Weekly Update #92
December 4

REFUGEE SITUATION

(as of 28 November 2023)

STATUS OF THE CONFLICT

THE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

UNHCR calls for sustained support for humanitarian and recovery needs in Ukraine

This is a summary of remarks by UNHCR Regional Director for Europe, Philippe Leclerc, speaking in Kyiv after a week-long mission to Ukraine at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.       

As the second winter sets in since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling for sustained support for Ukrainian civilians severely affected by the war.  

This week, heavy snowfalls and plummeting temperatures exacerbated an already dire situation, causing civilian casualties, power outages and posing significant challenges for vulnerable people, particularly in frontline communities. UNHCR and its partners, supporting the Government of Ukraine, are focused on providing immediate humanitarian support to those in need –  including many internally displaced families – and contributing to early recovery efforts.

This winter, UNHCR will reach approximately 900,000 people with crucial winter support, such as cash assistance for increased energy bills, warm clothing, heating appliances and assistance with insulating homes. More than 460,000 displaced and war-affected people have already received their cash assistance at the start of winter.

The destruction across the country from the hostilities is overwhelming. I saw houses and schools completely destroyed or heavily damaged in Vysokopillia, in northern Kherson, which was retaken in October last year after seven months of temporary occupation by the Russian Armed Forces. Despite the immense destruction, around 50 per cent of residents have returned, and I met with Halyna and Liudmyla whose houses were repaired under UNHCR’s shelter programme. They appreciated the support, which enabled them to return and stay warm this winter, and they called on us and the international community to not forget the people of Ukraine, who are still suffering from the ongoing war.

In Odesa, numerous port facilities have been damaged along with cultural and historical sites and people's homes. Here, UNHCR supports the largest humanitarian hub in the country that distributes aid to up to 500 displaced families daily, working with community-based organisations founded by displaced people, which supports inclusion and psychosocial recovery.

Across the country, multi-service protection centres operated by UNHCR and its partners play a critical role in providing free legal aid to help people restore civil and property documentation, which is critical for accessing administrative and social protection services and property compensation. In regions hosting the largest numbers of internally displaced people, such as Dnipro and Zaporizhizhia, UNHCR continues to support those living in collective accommodation. Some have lived there since 2022, separated from family members and uprooted from home communities. I met Nadiia, a widow and mother of seven children who had not seen her brothers and sisters, who remain in the temporarily occupied village of Smila, since she fled in April 2022.

In 2023 so far, UNHCR in Ukraine has reached more than 2.4 million people with protection services like free legal aid and psychosocial support, cash and in-kind assistance, emergency shelter materials and house and collective centre repairs. This has been done under the inter-agency response and the committed leadership of the Government and its regional and local authorities. I had the pleasure of meeting the Governors of Kherson and of Zaporitzhia, who reaffirmed their strong cooperation and shared their visions for the modern reconstruction of their regions.

While the war continues without an end in sight, people and communities are working on rebuilding homes and lives. As we approach the second-year mark of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it is vital that humanitarian funding be sustained and expanded. This is key for stabilizing displaced populations, enabling returns and building opportunities within Ukraine through humanitarian, recovery and development initiatives.

Source: UNHCR

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Howard G. Buffett makes ‘moonshot’ investment of $33M to clear landmines in Ukraine

The single largest philanthropic donation in support of humanitarian landmine clearance was given by Howard G. Buffett.

Global humanitarian landmine clearance NGO, The HALO Trust, today announced a $33 million strategic partnership with the Howard G. Buffett Foundation to tackle humanitarian demining in Ukraine. The Foundation’s investment is the single largest philanthropic donation in support of humanitarian landmine clearance in Ukraine.

This historic investment by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation will allow The HALO Trust to recruit, train and equip about 500 local staff, acquire large machinery for clearance at scale and test cutting-edge technology to pinpoint the exact location of explosives. The combined impact of these measures will help to accelerate progress with clearance across the most heavily mined areas of Ukraine.

