. Despite significant progress, too many children are being left behind because of their gender, race, religion, ethnic group or disability; because they live in poverty or in hard-to-reach communities; or simply because they are children. “Whether children live in a country in conflict or a country in peace, their development is critical not only to their individual futures but also to the future of their societies,” said Lake.   Notes to Editors: Please note that the figures refer to the number of children living in countries affected by conflict, crisis and disaster. The figures have been calculated by using population data for countries where UNICEF has a humanitarian appeal. UNICEF by numbers Nutrition In the 1940s, UNICEF began providing emergency nutrition aid, mainly in the form of milk, to children in post-World War II Europe. In 2015, UNICEF and partners worldwide treated 2.9 million children for severe acute malnutrition. Health In the 1950s, UNICEF’s first immunization campaigns targeted diseases such as tuberculosis and yaws. In 2015, UNICEF procured 2.8 billion doses of vaccines, helping to protect 45 per cent of the world’s children under age 5 from deadly diseases. In 1998, UNICEF became a founding member of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership to support malaria treatment and research, and expand prevention measures such as long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets. In 2015, UNICEF procured 22.3 million bed nets to protect children and families in 30 countries. Education In 1961, UNICEF expanded its programmatic focus to include children’s education. In 2015, UNICEF provided 7.5 million children aged 3 to 18 with access to formal or non-formal basic education. Child protection In 1989, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which specifies that all children should be registered at birth to establish their existence under the law and safeguard many of their rights. In 2015, more than 9.7 million births were registered in 54 countries with support from UNICEF. Water, sanitation and hygiene In 1953, UNICEF launched its first efforts to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene for children and families in need, and it has expanded that work with many partners over time. Between 1990 and 2015, 2.6 billion people gained access to improved drinking water sources and 2.1 billion gained access to improved sanitation facilities. Humanitarian action Since its founding, UNICEF has never stopped responding to humanitarian emergencies affecting children – particularly those already burdened by poverty and disadvantage. In 2015, UNICEF and partners: • Vaccinated 11.3 million children against measles in countries affected by crisis. • Provided 4 million children in emergency situations with access to formal or non-formal basic education. • Provided psychosocial support for 2 million children caught in conflicts and natural disasters. General Comparative Facts In 1955, UNICEF was assisting 92 countries and territories. In 2016, UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories. The first National Committee for UNICEF was formed in the United States in 1947 to raise funds and awareness on the agency’s behalf. In 2016, there are 34 National Committees around the world. In 1972, UNICEF employed about 1,000 international and locally recruited staff members. In 2016, it has a global staff of approximately 13,000. Liana, 11, sits on her bed in her home just kilometres from the frontline in eastern Ukraine. UNICEF/UN017963/Georgiev
Programme
18 Октябрь 2017
Refugee and migrant children in Europe
https://www.unicef.org/eca/refugee-and-migrant-children
People have always migrated to flee from trouble or to find better opportunities. Today, more people are on the move than ever, trying to escape from climate change, poverty and conflict, and aided as never before by digital technologies. Children make up one-third of the world’s population, but almost half of the world’s refugees: nearly 50 million children have migrated or been displaced across borders.   We work to prevent the causes that uproot children from their homes While working to safeguard refugee and migrant children in Europe, UNICEF is also working on the ground in their countries of origin to ease the impact of the poverty, lack of education, conflict and insecurity that fuel global refugee and migrant movements. In every country, from Morocco to Afghanistan, and from Nigeria to Iraq, we strive to ensure all children are safe, healthy, educated and protected.  This work accelerates and expands when countries descend into crisis. In Syria, for example, UNICEF has been working to ease the impact of the country’s conflict on children since it began in 2011. We are committed to delivering essential services for Syrian families and to prevent Syria's children from becoming a ‘ lost generation ’. We support life-saving areas of health , nutrition , immunization , water and sanitation, as well as education and child protection . We also work in neighbouring countries to support Syrian refugee families and the host communities in which they have settled.   
