UNITED NATIONS, New York – The Government of the Republic of Korea is allocating US$ 2 million as part of the UN Flash Appeal for Ukraine and the Regional Refugee Response Plan. The funds will support UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, to scale up life-saving maternal and newborn health services and ensure preventative, responsive and protective services and support are in place for gender-based violence in Ukraine and Moldova.

“We continue to rely on the support of our donor partners, like the Government of the Republic of Korea, to ensure UNFPA and our partners can reach the most vulnerable women and girls in Ukraine and Moldova,” said Florence Bauer, UNFPA Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. “We need the continued commitment of all donors to safeguard women’s and girls'  health, rights and dignity.”

Humanitarian needs continue to rise in Ukraine and the region with the war in its fifth month. The conflict is taking a particularly heavy toll on women and girls as they face increased risks of life-threatening sexual and physical violence, exploitation and abuse. The damage and destruction of medical facilities, as well as a shortage of service providers and critical supplies, have also severely compromised the delivery of essential health services, including maternal care and specialized services for women survivors of violence.

“The Korean government is committed to providing assistance to the most vulnerable affected by the war in Ukraine. UNFPA is a key partner to addressing gender-based violence and promoting sexual and reproductive health for women and girls,” said Hyung-Tae Kim, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ukraine. 

UNFPA’s priority is to ensure that women and girls’ rights are protected, including their right to give birth safely and in dignity and to live free from violence. With the support of the Korean government, UNFPA will continue to distribute essential reproductive health supplies and medicines to facilities in war-torn regions in Ukraine. So far, UNFPA has distributed more than 70 metric tonnes of supplies, including for emergency obstetric care and the clinical management of rape, across the country. The funding will also support mobile health teams, providing reproductive health services for the hard-to-reach and those who cannot travel safely to facilities.

The new contribution will also support hotlines and facilities helping survivors of gender-based violence and other women in need, as well as the Orange Safe Spaces in Moldova, which provide psychosocial support, information on gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health services.

UNFPA urgently requires flexible resources to meet the needs of women and girls in Ukraine and to safeguard the rights and choices of refugee women, youth, and older persons in Moldova.