Ukraine faces an unprecedented landmine crisis, with the heavily mined frontline now stretching across roughly 600 miles, nearly six times longer than the mine belt along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, making it the most mined country in the world since WW II.

In liberated areas, such as Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, where farmers need to be confident that they can plant crops in Spring 2024, it is vital that land is quickly and accurately assessed. Technology funded by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation will play a key role in this process.

The Foundation’s investment is provided across three grants, one of which is focused on establishing HALO’s Ukraine programme as a centre for innovation in mechanical landmine clearance. It will transform HALO’s ability to research, test and harness new demining technology and boost the NGO’s humanitarian operations in Ukraine by a third, as well as bolster Ukraine’s strategy for mechanical clearance.The Foundation’s support also includes over $12 million in capital equipment, allowing HALO to leverage other government grants to deploy an additional 55 teams across Ukraine.

The Howard G. Buffett Foundation has invested more than $500 million in Ukraine since Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion, mobilizing its resources quickly to address the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II. Beyond providing over $83 million in support to humanitarian mine clearance efforts, the Foundation has also made strategic investments in rebuilding infrastructure, provided support to farmers, bolstered Ukraine’s capacity to investigate and prosecute war crimes, provided more than 132 million meals and family necessity kits to de-occupied areas in Ukraine, and funded a number of other humanitarian assistance and food security projects.

Source: HALO

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UNHCR calls for improved access to birth registration to confirm legal identity and prevent statelessness in Ukraine

A conference “Birth registration for all in Ukraine: achievements, challenges and solutions” took place in Kyiv to mark the ninth anniversary of the global #IBelong campaign aimed to end statelessness in the world.

Organized by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and its NGO partner The Right to Protection, with support from the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, the event addressed the important topic of access to birth registration, particularly in the context of the ongoing full-scale war in Ukraine.

The war has added significant challenges for parents to access this essential procedure, especially those residing in the areas under the temporary military control of the Russian Federation as well as Ukrainian refugees giving birth and applying for birth certificates abroad.

The event brought together leading experts from international organizations, governmental counterparts and civil society to discuss ways to improve access to birth registration for the most vulnerable groups, including undocumented Roma families. Emphasizing the significance of birth registration as a fundamental human right and a crucial tool in preventing statelessness, UNHCR called for collaborative efforts from all stakeholders to ensure that every child born in Ukraine has timely and secure access to birth registration.

“The full-scale war and mass displacement of people have made it more challenging for parents to register their children’s births. It is critical to ensure that every child born in Ukraine, as well as those who are born as refugees outside Ukraine, can confirm their legal identity and be recognized as citizens of Ukraine and access their full rights, so no child is left behind in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We continue working with the Government to ensure that appropriate legislation is adopted in line with Ukraine’s commitment to prevent statelessness,” said Karen Whiting, UNHCR’s Assistant Representative in Ukraine (Protection).

Source: UNHCR

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Older people’s isolation and inadequate access to housing amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Amnesty International released a report on the impact of the war on elderly people.   The report, ‘They Live in the Dark’: Older people’s isolation and inadequate access to housing amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, documents how Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022, has placed unprecedented strain on Ukraine’s already overburdened care system. 

As a result, many older people, including older people with disabilities, have been separated from their families, leading to their segregation and isolation.

Russia’s continuing indiscriminate attacks, many of which amount to war crimes, have displaced millions of Ukrainian civilians from their homes. Ukraine has one of the highest proportions of older people in the world: nearly 10 million of its population of about 41 million, almost a quarter, were aged over 60 before February 2022.

Displaced older people with disabilities in Ukraine are physically and financially unable to access adequate housing and care amid Russia’s ongoing invasion, sometimes leaving few alternatives to being placed in residential institutions, Amnesty International reported ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Displaced older people with disabilities in Ukraine are physically and financially unable to access adequate housing and care amid Russia’s ongoing invasion, sometimes leaving few alternatives to being placed in residential institutions, Amnesty International said in a new report today ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

While most displaced people in Ukraine are living in rented accommodation, extremely low pensions and high rent costs render this type of housing unaffordable for many older people. As a result, older people often live in large numbers in temporary shelters for displaced people in schools, dormitories, and other public buildings.