Report
01 Октябрь 2019
Mine Victim Assistance Needs in Ukraine
https://www.unicef.org/eca/reports/mine-victim-assistance-needs-ukraine
MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 3 The Report has been prepared by the Danish Refugee Council-Danish Demining Group (DRC-DDG) in Ukraine with the support of the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). The information contained in this report was obtained and analysed in good faith and is accurate to the best of DRC-DDGs knowledge. Conclusions and opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the official position of UNICEF. The report has been prepared for use by DRC-DDG and UNICEF. The contents of this report may include some confidential and sensitive data. Any further dissemination of information enclosed is to be agreed by both parties in advance. ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is an international humanitarian non-governmental and non-profit organi-zation operating in 35 countries. DRCs mandate includes the implementation of protection programmes, assis-tance, and promotion of long-term solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons as well as other popula-tion groups affected by conflicts or natural disasters. The DRC has operated in Ukraine since June 2007. In January 2013, the programme for the protection of refugees and asylum-seekers and strengthening of government and civil society capacities ended. In 2014, the DRC returned to Ukraine to provide immediate support to internally displaced people and affected civilians in eastern Ukraine. The DRC headquarters in Ukraine are located in Kyiv. Program offices are located in Mariupol, Sloviansk, Severodonetsk and Berdyansk. DDG is a specialist unit operating within DRC to protect civilians from the harmful effects of landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW). DDG has been operating in Ukraine since November 2014, with operations focussed in the east of the country. The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) works across 190 countries and territories to reach the children and young people who are most at risk and most in need. We work to save their lives. To protect their rights. To keep them safe from harm. To give them a childhood in which they are protected, healthy, and educated. To give them a fair chance to fulfil their potential, so that someday, they can build a better world. UNICEF opened its office in Kyiv in 1997. Over the years, UNICEF has supported the Government of Ukraine to develop health, water and sanitation, education and protection programmes for children. Since the beginning of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, UNICEF works to fulfill the core commitments for children in humanitarian action, including access to education, psychosocial support, water and sanitation, mine risk education, maternal and child health and HIV and AIDS services. This publication was produced with the financial support of the German Government. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the views of the German Government. MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT4 MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 5 CONTENTS LIST OF ACRONYMS 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 8 INTRODUCTION 9 Background 10 Setting the context: key data 11 METHODOLOGY 12 LIMITATIONS 14 KEY FINDINGS 15 Analysis child mine/erw survivors 18 Analysis by age and gender 18 Analysis by geography 19 Analysis by type of item and cause of accident 20 Analysis by type of injury 21 Analysis by social profile and economic impact 22 Analysis: needs and barriers to assistance for child mine/erw survivors 24 Emergency and continuing medical care 24 Physical and other rehabilitation 25 Psychological and psychosocial support 26 Social (and economic inclusion) 27 Laws and public policies 29 Analysis: stakeholders and services 30 Data collection 31 Emergency and continuing medical care 34 Physical and other rehabilitation 36 Psychological and psycho-social support 39 Social and economic inclusion 41 Laws and public policies 43 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 44 Data collection 44 Emergency and ongoing medical care 45 Physical and other rehabilitation 46 Psychological and psychosocial support 46 Social and economic inclusion 47 Laws and public policies 47 Conclusions paper 48 MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 7 LIST OF ACRONYMS CAS Child Affairs Services CIMIC Civil-Military Cooperation Group DDG Danish Demining Group DOE Department of Education DOH Department of Health DOSP Department of Social Protection DRC Danish Refugee Council ERW Explosive Remnants of War GCA Government-controlled Area ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross IED Improvised Explosive Device MOD Ministry of Defence MOE Ministry of Education MOH Ministry of Health MOIA Ministry of Internal Affairs MTOT Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons NGCA Non-government-controlled Area NGO Non-governmental Organization OSCE Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe SES State Emergency Service UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund UXO Unexploded Ordnance WHO World Health Organization MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT8 Concerted efforts, albeit relatively modest, are now being directed towards the issue of explosive hazard contamination, as it continues to climb higher on the agenda of the Government of Ukraine. The rising prominence of the landmine issue has been underscored lately by the passing of specific legislation on mine action (Law 9080/01 of 6 December 2018) as well as an official request by the Government of Ukraine for an extension to the deadline by which it must meet its obligations under the Anti-Personnel Landmine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty). Whilst the mine action sector is gathering momentum in terms of funding for risk education programmes and clearance operations, a key area that is currently being overlooked by the government and the donor community alike is that of mine victim assistance. This preliminary needs assessment covers mine victim assistance in Ukraine. It focuses mainly on child victims and is a synthesis of primary data, reports, and key informant interviews collected from field level through to government level, coming directly from victims of mines/ERW themselves, social services, government administrations at district and regional level and national / international NGOs. The assessment was conducted between September and November 2018 in government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, and in Kyiv. The assessment was supported by UNICEF and the Government of Germany and conducted by the Danish Refugee Council Danish Demining Group (DRC-DDG). It was made possible by: The willingness and help of families of child mine/ERW survivors, who shared their life stories and experience; The work of DRC-DDG interviewers, who travelled long distances to find the survivors and communicated with the families of child mine/ERW survivors with care and empathy; and The support received from the authorities, NGOs and volunteers at state, regional and local levels who helped to identify the survivors and facilitate referrals. The findings of