The Russian attack on Ukraine launched 24th February 2022 has led to a severe humanitarian crisis. A third of Ukrainians have fled their homes and 7 million people are currently displaced internally. The war shows no signs of abating and will continue to drive increasing humanitarian and protection needs across the country.
Towns and densely populated areas have been attacked with missiles, rockets, bombs, cluster munitions and artillery shelling. The damage has been extensive, and the number of civilians killed and injured is rapidly increasing. Civilians have been traumatised - physically and/or emotionally and multiple forms of sexual and gender based violence are being reported The conflict is also a serious attack on democracy and democratic processes.
There is an active civil society in Ukraine, with both formal organizations and informal networks of activists. These organizations have been strongly affected by the war, but are central in getting help and assistance out to the hardest hit areas.
NPA has had a programme in Ukraine since March 2023. From the country office in Kyiv NPA is managing programmes on Mine action and explosive ordonance clearance, conflict preparedness and risk eduction and protection and sexual and gender based violence. We are also looking into programme development on food security, livelihood and civil society development.
NPA provides support to Ukraine with a programme focused on protection of civilians, mental health and prevention and response on sexual and gender based violence. The programme also contributes to protection against violence, abuse and violations of international law, including international human rights law.
Our partners are Ukrainian organisations with a strong foot print in Ukraine and which have been engaged in work to defend human rights, enhance the role of women and provide social services for many years before the war. With the war these organisations have become key providers of humanitarian assistance.
In collaboration with our Ukrainian partner organisations NPA’s programme provides specialised protection services in some of the regions most affected by conflict and with unmet protection needs: Kharkivska, Kyivska, Dnipropetrovska and Lvivska Oblast. These regions have been identified because of the high levels of existing and anticipated protection needs, with some of the highest numbers of internally displaced and returnees in Ukraine. Both Lviv and especially Dnipropetrovsk are key transit hubs for internally displaced. The numbers of IDPs in Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk are expected to grow in the coming months. The demilitarised areas of Kyivska and Kharkivska oblast have been impacted by high levels of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
