Main image: © UNFPA Ukraine, UNFPA’s mobile psychosocial support teams are often the first to respond to cases of gender-based violence after the police.
Approximately 640,000 women and girls in Ukraine may be affected by the cessation of US financial contributions to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Ukrainian women will lose access to many psychosocial and economic support programs, safe spaces, and services to combat gender-based violence, the United Nations has stated.
The protection of refugees and support for war-affected communities will also worsen.
"Essential medical services for preventing and responding to gender-based violence, support for women-led organizations, and programs promoting women's economic rights and opportunities are at risk of closure, which poses a serious threat to the safety and well-being of millions of people," the UN added.
_1741020314.jpg/dJFZKiBiBKGhypIda2EzzkabTe179jbfL5TIPyx5.jpg)
According to UN estimates, after Russia's full-scale invasion, the number of cases of sexual, domestic, and other forms of gender-based violence in Ukraine has tripled.
2.4 million people, mostly women and girls, require urgent services for responding to and preventing gender-based violence.
87 mobile teams from UNFPA provide emergency interventions in these cases, offer long-term support, professional training, and access to legal aid for victims of violence.
"Almost two-thirds of households in Ukraine report anxiety, depression, or severe stress that hinders finding employment or caring for family members. Financial difficulties, mass unemployment, the death of loved ones, and fear of future attacks only exacerbate their suffering.
Without proper counseling and care, the cycle of trauma may pass on to future generations, leading to long-term and widespread harm to the community," the UN said.