this assessment point to gaps across the all the key areas of mine victim assistance as defined in the United Nations Policy on Victim Assistance in Mine Action. Common themes present themselves throughout the analysis, such as a clear and urgent need for a centralized and standardized system for the collection, maintenance and analysis of data on mine victims, as well as a need for a more co-ordinated and less bureaucratic system of treatment for victims, from the moment of the accident through to final recovery. By first collecting and analysing data from existing child mine/ERW victims in Ukraine and then evaluating the environment for victim assistance by examining the services available and interacting directly with relevant ministries and stakeholders, DRC-DDG was able to arrive at a number of conclusions and recommendations formed from the exercise, to a level of detail and thoroughness that does not appear to have been previously been made on the topic in Ukraine. While certain limitations are recognized within the report (mainly arising from time, resources and the necessity to focus mainly on child victims), DRC-DDG is confident that this assessment provides a good overall picture of the current state of the mine/ERW victim assistance environment within Ukraine, as well as areas for its development and expansion. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As a direct result of the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, large swathes of the Donbas region, on both sides of the contact line, have become contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). The number and frequency of civilian casualties as a result of this contamination has propelled Ukraine into the unenviable position of one of the most mine-affected countries in the world. MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 9 The objective of the report is to present the current situa-tion of child mine/ERW survivors and their families in terms of their path from accident to recovery, and to identify the outstanding needs in this process. In parallel, the report shows the capacity of governmental and non-governmental structures to provide support to child mine/ERW survivors. The assessment aims to identify how current programming in Ukraine can best address needs, according to the mine victim assistance pillars identified in international best practice. The results of this needs assessment will inform the devel-opment of further steps in mine victim assistance program-ming in Ukraine and provide recommendations for eliminat-ing gaps and strengthening existing capacities. To implement this needs assessment of child mine/ERW victims and to prepare the report, DRC-DDG was guided by International Mine Action Standards, the United Nations Policy on Victim Assistance in Mine Action, and Assistance to Victims of Land Mines and Explosive Remnants of War: Guidance on Child Focused Victim Assistance (UNICEF). According to the United Nations Policy on Victim Assistance in Mine Action, Mine Victim Assistance is based on the fol-lowing six spheres: 🅐 Data collection, including contextual analysis and a needs assessment, as a starting point, to understand the extent of the problem and anticipated challenges in addressing it; 🅑 Emergency and continuing medical care, including emergency first aid to the victim of the explosion and ongoing medical care other than physical rehabilitation; 🅒 Physical and other rehabilitation, including physiotherapy, as well as assistive and mobility devices; 🅓 Psychological and psychosocial support; 🅔 Social and economic inclusion, inclusive education, as well as access to basic services and disability awareness; and 🅕 Establishment, enforcement and implementation of relevant laws and public policies. It is important to acknowledge that the policy emphasizes a comprehensive approach to mine victim assistance, ena-bling victims to realize their human rights. The above-men-tioned spheres should not be seen as separate sets of actions. They form the basis for a holistic and integrated approach to realization of the human rights of mine/ERW victims. In the context of the United Nations Policy on Mine Action, the term victim refers to a person who has suffered physical, emotional and psychological injury, economic loss or substantial impairment of his or her fundamental rights through acts or omissions related to the use of mines or the presence of ERW. Victims include directly impacted individ-uals (including persons injured and killed); their families; and communities affected by mines, ERW, cluster munitions or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) following conflict. The term survivor refers to a person who was harmed or injured as a result of a mine, ERW, cluster munition or IED accident and has survived the accident. 1 1 UN Policy on Victim Assistance in Mine Action (2016) INTRODUCTION MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT10 The issue of contamination from explosive remnants of war (ERW) is not new to Ukraine. Since World War II, which saw large swathes of Ukraine fought over, Ukrainian police, mili-tary and civil defence units have consistently been engaged in clearing the remnants of war in order to protect the lives of civilians from unexploded and potentially unstable ordnance. However, Ukrainians now face an additional threat: one which has come about as a result of recent hostilities in the east of the county and which involves decidedly more mod-ern and more powerful weapons of war. Large areas of the Donbas region are now contaminated by the explosive rem-nants of a more recent conflict, including landmines, which are understood to have been laid on an industrial scale during the fighting of the last four years, placing Ukraine amongst the most mine-affected countries in the world, alongside countries such as Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. Owing to the evolution of their design and manufacture, modern landmines (as well as items such as grenades that can effectively be deployed as victim-operated devices through the use of tripwires, for example) are able to re-main in position and functional for decades, posing a threat to the lives of civilians long after fighting may have ceased in these areas. Ukraine is now realizing the devastating effects of such weapons with over 1,500 casualties of land-mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) recorded since the beginning of the current conflict in 2014. With the conflict now having entered a low-intensity phase, casualties arising from landmines/UXO are now regularly greater than those as a result of direct conflict. Ironically, as the intensity of the conflict further de-escalates and displaced persons are able to return to their former places of residence in higher numbers, DRC-DDG fully expects the casualty rates from landmines/UXO to increase. Since the start of the conflict, between June 2014 and Oc-tober 2018, a total of 827 mine/explosive remnants of war (ERW) accidents were recorded by DDG from open sources. Of the 1,582 casualties, 119 were children (73 mine/ERW accidents), of whom 105 child victims (64 accidents) were in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts (65 per cent in non-govern-ment-controlled areas). The clearance of landmines and