However, almost all shelters that Amnesty International visited were partially or completely inaccessible to people with physical disabilities. Many lacked ramps to enter the building, elevators, grab bars to make toilets accessible, or enough space for a wheelchair user to make a full turn.

Older people with disabilities, including the growing number who have conflict-related disabilities, are often unable to access disability-related services or healthcare. This lack of care and support is compounded by the fact that many younger relatives who would have previously supported older people with their care needs have either fled abroad or to other parts of Ukraine or have been enlisted into the military.

As a result, social workers who provide home-based care are completely overwhelmed, unable to meet the needs of or provide adequate support to all the older people who require it. The lack of sufficient social workers has contributed to the institutionalization of older people with disabilities, as they are unable to remain in their homes without specialized support.

Older people with disabilities who have been placed in institutions are often separated from relatives who live in shelters for the general population. Separating people with disabilities into institutional settings – which can include long-term stays in hospitals, where many displaced older people are also living – is a form of segregation, according to the CRPD Committee.

Institutionalization can lead to numerous human rights violations, including physical abuse, neglect, and detrimental impacts on right to health. As one social worker explained, many older people in Ukraine now “live in the dark”.

Source: Amnesty

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Facing another winter in war-torn Ukraine

The UN and humanitarian partners began early preparations for this winter, and they are appealing for US$435 million to deliver winter assistance to more than 1.7 million people across Ukraine through March 2024. As of October, more than 360,000 people had received winter support.

Last winter, people across Ukraine suffered the consequences of multiple attacks on the country’s energy facilities. As per a UN Development Programme report, the capacity for generating power in April 2023 had decreased by 51% compared to the period just before Russia's invasion in February 2022.

Another comprehensive Energy Damage Assessment by the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank, published in April, stated that relentless attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure last winter disrupted the water supply and heating systems, and left more than 12 million people with no or limited electricity.

The winter response is aligned with the Government of Ukraine’s efforts, and it dovetails with the broader humanitarian programmes assisting 11 million people under the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for Ukraine.

For numerous villagers living along the front line, their livestock represents their primary source of nutritious food. To support this crucial aspect of their livelihood, winter assistance programmes are helping to maintain the animals’ health, ensuring people can adequately feed and care for them.

Between September 2023 and March 2024, humanitarians are prioritizing winter response in front-line communities and regions facing active hostilities and fighting. They will support the repairs of district heating systems and provide generators, heaters and mobile boilers to hospitals, clinics and social institutions. Families will receive house repair materials, winter clothes, heating appliances and other critical household items.

Humanitarian convoys comprising UN agencies and humanitarian partners have enhanced regular programme efforts, reaching remote and war-affected communities along the front line with vital winter aid and supplies.

In areas hosting a high number of displaced people, the priority is to refurbish and insulate collective sites and provide winter materials.

Across the country, humanitarians are providing displaced people with cash support for rent, and to purchase essential items or insulate their homes for a warmer winter.

Source: UNOCHA

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Social Assistance Programs for the poor and vulnerable in Ukraine to benefit from World Bank support

A new World Bank project, Investing in Social Protection for Inclusion, Resilience, and Efficiency (INSPIRE), approved on 30 November 2023, will provide additional support to 29 social assistance programs targeting the most vulnerable people in Ukraine affected by the devastating impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The poorest households need adequate support to mitigate the impacts of the on-going war to avoid slipping further into poverty.

The INSPIRE project is financed by a $1.2 billion World Bank loan, backed by a credit enhancement from the Advancing Needed Credit Enhancement for Ukraine (ADVANCE Ukraine) Trust Fund, supported by the Government of Japan.

Implemented by Ukraine’s Ministry of Social Policy, the project specifically aims to help people with disabilities, orphans, children under guardianship, foster families, socially vulnerable students, and victims of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster and human trafficking. The INSPIRE project will also support the reform efforts of the Government of Ukraine to improve the coverage and efficiency of important social safety net programs, such as the Guaranteed Minimum Income, Housing and Utilities Subsidy, and Internally Displaced Persons assistance program.

