Ukraine - The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ukraine passed 950,000 this month, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy. IOM and its humanitarian partners are now urgently seeking funding to help the most vulnerable IDPs, including large families, single mothers, pregnant women, the elderly and the disabled.

By the beginning of February, IOM’s humanitarian intervention has reached close to 30,000 IDPs in those 16 regions of Ukraine hosting about 70 per cent of the overall IDP population in the country. About 15,000 of them received humanitarian assistance with funding from the US, UN, Norway, Switzerland, and Germany.  Another 14,000 people displaced to Kharkiv region received one-off payments equivalent to EUR 235 per family within the programme funded by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO).

“We are very grateful to our donors for their ongoing support. Contributions from the European Union, United States, Germany, Norway, Switzerland and the UN have allowed us to help vulnerable IDPs with urgently needed winter clothing, shoes, household and hygiene items,” said IOM Ukraine Chief of Mission Manfred Profazi.

“Their support has also allowed us to start working on long-term solutions for IDP integration and job creation. But the needs are huge and communities are becoming increasingly stretched. Our Mission and NGO partners are receiving more and more requests from desperate people daily. To serve those in need, we urgently need additional funding,” he added.

IOM is also refurbishing and purchasing equipment for collective centres hosting IDPs in Southern and Eastern Ukraine, mainly in the Odesa, Zaporizhia, Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.

The old, Soviet-era communal buildings are in poor condition and IOM is helping by providing construction materials, new windows, beds and other furniture, boilers, washing machines, cooking appliances, mattresses, pillows and bed linen. After refurbishment, these seven centres will be able to host about 700 people in total.

IOM has also started to look for longer term solutions for people in need of integration and jobs. With funding from Norway, it has conducted two micro-enterprise trainings for 60 IDPs in the Western Ukraine cities of Vinnytsia and Ternopil. Participants will receive micro-grants to start small businesses. The project aims to help some 200 IDPs. Another 1,000 IDPs will be assisted through a similar project supported by the European Union.

For more information please contact

Varvara Zhluktenko

IOM Ukraine

Tel: +38 044 568 5015

Email vzhluktenko@iom.int