UXO is a resource-heavy, intensive and painstaking process requiring the mobiliza-tion of significant amounts of funding, machinery and hu-man capital. It is imperative, therefore, that while clearance efforts are underway, parallel support should be provided for those who continue to suffer the consequences of landmines/UXO, specifically those who receive grievous injuries through no fault of their own and must suffer the consequences for the rest of their lives. Victim assistance (VA) therefore is recognized in inter-national best practice as one of the five core activities or pillars that should be pursued and developed by the gov-ernments of countries that are affected by landmine/UXO contamination, in proportion to the scale of the problem. Governments of affected countries should maintain clear visibility on how landmines/UXO are affecting the popu-lation, and make every effort to compensate civilians for damages sustained as a result of contamination. Further-more, governments that have committed to the Interna-tional Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty, such as the Gov-ernment of Ukraine, are all the more obliged to maintain visibility on issues pertaining to landmine contamination and progress towards compliance with treaty obligations, including commitments to clear all known contaminated lands as well as to appropriately care for individuals that suffer as a result of mines. While the mine action sector in Ukraine is still in the early stages of development, DRC-DDG and UNICEF intend to support the Government and accelerate progress towards adoption of international standards across key areas, includ-ing, crucially, mine victim assistance. By working to identify the needs, gaps and opportunities for further development within mine victim assistance, DRC-DDG and UNICEF aim to work with the Government and international community to bring a wider and higher standard of care to those who need it the most. BACKGROUND MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 11 Ukraine ranks among the most severely affected places in the world for casualties as a result of landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) after two world wars and the continuing conflict in the east.2 Landmines, ERWs and unexploded ordnance (UXO) were the leading cause of conflict-related child casualties in Ukraine in 2017, accounting for about two-thirds of all recorded deaths and injuries and leaving many children with lifelong disabilities. Ukraine signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 24 Feb-ruary 1999 and ratified it on 27 December 2005, becoming a State Party on 1 June 2006. The Ministry of Education and Science has de-veloped and approved the Concept of the New Ukrainian School, a strategy for reforming second-ary education by 2029. Ukraine is yet to endorse the Safe Schools Decla-ration: the Ministry of Education and Science in Ukraine has communicated plans to submit rele-vant documentation to the Cabinet of Ministers to proceed. 2 Landmine Monitor 2017 As of 2017, only 2.5 per cent of the total health budget is dedicated to mental health, and the majority of this funding (89 per cent) goes toward inpatient mental health care.3 Most people with common mental disorders (up to 75 per cent) do not access adequate mental health care. Stigma and discrimination, fear of having a public record, and availability of services are major barriers.4 The Government has adopted the National Action Plan for Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the period until 2020. Harmonization of national legislation with European human rights standards is in pro-cess. Ukraine signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 24 September 2008 and ratified it on 4 February 2010. 3 Mental health in transition Report, World Bank Group, 2017 4 Mental health in transition Report, World Bank Group, 2017 SETTING THE CONTEXT: KEY DATA MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT12 Tools and data collection In order to provide an overview of the current situation of child mine/ERW victims, their families, existing needs, access to services in conflict-affected areas, existing service providers, legislative frameworks and mechanisms for mine victim assistance in Ukraine and gaps in covering child mine/ERW victims needs, a combination of quantitative and qual-itative methods was used. The needs assessment includes both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data was collected directly at commu-nity level by DRC-DDG (key informant interviews and house-holds interviews). Secondary data was derived from other sources, such as the DDG mine action database and reports, institutional and governmental sources (laws, resolutions, orders and so on), as well as a comprehensive desk review of existing material produced by other humanitarian actors. In order to achieve wide coverage, DRC-DDG consulted and collaborated with a wide range of other actors. Quantitative data collection tools A questionnaire was developed to collect quantitative data through household (HH) interviews. It was partly based on questionnaires developed by humanitarian agencies and used to assess the needs and situation of mine victims in Azerbaijan, Mozambique and Myanmar. The questionnaire was finalized and validated based on input from the MEAL department of DRC-DDG Ukraine. It was then used in per-sonal interviews with respondents. Data disaggregation (age, sex, location and so on) were taken into account when developing methods for data collection and recording. Team members were trained before the start of the assessment on interviewing techniques, ethics, disability and victims issues, rules and practical application of the questionnaire. Household interviews were carried out in the preferred language of the respondents (Ukrainian or Russian). Qualitative data collection tools In order to measure the level of inclusion of child mine/ERW victims and their families, other actors in the commu-nity, including public and private institutions (local NGOs and local authorities) as well as service providers (hospitals, schools and social services) were interviewed. Key inform-ant interviews (KIIs) focused on the six elements of mine victim assistance. A questionnaire was designed to collect qualitative data through KIIs. It was finalized with a review by the MEAL de-partment. All notes during KIIs were recorded in a reporting format for further analysis. DRC-DDG conducted meetings at national level with the Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs of Ukraine (MTOT), the Ministry of Social Policy (MSP), the Min-istry of Health (MoH), the Ministry of Education (MoE), the State Service for War Veterans Affairs, the Commissioner for Observance of the Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada (Ombudsman), the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and two national experts on child protection. In Luhansk and Donetsk, district level meetings were held with the Child Affairs Services (CAS); the Department of Civil Protection, the Centre for Social Services for Families, Children and Youth; the Department of Education; the Department of Health; the National Police; the Juvenile Police; Lysychansk Childrens Hospital, Department Head of State Emergency Service in Donetsk