Lhe news on the Ukrainian war may have faded, but the war is still there in Ukraine. And as always it is the civilians who suffer it who, in addition to bombs and destroyed cities, they also have to deal with winter and frost. And so, as we prepare to spend Christmas, the Ukrainian Christmas will not be one of lights and gifts under the tree, but it will still be a family moment, for those who still have one.
Ukraine’s difficult Christmas
«Christmas is a holiday that Ukrainians celebrate with their families just like Italians – explains Anastasiia Stryzhevska, Assistant Shelter Officer UNHCR, who is in Ukraine – We have festive dishes, some religious denominations celebrate Christmas according to the old Julian calendar, but we all gather around a big table, just like you. However, this year, like last year, Ukrainians celebrate Christmas with a sense of anxiety. Anxiety for their relatives who remained in the areas under Russian control. Anxiety for relatives and friends who will spend Christmas far from their destroyed homes. Anxiety about their uncertain future. The continuous bombing of cities is a daily, hourly threat from which we cannot hide. Every day we see civilians left homeless due to the bombings, for whom the house built or purchased over the years was the result of their entire life. Every night we wake up to air raid sirens.”
The cold is felt
The humanitarian emergency is immense, what is UNHCR doing to assist refugees and displaced people during the coldest months of the year?
«In Ukraine, UNHCR works to support internally displaced people and people affected by war and contributes to the country’s government’s response. During the winter months, our specific response takes top priority. We have stepped up our work to ensure that the most vulnerable people can get through the cold months. As of mid-December, in collaboration with our NGO partners, many of whom are working on the front lines, UNHCR helped over 560,000 people in Ukraine, providing cash assistance to pay energy bills and purchase heating materials , as well as quick thermal kits for home insulation, winter clothes and other items, such as sleeping bags and warm blankets. THETogether with my colleagues from the Shelter Unit and partner NGOs, we have repaired more than 23,000 damaged houses along the entire front line. This has made it possible for people forced to flee their homes to return or remain in their homes and communities. As an emergency measure, as attacks on energy infrastructure could occur again this winter, UNHCR has pre-positioned generators capable of supporting 104,000 people, which we will deploy in coordination with the authorities if necessary.”
Christmas in Ukraine dealing with the cold and frost (Photo credit should read Hennadii Minchenko/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
UNHCR among the displaced
There are many displaced people, how can we help everyone?
«Around 3.7 million people in Ukraine are displaced within the country, while 6.3 million Ukrainians are in neighboring countries as refugeesseeking protection from the war. Investigations conducted by UNHCR among displaced people continue to show that the vast majority of Ukrainians want to return to their homes, sooner or later. Of course safety is the most important thing, but people also mention access to housing, livelihoods and basic services as important factors. UNHCR works with the government, other UN agencies and partner NGOs to repair homes and revitalize communities, so that when people decide to return, they can access key services, such as counseling legal for restoration of property documents or identity documents, livelihood opportunities and so on.
We need blankets, stoves and above all peace
What is needed most of all, other than peace?
«Almost 18 million people – 40% of the Ukrainian population – are in need of humanitarian assistance. The level of destruction caused by Russian missiles and bombing in Ukraine is appalling. According to the latest rapid damage and needs assessment, 1.4 million housing units have been destroyed and a third of them are beyond repair. At the same time, many of these damages can be repaired without the need for large resources. And the Ukrainians are not sitting idle waiting for aid. However, some of the most vulnerable people cannot afford even small repairs. I recently had a conversation with Tetyana, who returned to her home in the village of Kyselivka, Mykolaiv region. We helped her restore the roof, which had been punctured by shrapnel, and replace the broken windows. However, it will take a lot of effort to make this house a home again, as it was left in the rain and snow for a long time, while there was fighting around. We discussed what had been done and whether the job had been done well, and at the end of the conversation she shook my hand and said, “Thank you, we’ll take care of it now.” There are many people in need of this or similar humanitarian aid, many of whom live near the front lines in the eastern and southern regions. We most often provide them assistance through inter-agency convoys with other UN agencies and humanitarian actors; this year we have had more than 100 of these convoys in the most affected areas.”
Let’s not turn off the spotlight on the war in Ukraine
Are the bombings continuing?
«On December 13, a wave of airstrikes across many regions of Ukraine left dozens injured among civilians and damaged critical infrastructure, including energy and water systems. The capital Kiev, which is also my hometown, was particularly hard hit, with many houses, a hospital and a kindergarten damaged in several districts, affecting hundreds of people. It seems that such air attacks have increased in recent days, with several air alerts during the day and at night, when we then have to seek shelter, so I think we are all trying to prepare for a new wave of so-called “winter” attacks. And of course this can make the humanitarian situation in Ukraine even worse, like last winter.
What can be done to avoid turning off the spotlight on this tragic war?
«We are all witnesses of how the war here in Ukraine receives less and less attention from the global media, while other crises and conflicts now dominate the headlines. But for us, who live here, the reality is always the same. So, at this time, when many are preparing for holidays together with families and in warm homes, it is important to remind them that millions of civilians in Ukraine, including children and the elderly, do not have this luxury. Many have lost their homes, many cannot hug their loved ones, many do not have resources even for a simple meal. And they need all the support they can get. When we go to visit them in their destroyed homes, people always welcome us with open arms and always repeat how important it is for them to feel and know that they are not forgotten by the world.”
Things are no better in Afghanistan
The situation is also worsening in Afghanistan and elsewhere telling iO Donna exactly what is happening is Laura IucciDirector of UNHCR Italy fundraising: «Unfortunately in Afghanistan One of the most serious humanitarian crises in the world is underway. The country is suffering the consequences of a decades-long conflict, but also a serious economic decline, the effects of natural disasters and since 2021, human rights challenges have been added to humanitarian needs, especially for women and girls. In recent weeks, all this has been compounded by concern about repatriations. Pakistan’s announcement asking undocumented foreigners to leave the country, has had a negative impact on hundreds of thousands of Afghan citizens, including registered refugees and other people with valid documents, who have been forcibly returned to Afghanistan. In total, from 15 September to today, 448 thousand people have returned to the country.”
UNHCR: «All help is welcome»
Also in this case UNHCR has already started its assistance program. The question is the same: what is needed?
«The harsh winter is destined to exacerbate the already extreme difficulties faced by the population. For this reason, at the moment the priority in the country is to complete our winter assistance program for the benefit of both displaced people and repatriates and which includes, among other things, direct economic assistance, the distribution of blankets, sleeping bags and other basic necessities, as well as assistance for the thermal insulation of housing. In particular, people arriving at the border from Pakistan are exhausted and in need of urgent assistance and psychosocial support. Many Afghan returnees are vulnerable, including women and children, who may not survive a harsh winter if left without adequate shelter. It must be considered that winter temperatures are starting to drop to -4°C in some locations.”
What can people who want to help do?
«Right now every little help is essential, even a simple blanket can save a life. For us it is essential to reach all the people in need with essential aid for survival. We can do it but we need everyone’s support: just a small donation on unhcr.it to make a difference.”
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