“This project is expected to reach almost 10 million Ukrainians at a time of greatest need. It will strengthen the Government of Ukraine’s capacity to provide social support to the poor and vulnerable at a critical time, when winter is coming and millions of Ukrainians need additional support to pay their bills and heat their homes,” said Arup Banerji, the World Bank Regional Country Director for Eastern Europe.

The INSPIRE project is an integral part of the international support package for Ukraine to meet its financing needs through 2024. Other ongoing projects include emergency operations for health, transport, energy, housing, and agriculture that have mobilized partner resources through a flexible design to disburse funds quickly and can be scaled as necessary when additional financing becomes available.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, World Bank-mobilized support has enabled the Government of Ukraine to provide essential services that are reaching more than 15 million Ukrainians. With today’s announcement the World Bank has now facilitated over $38 billion in emergency financing to support Ukraine, including commitments and pledges from donors including: the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Indonesia, Lithuania, Latvia, Belgium and the Republic of Korea.

Source: World Bank

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Salesians prepare aid for winter

Salesian schools in Ukraine remain open.

“Salesians will never turn their backs on the people who suffer because of this war, which unfortunately does not stop and continues to harm innocent victims,” explained Father Mykhaylo Chaban, Salesian superior of the Mary Help of Christians Greek-Catholic Rite Vice-Province of Ukraine. “Alarm sirens and bombs continue each day, impacting millions of people who suffer from this war. But Salesians remain steadfast in our mission. These supports and education for children during emergencies is a real life-saving tool. This is why it is important that Salesian schools in Ukraine remain open.”

The Salesian Mission Office in Madrid has been supporting children at a school and youth center in Zhytomyr and Lviv. Through this support, almost 300 children have the opportunity to continue going to school and access a safe space where they can learn, play, and feel protected.

In addition to education, Salesians continue to offer humanitarian aid to people who have been displaced. Salesians set up the Mariapolis citadel project in Lviv, where more than 1,000 people live and receive care, food and access to health care. Salesians also continue to travel to eastern cities, such as Novohryhorivka, where they are committed to responding to the needs of the civilian population remaining in their homes.

Salesians are already working on preparations for the cold to help people stay warm and have winter provisions. The Salesian Mission Office in Madrid has already allocated 100,000 euros of aid to be sent to alleviate these needs including blankets, heating, warm clothes and more. While the needs are still great, Salesian solidarity will continue until peace arrives in Ukraine and even beyond.

Source: Salesians

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Ukraine Education Cluster Strategy 2023-2025

The Ukraine Education Cluster (UEC) has drafted a strategy for the next two years. The strategy was developed by appointed Strategy Development Task Team under UEC supported by Global Education Cluster. National and sub-national cluster teams, members of SAG and representatives from the MoES and CLAs contributed to the national strategy development exercise and consultations (May-July 2023).

The Education Cluster Strategy 2023-2025 serves as the foundation and guide for all those engaged in the humanitarian support and recovery of the education sector in Ukraine. It is the result of collaborative efforts by many organizations, aiming to outline the current understanding and vision of key needs, priorities and humanitarian response actions in education.

Based on the varied nature of the context in Ukraine, the response will require a nuanced approach in different geographic locations.  The the UEC Strategy needs to be localised in nature to address these needs. This, in tandem with the CLAs, UNICEF and Save the Children, global commitment to the Grand Bargain, means that localisation is a key principle of this strategy development.

Priority needs addressed by the strategy include:

• Threat to life, protection and well-being:  covers risks of gender-based violence, impact of war trauma on students and teachers, particularly issues of mental and emotional health;

• Access to safe learning and well-being environments:  includes concerns for physical security and safety and provision of appropriate learning modalities;

• Teaching and Learning Needs: addresses expected learning outcomes in different contexts, such as communities most affected by war.

EDUCATION CLUSTER EDUCATION STRATEGY