Oblast; and the Department of Social Protection. At the local level, meetings were held with the Social Protection Unit in Volnovakha Rayon, Stanichno-Lu-hanska Rayon Administration, Svatovo Rayon Hospital, , Mykolske Child Affairs Service, Mykolske Village Council, Zlatoustivka Village Council, Krasnohorivka Village Coun-cil, Zorya Village Council, the Inclusive Resource Centre in Volnovakha, Volnovakha Rayon Rehabilitation Centre for Children with Disabilities, Kurahove Town Hospital, Krasno-horivka Hospital, the School in Zlatoustivka, the School in Hranitne, and the School in Berestove. Other stakeholders met included local NGOs (Proliska, Pomozhem and Divis Certsem), international NGOs (Save the Children, SOS Chil-drens Villages), and international entities (ICRC, the United Nations Education Cluster, WHO and the OSCE). Geographical area of assessment The needs assessment of child mine/ERW survivors (HH interviews) was implemented in government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. These two areas were selected because they are in very close proximity to the contact line/military conflict, and therefore are amongst the most heavily impacted territories with the highest number of mine/ERW accidents. Within each oblast the following locations were selected: Donetsk Oblast: Mykolskyi, Volnovakhskyi, Maryinskyi, Kostiantynivskyi and Bahmutskyi Districts. Luhansk Oblast: Stanychno-Luhanskyi, Popasnyanskyi, Bilovodskyi and Svativskyi Districts. The selection of districts was based on history of mine/ERW contamination and programme planning criteria, such as good access and safety. METHODOLOGY MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 13 KIIs were carried out in Kyiv and districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts where HH interviews were conducted. Population and sample size The specific target population was child mine/ERW accident survivors and their caregivers. The sample size for household interviews was based on the assumption that the number of child mine/ERW survivors interviews was representative of the overall number of survivors in the two oblasts selected for the assessment. At least 50 per cent of HHs in the study area with mine/ERW survivors were visited. Sampling criteria: Child mine/ERW victims were identified based on snowball sampling/chain referral sampling methods. Various actors were asked to identify child mine/ERW victims, including community leaders, local community members, service providers, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and families of child mine/ERW victims themselves. The chief research population comprised 15 households, including 16 child mine/ERW survivors and one adult mine/ERW survivor who was 17 years old at the time of the mine accident and 21 years old at the time of interview. The sample size of stakeholders was identified by the number of acting service providers at three levels: country, oblast and local, taking into account the six victim assistance pillars. In total, 52 stakeholders were covered by the assessment. Data analysis Secondary analysis/desk review was conducted as part of the data analysis after all the data had been compiled. This was an integral part of a situational analysis, and was followed by analysis of the primary data (assessment of results). Statistical analysis was conducted of the quantita-tive data gathered (graphs and charts to visualize numbers) coupled with qualitative analysis of the interviews con-ducted to identify clear needs, thematic issues and avail-able resources/services. The use of mixed data collection techniques allowed for the triangulation of information sources and provided valuable insights and inferences from the statistics. The data analysis aimed to correspond to the objective of the needs assessment: to obtain a comprehensive picture of mine victims problems in order to guide the planning and development of future interventions, and answer the key questions: What are the most urgent needs of mine victims? Which assistance/services are provided and by whom? What data on mine victims are available? What are the gaps and areas for improvement in the current context? What are the most appropriate ways/tools to bridge the gaps? The DRC-DDG team developed an analysis matrix, organ-izing the assessment questions and identifying indicators that would help address the questions and indicate poten-tial data sources, forming the basis for data analysis. Needs analysis involved a logical accumulation of facts in terms of the communities expressed needs and existing provision of facilities and services. Due to time constraints, this was fol-lowed by a group working session in which staff members identified ways to incorporate the data into this report. Principles and ethics During planning, implementation and reporting, DRCDDG ensured the following principles: Participatory approach: participants and stakeholders have access to the assessment findings. The Do No Harm principle is strictly adhered to in all situations. The intended benefit to the assessment participants was balanced against the risks involved in conducting the assess-ments. This includes interviewers being mindful of potential trauma to the informants; the likely unintended consequenc-es of participation for informants; confidentiality in the space of consultation; and the length of time for consultation. Additionally, DRC-DDG followed enumerator ethics: At the start of each interview, the assessment team explained the purpose of the assessment and asked for the consent of the respondent. An informed consent form was obtained by DRC-DDGs enumerator team. The families of child mine/ERW survivors who took part in HH interviews had the right to refuse to participate or to choose to discontinue the interview at any time. Expectations of receiving any kind of assistance due to participating in the assessment were carefully managed by the team. The enumerator team emphasized during the assessment that participation would not result in immediate benefits, but rather that the responses would allow for the development of a child mine/ERW victim assistance response to benefit mine/ERW victims in general. MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT14 Limited timeframe The needs assessment timeframe was just three months, making it challenging to secure interviews with families and stakeholders located in the two oblasts and Kyiv (for the country level KIIs with government representatives). As a result, the data collection period overlapped partially with the analysis and report writing phase. However, the analytical approach described above enabled the team to ensure a robust and documented process from interviews to findings and conclusions. It is important to note that this is not an in-depth needs assessment due to the short timeframe for conducting the assessment. To receive a more comprehensive picture of the needs and capabilities of mine/ERW survivors and their families, a thorough analysis against mine victim assistance elements should be conducted. See the Recommendations section for further discussion. Geographical spread The team had intended to be able to conduct more house-hold interviews with mine/ERW survivors. However, be-cause of time limitations, security challenges, the small size of