More than a million children have fled Ukraine so far as war continues to ravage the country, UNICEF announced. Most fled with their families to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova and Romania.
“The number of children on the move is staggering, an indication of the desperate situation of children and families in Ukraine,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Afshan Khan. “It’s safe. It’s painful.”
So far, six trucks loaded with almost 70 tons of supplies have arrived in Ukraine. Materials include personal protective equipment and medical, surgical and obstetric kits.
Together with the partners, UNICEF teams in Ukraine will deliver medical supplies to 22 hospitals in five different conflict-affected areas in Ukraine, benefiting 20,000 children and mothers.
Three trucks were dispatched from Copenhagen – the UNICEF warehouse and the world’s largest humanitarian center – carrying essential supplies such as early childhood, recreational kits and hygiene kits. These supplies have now reached Poland.
Additional materials are on their way from Copenhagen and Turkey and will arrive in the coming days.
To help children and families moving from Ukraine to Moldova, Poland, Romania and Belarus, UNICEF has set up Blue Dot centers, safe spaces that provide essential information to traveling families and the ability to identify unaccompanied and separated children, ensuring protection them.
UNICEF is calling for $ 349 million to prevent further deterioration in the well-being of children in Ukraine and neighboring countries and to enable the effective provision of life support. It includes $ 276 million for immediate needs in Ukraine and $ 73 million in neighboring countries.
“We are doing everything we can to help children and families in need, but the war must end. Peace is the only lasting solution,” said Khan.