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Protecting child victims of conflict

On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine causing large-scale displacement and movement of people in and out of the country, significantly impacting the lives of children and families. The humanitarian disaster is terrible and the needs of the civilian population are increasing.

Since the war began, children and families have been subjected to unimaginable violence. Children’s lives are being disrupted. Families are torn apart. Parents are faced with unbearable choices. Many children and young people find themselves alone and in need of support.

SOS Villages d’Enfants Ukraine, together with its partners, has launched a vast emergency aid programme for thousands of people since the beginning of the war. In the countries hosting the refugees, the SOS associations also remain mobilised.

PERIOD

From March 2022

BENEFICIARIES

285,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries in total, including

• 270,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries in Ukraine (125,000 direct beneficiaries including 74,000 children)
• 11,300 in a dozen host countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, and Romania)

data from February 2023

LOCALISATION

OBJECTIVES

Essential services provided by SOS Ukraine

Despite the terrible situation, SOS Ukraine has continued its efforts to provide vital services to the population. Since 24 February, SOS Ukraine and its partners have been working steadily, moving to new locations and stepping up their activities. Social centres have been opened, SOS staff have been relocated and teams have been strengthened (e.g. mobile psychosocial support teams). In the face of the extreme winter, a winterisation plan was put in place. The association is now present in half of the regions of Ukraine, directly or through partners. At the end of 2022, a large part of the teams are assigned to the territories taken over from the occupiers, where the needs are greatest.

In addition to its regular programmes (family support, foster care), SOS Ukraine, together with its partners, offered the following emergency assistance services

• Relocation of children and families at risk: 30,000 people evacuated within Ukraine, 1,395 host families to SOS facilities in Europe.
• Opening of seven social service centres (distribution points for humanitarian aid, sometimes bomb shelters): more than 24,000 children and adults received material, psychological and social aid.
• Mental health and psychosocial support services: for more than 17,000 people via a.o. social centres, mobile teams of psychologists and online specialists.
• Financial assistance to foster families, distant relatives, single mothers with children: 23,000 beneficiaries of cash and voucher assistance for their basic needs.
• Assistance to war-wounded children: more than 600 children supported (medical/psychological assistance, rehabilitation, legislative/administrative assistance…).

Over 10,000 people welcomed in host countries

Since March, SOS associations have been working tirelessly to provide accommodation and services to refugees from Ukraine. By the end of November, they had welcomed host families, unaccompanied minors, pregnant women, mothers with children, etc. in Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania. They offered them various services, including:

• SOS Children’s Villages in Poland: evacuation and support for 250 people in host families, support for families throughout the country (2,300 people), construction of a network of specialised SOS centres to support Polish and Ukrainian children (mental health and rehabilitation).
• SOS Children’s Villages in the Czech Republic: over 150 members of host families, beneficiaries of services (housing, educational, social and economic integration, language courses).
• SOS Children’s Villages in Greece: over 1,000 beneficiaries of services (housing and vouchers, social inclusion, support towards independence, services for mothers with children, mental health support for children, language courses, recreational activities).
• SOS Children’s Villages in Latvia: more than 1,000 beneficiaries of services (housing, financial assistance, psychosocial support – with social services of municipalities and local NGOs).
• SOS Children’s Villages in Romania: over 500 beneficiaries in Bucharest, Hemeius and Cisnadie (financial assistance, housing, health, education, language courses). 70 children and adults currently accommodated by SOS Romania.

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