Ukraine crisis – health protection and shelter - Development and Peace 2024

November 2024 – 11.1 million people need protection-related support. These include 3.2 million children and 7.8 million people with health-related and shelter needs. The displacement and family separation increased the risk of gender-based violence (GBV) human trafficking and other conflict-related protection risks such as torture. Also the decline in mental health and unprocessed trauma reduced individuals’ ability to cope with daily life. This helps to increase protection risks including GBV and child abuse and caregivers’ capacity to provide care for children. With Global Affairs Canada’s support Development and Peace helps address the urgent needs of 6 250 vulnerable women men and children impacted by the ongoing conflict in Kharkiv Mykolaiv and Odesa oblasts. The project focuses on meeting the critical needs of women single-headed and older-single-headed households (SHHs) with children and older dependants (identified target group). Project activities include: (1) providing sensitization activities to all households to raise awareness of protection risks including child protection and GBV and available support; (2) providing immediate support specialized case management and referral pathways for high at-risk households such GBV survivors and child protection cases; (3) providing winterization shelter non-food items; (4) providing safe specialized accommodation to at-risk women-headed households including GBV survivors; (5) providing multipurpose cash assistance for 3 months to meet diverse household needs; and (6) providing specialized group or individual counselling to adults and children with an assessed mental health need.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) enhanced access to protection services for vulnerable children and adults living in single or older-headed households; (2) improved access to basic services (medical shelter material) for vulnerable children and adults living in single or older-headed households; and (3) enhanced access to appropriate mental health services for vulnerable children and adults living in single or older-headed households. The expected ultimate outcome is to reduce suffering increase and maintain human dignity and lives saved for 6 250 vulnerable women men and children impacted by the ongoing conflict in Kharkiv Mykolaiv and Odesa oblasts.