Where we are now: 100 days of crisis in Ukraine

June 4th marks 100 days since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine. Since February 24th, more than 6.9 million refugees have fled Ukraine into neighboring countries, with an additional 8 million internally displaced within the country. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has been on the ground since the beginning of the crisis providing lifesaving assistance, supplies and protection services to those forced to flee. 

One hundred days in, UNHCR remains committed to sheltering and protecting the millions forced to flee. One key way UNHCR provides aid is through Blue Dot Centers. These centers are located in neighboring countries throughout Europe as places of refuge for people fleeing Ukraine. At a Blue Dot Center, a refugee can access a range of services including legal counseling, psychosocial support, child-family spaces for breastfeeding, identification services and family reunification.

In times of crisis, UNHCR’s support offers hope to those who have been forced to leave everything behind. As we reflect on the first 100 days of the crisis in Ukraine, take a moment to see how UNHCR, with generous donor support, is protecting families on their journeys to safety. 

Essential supplies and shelter 

Since the start of the crisis, UNHCR and partners have worked tirelessly to bring essential supplies to those forced to flee Ukraine. These humanitarian convoys have brought a range of items, including clothes, shelter materials, bedding and hygiene kits. Since the start of the crisis, more than 450,000 people who are internally displaced within Ukraine have received these essential items. 

Time is moving quickly for those who have been displaced, and UNHCR is ramping up efforts to provide supplies and shelter for months to come. Conflict and violence have damaged homes and shelters throughout Ukraine and UNHCR is working to reach people in need with emergency shelter kits, as well as repairing homes and refurbishing buildings that can be used as housing. 

Buildings such as old hotels and dormitories can be repurposed into shelter for those who have been forced to flee. That was the case for Olga and her two children, who found shelter at a repurposed dormitory in Moldova. The center is one of 92 housing centers set up around the country, and is able to host more than 80 other families from Ukraine. 

Cash Assistance

Cash assistance is one of the most vital ways to support those forced to flee Ukraine. Cash assistance gives refugees and internally displaced people the ability to pay for basic supplies and services, such as food, clothing and rent. Since the beginning of the crisis, more than 360,000 people have enrolled in the cash assistance program. 

When fighting began in their home city of Bucha, Andrei, Ludmila and their two children hid in their basement for seventeen days until their son, Maksim, ran out of insulin. To get their son the supplies and medical attention he needed, they moved through military checkpoints until they were able to cross the border to Poland. There, they went to a Blue Dot Center where they were able to get insulin for Maksim and apply for the cash assistance program. 

Protection for persons of concern

Over the last 100 days, the majority of those forced to flee have been women and children — accounting for more than 90 percent of the displaced population from Ukraine. Displacement puts women and girls at a heightened risk of exploitation and abuse, facing risks of gender-based violence, trafficking and exploitation. 

Members of the LGBTIQ+ community also face a heightened risk of exploitation and abuse as they seek safety. Often, LGBTIQ+ refugees and IDPs find themselves in worse situations than they fled, typically having to conceal their identity and relationships in order to reach safety. In order to protect these vulnerable populations, UNHCR is stepping up protection monitoring for women, girls, unaccompanied children and LGBTIQ+ individuals. By working with partners, local shelters and organizations, as well as grassroots efforts organized by refugees locally, UNHCR can identify persons of concern and provide them the services and protection they need. 

Shelters like Casa Marioarei (Maria’s House) in Moldova are set up in partnership with UNHCR to shelter and care for refugee women and children who have been forced to flee Ukraine. The shelter offers psychosocial support for women who have been victims of gender-based violence, and offers ongoing medical services and legal aid. Refugees living in Moldova also have the right to work in the country and access basic services like healthcare and education. To help women and their families integrate, Casa Marioarei hosts events and activities to help refugees connect with members of the host communities. 

How you can help… 

There is no clear end in sight to the crisis in Ukraine. At their greatest moment of need, your compassionate support helps provide emergency supplies, lifesaving care and protection to families in Ukraine who are fleeing for their lives. By becoming USA for UNHCR’s newest monthly donor, you can support displaced people from Ukraine in their ongoing journey to find safety and hope.