Ukraine
The war in Ukraine has led to an unprecedented crisis that has put millions of Ukrainian women, men, and children at grave risk, with massive displacement, both within the country and to other countries, deprivation of basic services, and exposure to increased trauma and mental health issues that impacts their wellbeing and quality of life.
Over the past two years, conflict-related violence in Ukraine has killed more than 10,000 civilians and injured nearly 20,000, though actual figures may be higher. According to the Ukraine HNRP 2024, over 14.6 million people need humanitarian aid, with 3.3 million in front-line communities and 3.7 million displaced internally. Gender-based violence, including domestic and conflict-related sexual violence, is increasing, particularly in insecure areas like border crossings and bomb shelters, while support services remain sparse. The ongoing conflict has also heightened the risks of human trafficking and exploitation due to loss of homes, income, and family separation.
Critical civilian infrastructure, such as water, power, and heating, has been severely damaged, especially in de-occupied areas, making basic services inaccessible for many. Around 9.6 million people are expected to need water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) assistance in 2024. Additionally, more than 1 million Ukrainian refugees have crossed into Moldova since February 2022, with over 124,000 still remaining. This refugee influx has strained Moldova's economy, which is already struggling with high inflation and poor harvests, further complicating efforts to maintain economic stability and protect vulnerable populations.
Norwegian Church Aid in Ukraine
Been present since
2022
in Ukraine
In 2023, we spent
59.251.000
NOK in Ukraine
Who we are
NCA has been responding to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. We are present in Ukraine and Moldova as part of the DCA/ NCA Joint Country Programme in Ukraine (JCPUA) and through the partnership with Swiss Church Aid (HEKS-EPER) in Ukraine and Moldova. We are working with local partners in Ukraine and Moldova (see below) and in close cooperation and coordinated with local, regional and national authorities, UN coordination mechanisms and other actors.
What we do
NCA and partners provide principled and timely critical protection and basic services to vulnerable people facing imminent protection risks and lack of access to basic services. The response reaches IDPs, non-displaced war-affected people, refugees and returnees, ensuring their safety and dignity according to their specific needs.
Since February 2022, the DCA/ NCA JCPUA has reached an estimated total of 569,739 beneficiaries per 1st June 2024 and expect to reach more than 800,000 by the end of the year. This is across all JCPUA activities including Cash transfers, Livelihoods, Humanitarian Mine Action, Gender Based Violence and Mental Health & Psycho-Social Support and WASH.
NCA’s focus is particularly on:
- Gender Based Violence
- Mental Health & Psychosocial Support
- WASH
More than 26,000 people have been reached with activities focused on Gender Based Violence and Mental Health & Psychosocial Support, including case management, provision of dignity kits, empowerment, recreational activities and info sessions, mental health support and frontline responder resilience building. In the second half of 2024, the JCPUA program will include Psychosocial support activities for veterans and their families.
The WASH response covers the repair of damaged water, sanitation, and district heating infrastructure, and has supported with emergency water assistance where necessary and feasile. As part of the JCPUA, NCA is focused on preparing vulnerable populations for the freezing winter. In Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts, JCPUA is doing small and medium repairs in collaboration with Ukrainian partner organisations. Among the activities in Mykolaiv, JCPUA has completed repairs on the Central Heating Plant in Mykolaiv, which is providing heating to 160,000 residents. Restoration of gas and water supply to de-occupied villages, window replacements, and repairs for private housing and public institutions are among other activities conducted by the JCPUA in Kherson and Mykolaiv. More than 216,399 people have been reached with activities focused on public water and heating infrastructure repair, including in collective shelters and distribution of gender and age-appropriate hygiene kits.
In Moldova, humanitarian assistance is provided for both Ukrainian refugees and vulnerable Moldovan host families.
Humanitarian response
NCA and partners’ response in Ukraine is focused on responding to immediate, humanitarian needs as well as the provision of basic services, corresponding the strategic objectives in the Humanitarian Needs Overview and Response Plan for Ukraine and to the priorities for humanitarian assistance outlined in Norway’s Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine.
To do this in a sustainable way and in line with priorities of the UN WASH cluster, local authorities and communities, our work includes some more long-term programmatic activities like repair or upgrade of existing WASH systems or construction of new ones, where deemed necessary to meet the need of the affected population. This includes supporting local water authorities with material and equipment, that will enable them to sustain services in the long term.
Where we work
NCA’s country office in Ukraine is the JCPUA office in Kyiv. Activities are carried out in Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Dnipro and Kharkiv oblasts as well as in targeted areas in Moldova.
Important documents
(pdf, 745KB)