the team, the very large area to cover, and the logistical challenges of travelling in conflict-affected areas, the team was only able to meet 15 families of child mine/ERW survi-vors. This limitation had to be accepted within the scope of the assessment. Availability of data Due to the absence of an existing data base containing the requisite details child mine/ERW victims, DRC-DDG faced difficulties identifying child mine/ERW survivors. DRC-DDG requested information about the children from Child Affairs Services and Centres of Social Services in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. However, the information provided was often mixed with all conflict-related accidents (includ-ing shooting and shelling). DRC-DDG used its own internal mine/ERW statistics and database to map all known cases of child mine/ERW accidents and casualties, ultimately having to investigate and verify each case from a number of sources: this took considerable time and additional effort. Quality of data The human factor plays a key role in terms of information received and findings in this report. DRC-DDG faced a num-ber of confusions due to contradiction of information pro-vided by the representatives of certain main stakeholders. At the time of drafting this report, DRC-DDG is continuing to identify and cross-check points of contradictory data. Demographic limitations The assessment only targeted child mine/ERW survivors, though a number child mine/ERW survivors had already reached adulthood at the time of assessment. It is impor-tant to note that the vast majority of all mine/ERW victims are adult males (79 per cent). Limitations of scope The assessment did not include fatal casualties and the needs of their families. As a result, data from the families of the deceased did not inform the assessment on access to services (e.g. emergency care and psychological support). As explained above, the needs assessment had a small target group. Each case is individual and while DRC-DDG can make generalizations, making assumptions from such a limited sample size is problematic. DRC-DDG initially planned to analyse the rate of satisfaction with services received by child mine/ERW survivors and their families. However, when proceeding with the needs assessment, it was clear that currently, this is not feasible for several reasons. Generally, people have no means of comparison, having not previously received assistance under a victim assistance programme. If their child survived, there was a tendency for families to view this as adequate assistance (i.e. emergency assistance only), not being aware of their rights and entitlements to other types of assistance that could and should be available to such victims. LIMITATIONS This section outlines the challenges that the evaluation team encountered. MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 15 OVERVIEW To arrive at the key findings, DRC-DDG conducted two lines of assessment in parallel. The first line involved the collection and analysis of concrete, primary data directly from child mine/ERW victims and their caregivers, whilst the second line of assessment aimed to achieve a full understanding of the wider situation with regard to existing stakeholders and service providers. In order to gain an accurate understanding of the profile of child mine/ERW victims, DRC-DDG identified 39 cases of child mine/ERW casualties in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts (18 and 21 casualties respectively), through a combination of open sources that were independently verified. Of these 39 casualties, DRC-DDG interviewed 17 victims, using the results for the analysis below. According to the information obtained by DRC-DDG, of the remaining 22 casualties identified, six had deceased as a result of their accidents, three were already over the age of 18, one had moved to another oblast and 12 were not interviewed by DRC-DDG due to the limitations outlined above. The analysis of the primary data collected from the 17 child mine/ERW victims is intended first to form a profile of the child mine/ERW victims in terms of factors such as gender/age, geography and type of injury, and second to review the access, needs and barriers to the pillars of victim assistance as identified through interaction with the victims themselves. In parallel with the collection and analysis of the prima-ry data from child victims, DRC-DDG conducted 52 key informant interviews with a wide variety of stakehold-ers, including government ministries, administrations (both local and regional), as well as local and interna-tional NGOs, arriving at an informed view of the services available, potential gaps and recommendations to cover unmet needs. KEY FINDINGS A stand in the school hallway in Hranitne. Half of the information materials are dedicated to mine risk education, exemplifying the importance that schools near the contact line place on this issue. MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT16 LEGEND Line of Contact UA Control Area of high concern Territory of Ukraine Non-Government Controlled Area (NGCA) 15 km Zone DRC/DDG Office Number of child victims District with child casualitiesmine/ERW accidents Line of Contact OAG Control Oblast boundary 1 SEA OF AZOV Kostiantynivka SLOVYANSK Pokrovsk Bahmutskuy BilovodskiyStarobilskyi Svativskiy Volnovaskyi DokuchaevskVuhledar SEVERODONETSKLysychansk Luhansk Donetsk MARIUPOL Marinskyi Yasynuvate Popasnianskyi HorlivkaToretsk Antracyd Sorokynskyi Sloviyanoserbskiy Sverdlovsk Snizhnyansk Shahtarskyi Khartsyzk Krasnyi Luch Yenakievska Debaltsevo Perevalskyi DONETSK OBLAST LUHANSKOBLAST Nikolskyi StanychnoLuhanskiy 11 117 6 6 5 4 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 4 4 4 6 K8 1 2 2 21 11 1 1 11 2 2 Novoaidarivskyi Kyiv U K R A I N E MAP OF DISTRICTS WHERE CHILD CASUALTIES OF MINE/ERW ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED Figure 1 MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 17 Figure 1 illustrates the location and total number of all known child mine/ERW victims since 2014 (both GCA and NGCA). Though most casualties are recorded in the NGCA, because of restricted access, the families of child mine/ERW survivors in this area could not be reached. It is not uncommon, in both the GCA and the NGCA, for accidents to be recorded far from the contact line. This is indicative of the danger posed from ordnance migrat-ing away from the area in which it was intended to be used, either as a result of trophying (children collecting interesting items as trophies including from military training grounds), or possibly due to the illegal proliferation of arms and associated material. Figure 2 illustrates how heavily casualty statistics amongst child mine/ERW victims are weighted towards males. This trend holds true when extending analysis to accident rates amongst adults. The data also illustrate a slight trend towards older, male children (from nine years old upwards) being the most at risk from suffering mine/ERW accidents. 