Paris, 24 February 2023 – One year ago, Russia launched a major military offensive into Ukraine. Each day, civilians suffer and international humanitarian law (IHL) is breached. Action Against Hunger calls for a political resolution to the conflict to end human suffering. The war has also given rise to significant concerns about global food security. For Action Against Hunger, it reveals the inadequacy of our food systems and the need to reform them.
The military offensive in Ukraine has triggered a massive and rapid displacement of people. In total, nearly 30% of the Ukrainian population has been displaced by the conflict. More than 8 million Ukrainians have left the country as refugees and more than 6 million have been forced to flee their homes to seek refuge in another part of Ukraine. The humanitarian needs are tremendous. The United Nations estimates that 17.6 million people, including more than 3 million children, are in need of humanitarian assistance.
“The conflict in Ukraine has brought one of the largest population displacements since World War II and a dramatic increase in humanitarian needs in the region,” explains Jean-Michel Grand, Executive Director of Action Against Hunger UK“Without a political solution to the conflict, humanitarian needs will continue to grow, especially in conflict-affected areas where there are large numbers of civilian casualties and damage to critical infrastructure. We urge all parties to protect humanitarian space, respect international humanitarian law, and facilitate humanitarian operations on the ground.”
Action Against Hunger is responding to meet humanitarian needs in Ukraine and in the neighbouring countries of Poland, Romania, and Moldova. To date, the organization’s food security, health, water, sanitation, and hygiene projects have helped more than 650,000 people in four countries.
Both Russia and Ukraine have prominent roles in the global food trade, particularly when it comes to grain supplies, and the crisis has had far-reaching consequences for hunger around the world.
Last year, 828 million people suffered from hunger, a figure that has been increasing for several years. While the conflict in Ukraine did not cause hunger crises, it did exacerbate the vulnerability of local, regional, and global food systems already threatened by conflict, climate change, chronic inequality, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The conflict in Ukraine shows us the fragility of our food systems. It now compels us to strengthen, in the short term, existing famine prevention mechanisms and in the long term, to transform our food systems,” Jean-Michel Grand, Executive Director of Action Against Hunger UK.
Action Against Hunger is part of the UK’s Disaster Emergency Committee, (DEC) which brings together 15 leading aid charities in time of crisis overseas.
The Ukraine crisis led to a huge outpouring of generosity from the UK public which has seen the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal reach over £400 million, making the DEC the biggest charity donor to the response inside Ukraine and for the regional refugee response [UN OCHA Financial Tracking Service].
Saleh Saeed, CEO of the Disasters Emergency committee (DEC) said:
“I’ve just returned from Odesa in Ukraine where I saw what this incredible support has meant to people who have lost so much. Whether displaced inside Ukraine or those who have fled to other countries, the DEC funds are meeting people’s basic needs – food, medicine, cash, as well as helping children continue their education, providing mental health support and keeping vulnerable people safe.
“These funds have meant that we’ve been able to respond at every stage of the crisis and will continue to do so over the next two years as new challenges arise and needs continue to change. It’s making a huge difference to people who are going through the worst time of their life. Thank you.”
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Notes to Editors
- For more information, photos, stories from the ground or commentary please contact Jo press@actionagainsthunger.org.uk or 0208293 6130 to arrange
- Action Against Hunger is the world’s leading charity stopping life-threatening hunger in its tracks. By training parents and healthcare workers to spot the signs, we get life-saving care to people who need it. Action Against Hunger’s research drives forward understanding of how to predict, prevent and treat life-threatening hunger. With unbeatable knowledge and unstoppable determination, the charity supported more than 26 million people across 51 countries in 2021.
- For more information, please visit Action Against Hunger UK’s website or follow Action Against Hunger UK on Twitter and Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.