UNICEF plans to reach 1.4 million Ukrainians, including more than 240,000 children, as part of a campaign to prepare for winter
Winter can be a serious challenge for many Ukrainian families, especially in times of war. To prepare for the cold weather and ensure the safety of the most vulnerable, UNICEF aims to reach some 1.4 million people, including more than 240,000 children, with support. The campaign includes both immediate and long-term measures aimed at maintaining health and ensuring access to vital services. This is stated on the official UNICEF website.
Constant shelling that threatens energy infrastructure can lead to prolonged power outages, sometimes reaching up to 18 hours a day. This, in turn, will deprive people of access to heat and thus basic living conditions. Many families already face difficulties in accessing healthcare, clean water and sanitation, and the ongoing war is only exacerbating this crisis.
UNICEF’s winterisation programme encompasses a range of activities, from the provision of materials to the reconstruction of infrastructure. Together with local partners, the organisation is providing schools, hospitals and other social institutions with additional heating equipment to enable children to continue their education and doctors to provide medical care on cold days. UNICEF also initiates the introduction of innovative technologies to improve the efficiency of water utilities, educational and medical institutions.
Special attention is being paid to restoring heat and water supply systems in the most vulnerable regions. In collaboration with local authorities, UNICEF is coordinating the renovation and strengthening of infrastructure to better cope with future challenges posed by extreme weather.
UNICEF is focusing on helping children living in the conflict zone, particularly within 30 kilometres of the frontline, as well as displaced children and children in institutional care. Initiatives include the distribution of cash assistance, winter clothing, blankets and solid fuel to families at high risk. Thanks to UNICEF’s support, these families can receive the necessary resources to help them survive the winter in relative comfort.
According to Munir Mammadzadeh, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine, special attention is being paid to supporting critical workers, such as healthcare, energy and water specialists, who are working hard every day to maintain vital services.
UNICEF is also calling on all parties to the conflict to stop attacking infrastructure that is key to children, such as schools, hospitals, water facilities and energy networks. Such infrastructure must not be targeted as it directly threatens the lives and health of children.
To implement these critical activities, UNICEF needs about $32 million. These funds will significantly expand cash assistance programmes for vulnerable families, as well as provide perinatal centres and children’s hospitals with heating equipment. The organisation is grateful to its international partners, including the European Union, the governments of Denmark, South Korea, Norway, the United States, Croatia, and private donors, who have already supported UNICEF’s winterisation efforts.