4 3 2 1 01 2 4 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 N/A Freq uenc y Age Female Male Figure 2Child mine/ERW victims by age and gender The map and charts below are designed to provide a high-level overview of child mine/ERW survivors in terms of number, geography, age and gender according to all available data. MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT18 ANALYSIS BY AGE AND GENDER Of the total sample of child mine/ERW survivors assessed, most are male 82 per cent (14 persons) with 18 per cent (3 persons) female. The youngest survivor identified in the assessment was a four-year-old girl and the oldest, a 16-year-old boy. DRC-DDG conducted one additional house-hold interview with the mother of a boy who was 17 when the mine accident occurred in 2014 and is now an adult. Like the general figures highlighted above, males account for the majority of accidents in the sample of 17 survivors assessed by DRC-DDG. The tendency for males to account for a disproportionate percentage of mine/ERW accidents is also generally consistent throughout mine/ERW contami-nated countries where such data is systematically recorded and disaggregated. Worldwide, males accounted for 84 per cent of mine/ERW casualties in 2017.5 5 Landmine Monitor 2017 Of the total sample, most child mine/ERW survivors were aged between 9 and 13 years of age at the time of accident (all boys). The youngest survivors (two girls), were aged 1 and 3 years old at the time of the accident. As a point of interest, according to DDG internal statistics, during 2014-2018, children account for a significantly lower proportion of accidents (6 per cent) than adults (88 per cent) in Ukraine (for 6 per cent the age is unknown). Globally, in 2017, the casualties ratio was 47 per cent children and 53 per cent adults. There are likely to be a combination of explanations for this divergence in Ukraine from the global pattern. It is well known that the demography of buffer zone communi-ties has shifted in recent years, owing to the displacement of younger more mobile civilians, particularly those with children, meaning that statistically speaking, it is less likely that a child will become a mine/ERW victim than an adult. Other factors such as occupation, location, socio-economic standing, behaviour and attitudes should also be consid-ered. Each could be individually analysed in depth; however, it is beyond the scope of this report to do so. The following section analyses primary data on child mine/ERW victims collected by DRC-DDG. Of a total of 39 cases, DRC-DDG directly contacted 15 households for interviews, covering 17 child mine/ERW survivors in total; 12 families with one child mine/ERW survivor, two families that each had two child mine/ERW survivors and one family, in which a child mine/ERW survivor had turned 18 years old and a younger child had died in the same accident. One households interview was conducted with a family of a child who was injured as a result of small arms fire: the family was identified by the Child Affairs Service and invited for an interview with DRC-DDG. The interview was conducted but the results are not included in the statistics of mine/ERW cases. ANALYSIS CHILD MINE/ERW SURVIVORS Female Male 18% 82% Figure 3 Gender breakdown of assessed mine/ERW survivors Figure 4 Ages of assessed child mine/ERW survivors at the time of the accident 3 2 1 01 3 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Freq uenc y Age MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 19 LEGEND Line of Contact UA Control Area of high concern Territory of Ukraine Non-Government Controlled Area (NGCA) 15 km Zone Number of child victims District with child casualitiesmine/ERW accidents Oblast boundary 1 SEA OF AZOV Kostiantynivka Bahmutskuy Bilovodskiy Svativskiy Volnovaskyi Marinskyi Popasnianskyi DONETSK OBLAST LUHANSKOBLAST Nikolskyi StanychnoLuhanskiy 4 3 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 Kyiv U K R A I N E DISTRICTS WITH CHILD CASUALTIES FROM MINE/ERW ACCIDENTS (VISITED BY DRC-DDG) Figure 5 ANALYSIS BY GEOGRAPHY MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT20 Urban Rural 21% 79% Figure 6 Locations of the assessed accidents Figure 7 Type of accident Figure 8 Activity during accident Most of the assessed accidents were registered in rural areas of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. The findings confirmed the perception that rural areas tend to have lower coverage of governmental services such as hospitals, police and social services, meaning that the population residing near the contact line are both at higher risk of suffering mine/ERW accidents and have a lower prospect of receiving timely and high quality needs-based assistance. The majority of casualties (15) resulted from picking up, tampering with, handling or playing with ERW. The children found the ERW or unidentified explosive devices during their free time. At least ten children brought an item home either to play with or to decon-struct or make a memorable object (e.g. an amulet). ANALYSIS BY TYPE OF ITEM AND CAUSE OF ACCIDENT Taken together, the figures above illustrate that the trend, particularly among children, is for accidents to be caused by ERW, rather than landmines. Further-more, accidents are not generally casued by inadvert-ent contact with such devices, but rather by children actively disturbing or otherwise handling ERW. This would indicate that there is a need for more wide-spread risk education campaigns (only 42 per cent of victims had received mine risk education prior to their accident), or that such risk education does not manage to penetrate the consciousnessness of children enough for them to modify their behaviour and/or attitudes towards the risks associated with handling or disturbing ERW. 3Unidentified explosive deviceMine 1ERW 13 15Picking up / tampering with / handling / playing with Travelling 1 Collecting wood 1 3Unidentified explosive deviceMine 1ERW 13 15Picking up / tampering with / handling / playing with Travelling 1 Collecting wood 1 MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 21 Figure 9 Type of injuries ANALYSIS BY TYPE OF INJURY Of all the injuries received by child mine/ERW survivors assessed by DRC-DDG, injuries of upper limbs (65 per cent), lower limbs (53 per cent) and head/neck (53 per cent) prevail. Of the 17 assessed survivors, one person received no physical injuries but (as reported by the mother) psychological trauma. RIGHT SIDE eyesight hearing arm hand/fingers leg18% above knee below knee foot/fingers 12% 6% 24% 29% 18% 18% 6% LEFT SIDE eyesight hearing arm hand/fingers leg24% above knee below knee foot/fingers 12% head/neck 53% chest 41% 6% back 12% buttocks 6% lower limbs 53% upper limbs 65% abdomen 41% 35% 47% 18% 18% 6% MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT22 In terms of the physical impact of the accident, scars (82 per cent), shrapnel in the body (71 per cent) and ampu-tations of fingers (24 per cent) and hands (18 per cent) prevail. All six cases of amputation arising from the acci-dents were accounted for by boys. Examining the trend in types of injuries received by those surveyed, it is clear that several types of specialist medical assistance will be required by the victims, both in the pres-ent and the future. Complications arising from traumatic amputation; loss of mobility, vision and hearing and other physical injuries, particularly embedded shrapnel, all require significant and usually ongoing specialist medical attention. It is a sad fact that Ukraine has not yet suffered its last mine/ERW casualty. There will likely be a steady