United Nations Development Programme Helps the Most Vulnerable in Ukraine

13-04-2022

Manon Picard

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher, 

Global Human Rights Defence.

With the ongoing Russian aggression over the sovereign territory of Ukraine, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched, on the 11th of April 2022, a programme destined to provide economic help and longer-term assistance to those in need in Ukraine. The UNDP announced that the war in Ukraine has put 90% of Ukrainians at risk of poverty and has caused the country to lose 18 years of socio-economic development.

The UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, asserted that “as part of a coordinated UN response, UNDP has an unwavering commitment to stay and deliver for the people of Ukraine”. Mr. Steiner further added that despite the human suffering caused by the Russian aggression, it remained essential for Ukrainian local economies to function in order to protect the Ukrainian population. The focus on the programme is on those most vulnerable, in particular, women who are at a higher risk of sexual violence. Moreover, the programme aims to provide for the immediate humanitarian needs and strengthen “inclusion, protection and empowerment”. 

The launching of the UNDP’s programme came at the same time as the World Bank’s announcement on the repercussions of the war on Ukraine and the world. The World Bank announced that the sanctions imposed on Russia are having worldwide consequences with European and Central Asian regions “expected to bear the brunt”. When directly addressing the situation in Ukraine, the World Bank stated that Ukraine’s: 

“economy is now forecast to shrink by 4.1 percent this year, compared with the pre-war forecast of 3 percent growth, as the economic shocks from the war compound the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. […] Ukraine’s economy is expected to shrink by an estimated 45.1 percent this year, although the magnitude of the contraction will depend on the duration and intensity of the war. […] Russia’s economy has already plunged into a deep recession with output projected to contract by 11.2 percent in 2022.”

Taking into consideration the predictions of the World Bank as well as the uncertain situation as to when the conflict between Ukraine and Russia will end, the UNDP’s programme to help those most in need will prove to be essential in the upcoming future. This programme is one of the many humanitarian aids that have been set up by international organisations, non-governmental organisations, as well as citizens who have decided to help the Ukrainian population. 

Sources and further reading:

United Nations. (2022, April 11). Ukraine Resilience-Building Programme to Help Most Vulnerable. UN News. Retrieved on April 13, 2022, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/04/1115972

United Nations Development Programme. UNDP’s Response – War in Ukraine. https://www.undp.org/war-ukraine

The World Bank. (2022, April 10). Russian Invasion to Shrink Ukraine Economy by 45 Percent this Year. The World Bank Press Release. Retrieved on April 13, 2022, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/04/10/russian-invasion-to-shrink-ukraine-economy-by-45-percent-this-year