Since the start of the war in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, we have witnessed a devastating escalation of violence which has resulted in the large-scale displacement of close to 14 million people—within Ukraine, into neighbouring countries and well beyond. This is the largest refugee outflow in Europe since World War II. 

LVIV, Ukraine/UNITED NATIONS, New York – When Viktoria Kravets, 17, woke up early on 24 February in her home in Ukraine, she knew something was terribly wrong. “I immediately saw a dozen notifications and thought that I was still asleep,” she recalled to UNFPA. “I lay in bed and couldn't understand what was going on. Our school lessons were suspended, and I sat at home flipping through the news with fear.”

UNITED NATIONS, New York – The European Commission has announced a €1.5 million contribution to UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, to ensure that women and girls in Ukraine have immediate access to sexual and reproductive health services, including survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

Since the beginning of the war, more than 8 million people have been internally displaced within Ukraine. The majority are women and girls, including pregnant women who urgently need access to medical care and assistance.