flow of casualties for years to come as clearance efforts are ongo-ing. Understanding the types of medical assistance most likely required in anticipation of this will help ensure that adequate support is in place. ANALYSIS BY SOCIAL PROFILE AND ECONOMIC IMPACT With regard to the structure of the affected households, 8 of the 15 families are headed by single mothers, and 4 have more than three children under the age of 18. Of the 15 assessed families, in nine households (60 per cent) salary is the main source of income. Eleven house-holds (73 per cent) receive social payments, and for at least six households (40 per cent) this is the main source of income. Of the 14 households who reported their incomes, at least 11 live under the average living wage (UAH 1,800 / US$65) per person, of these 7 are single-headed house-holds and 4 have three or more children. The data suggest that socio-economically, the child mine/ERW victims surveyed were from lower-income families. As mentioned previously, research near the contact line in eastern Ukraine has indicated that those with the means to do so, particularly those from settlements in close proximity to the frontline (i.e. those areas more likely to be more high-ly contaminated by mines/ERW), have tended to move away from the area. Those left behind tend to be the more elderly or have low income who have no choice but to remain in place. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that mines/ERW are affecting those from lower income families to a disproportionate degree to those who are not. When asked whether the family had any changes in income after the accident, five families reported decreased income of whom, three were due to spending related to continued medical care and two resulted from the need to take care of the child rather than working. All families who reported de-creases in income are living under the average living wage. Lesions Partial deafness Blindness in one eye Slight visual impairment One amputated / atrophied hand Amputated fingers Shrapnel in the body Scars 6%6%6% 12%18% 24%71% 82%Figure 10 Physical impact of mine/ERW accident MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 23 Decreased Not changed 36% 64% 6 persons32% 8 persons42% 3 persons16% MRE before accident MRE after accident Did not receive MRE Figure 11 Changes in income after accident Figure 12 Mine risk education for child mine/ERV survivors In most cases, these families [the families of child mine/ERW victims] are marginalized all they need is money Staff member of governmental social service in Donbas When analysing the profile of child mine/ERW victims, it was important to understand whether the victim had been exposed to risk education and when, in relation to their ac-cident (before or after), they had received such education. When asked about mine risk education (MRE) training, eight children had received MRE before the accident, six after the accident, and three had not received any MRE. Two families expressed need for all family members to re-ceive MRE: these were families in which children had already received MRE (one before and one after the accident). The inferences that can be drawn from this sample are that receiving MRE does not make children immune from accidents and that further MRE is needed as a preventive measure. A final but important point to note is the concept of inter-view fatigue among mine/ERW survivors. The more assess-ments and interviews that are conducted by journalists, for example, without any tangible result for the interviewee, the more frustration is created. DRC-DDG encountered this sentiment among a small number of interviewees during the course of the assessment. Some families were exhausted after interacting with journalists follow-ing an accident. There is a high risk to dignity. After my child [a mine survivor] saw another boy mine sur-vivor in the news, he asked me not to put him on television. And I protect him from any interaction with jour-nalists. Mother of mine survivor MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT24 This section seeks to analyse and identify the gaps that remain to addressing mine victim assistance comprehensively in Ukraine. The section is broken down by subject, according to the main pillars of mine victim assistance laid out in the United Nations Policy on Mine Action. The pillar of data collection is not discussed in this section, as it is more relevant to frame this topic within the analysis of stakeholders and service providers, covered in the next section. EMERGENCY AND CONTINUING MEDICAL CARE ACCESS: All the interviewed victims received treatment in govern-mental medical facilities. First aid was provided in local medical facilities, in ambulances and/or by military doctors. Three child mine/ERW survivors assessed by DRC-DDG re-ceived first aid from military doctors. For example, the life of a child was saved because a military doctor was present in the location. In most of the cases that involved severe trauma, the children were transported to oblast-level hos-pitals. Emergency treatment was delivered free of charge in the hospital. In cases when medicines were not available at the hospital, the families were supported by volunteers, local residents, local and international organizations (e.g. Pomozhem (a local NGO) and the ICRC) to pay for medical bills. Of the 17 child mine/ERW survivors assessed, 12 persons required continuing medical care. Medical care was mainly received at the Okhmatdet National Childrens Specialized Hospital, in Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Volnovakha, Lysychansk and, in one case, in Luhansk (NGCA). In at least two cases, medical errors were made and, as a result, the children require regular medical treatment and support at oblast-level hospitals. NEEDS: All the children who require continued medical care are in need of regular examinations of their conditions. Their oth-er ongoing needs include pain management (some children suffer from pain and do not receive any treatment), plastic surgery and surgery in advance of prosthetics. BARRIERS: Some families have to travel to the hospitals where they underwent treatment on a regular basis because they are being refused at local level. For example, one mother stated that: The doctor refused to do bandaging for us, but she could not explain why. Often, the families of child mine/ERW survivors did not receive complete information about the health conditions of their children. For example, in one case a mother found out in secret about the severe health conditions of her child from medical staff: They hid [from me] that there was shrapnel in the childs body; the nurse said that they [the doctors] were hiding it from me. The mother could not explain why. ANALYSIS: NEEDS AND BARRIERS TO ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD MINE/ERW SURVIVORS 1SurgeryShrapnel removal 4 Regular examinations 155Plastic surgery Pain management 3 Figure 13 Medical care needs of child mine/ERW survivors MINE VICTIM ASSISTANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 25 Caregivers need to take initiative to ensure regular medical examinations for children. However often parents are not aware or informed by medical staff about the importance

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