In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine and attacked the government, military, and innocent civilians in Ukraine. Putin wanted to maintain his own authoritarian regime in Russia and having democracy in a neighbouring country undermined his control. Putin initially planned to overrun Ukraine and dispose of its government, preventing its ability to join the Western defensive alliance, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
More than half of Ukraine’s innocent children were displaced from their homes after just one month of war. According to UNICEF, 4.3 million children were displaced. As well, 1.8 million children were forced to flee their homes and cross into neighbouring countries as refugees.
Children are too often the forgotten victims of war. The overwhelming majority of victims in today’s wars are innocent children. The children in Ukraine are in desperate need of protection requiring collective effort to provide aid.
According to Ukraine’s Social Policy Ministry, 282 of Ukraine’s 706 orphanages have been forced to evacuate their children abroad or within the country, since the war began. We have not seen this many children displaced since World War II. Children fleeing the country are also at a greater risk of human trafficking and exploitation. Human traffickers often take advantage of largescale population movements and the war in Ukraine is creating conditions that may cause a spike in human trafficking. For example, more than 500 children were unaccompanied when crossing from Ukraine into Romania from February 2022 to March 2022, and the true number is likely much higher.
As such, the situation in Ukraine is by far one of the biggest child protection crises to happen in recent years.
Support by UNICEF
UNICEF is one of the world’s most established humanitarian organizations focused on children. Since the war in Ukraine began, UNICEF and its partners have been working in Ukraine to help aid the children being displaced and ravaged by war.
UNICEF has:
- Distributed life-saving health and medical supplies to approximately 2.2 million children and their families.
- Provided 25,000 households with multi-purpose cash assistance.
- Aided more than 2.5 million people by providing safe water in areas where networks have been destroyed or damaged.
- Helped over 288,000 children by providing learning supplies.
- Provided mental health and psychosocial support to 900,000 children as well as their caregivers.
- Aided 58,000 children through case management and referral services.
However, there is still much more work to be done. UNICEF continues to work with its partners to reach at-risk children and families to provide essential services in health, education, protection, water sanitation, and life-saving supplies. In order to continue providing essential services to those in need, UNICEF requires donations. You can help support Ukrainian children by providing a donation through the link here.
Other ways to help
Save the Children, an organization dedicated to advancing the rights of children around the world, is also providing lifesaving support, and by donating to the Children’s Emergency Fund, you can provide children and their families with immediate aid.
SOS Children’s Villages is also taking donations as well as sponsorships to provide further support to children and their families.
You can also help Ukrainians settle in Canada by donating to the Canadian Red Cross and CISSA.
Written by: Katrina Sriranpong
Katrina is a passionate Vancouver philanthropist, former lawyer, and mother of two.
