Save The Children e UNHCR: help when it's needed, where it's needed

The humanitarian emergency in Ukraine is becoming more serious and urgent every day for the large number of displaced persons and refugees.

In this context, UNHCR (ONU Agency for Refugees) and Save the Children have put all their energies into play to give a prompt and effective response to the thousands of people in need of help, both in Ukraine and in neighboring countries.

More than a month after the start of the conflict there are over 3.8 million refugees, of which 90% are women, children, elderly and disabled. To sustain them and support the action of the two organizations, we’ll double the donations coming from the internal fundraising globally launched by our Group.Funds that will be used to provide basic necessities, clean water, food, medicines, blankets and sleeping bags, sanitary materials, sunlamps but also psychological and legal assistance and protection.

The most urgent actions 

In Ukraine and neighboring countries, UNHCR is distributing essential humanitarian aid to survive, coming from strategic stocks in their regional warehouse and from many private partners’ donations; it’s also guaranteeing emergency accommodation, direct economic assistance offering protection from gender-based violence and support for medical and psychosocial services, also contributing to the creation of reception centers.  

In the first days of the conflict, Save the Children supported refugee families with food packs and hygiene kits for babies and displaced people for the purchase of medicines, warm clothes and stoves. Its actions also extend to neighboring countries to distribute food, clothing, blankets and materials for temporary shelters as well as to offer psychosocial and orientation support. Since the beginning of March the organization has also launched a response in Italy with integrated interventions for protection, to support hospitality and inclusion, which has already made it possible to support almost 2.100 people, mostly women and children arrived as refugees in our country.

Outside Ukraine

In addition to bringing aid to those who remained in Ukraine, the urgency is to support the continuously increasing refugees seeking asylum in neighboring countries or to reach other European countries and reunite with their families: the great majority are women, children and elderly. Children, in particular, represent at least 40% of the total.

“A choral commitment is needed not to leave children affected by war alone. Save the Children is supporting them inside Ukraine, it’s helping them in neighboring countries, also protecting them from the risk of falling into traffic and exploitation circuits and, in Italy, it’s following them on a path of welcome, inclusion and in the difficult construction of a peaceful growth, despite the wounds of the war. Above all, Save the Children will never get tired of asking to stop this senseless violence.”

Giancarla Pancione, Marketing e fundraising Director of Save the Children

In the neighboring countries UNHCR, with 11 partners, has developed a regional plan to coordinate emergency actions for the refugees who fled Ukraine. It will also strengthen national child protection systems and it will enhance the access to legal assistance, psychosocial support and mental health and it’s working to bring these services to all areas where they are needed to respond to the crisis.

“In this moment the only ray of light is that there’s a great solidarity. The most immediate wish is for a ceasefire as soon as possible, and the other is: let’s continue to be in solidarity and, when we’ll rebuild, let’s not forget about them.”

Laura Iucci, Fundraiser Director of UNHCR Italy

Priorities for the immediate future 

There are still many urgent actions to be put in place in the immediate future for an even more effective response to the humanitarian crisis.

UNHCR will support the authorities to register displaced people to quickly identify those with specific needs, such as unaccompanied children, elderly and people with disabilities to enable the provision of essential services. In addition, it will support the establishment of hospitality and transit centers for the initial needs of displaced people and provide cash assistance to the most vulnerable families.