UNICEF To Support Refugees At ‘Blue Dot’ Safe Spaces
- People in need of assistance: 18million
- Children in Ukraine: 7.5 million
- Displaced/ on the move: around 500,000
- Approximately 350,000 children are missing out on their education
About 500,000 families are being forcibly displaced from Ukraine, leading to a dramatic escalation of humanitarian needs. UNICEF is already seeing vast swathes of families, including children, attempting to leave via neighbouring countries including Poland and Romania.
BLUE DOT spaces
UNICEF has reactivated the “Blue Dot” safe spaces that provided crucial support and protection services to families on the move during the refugee and migrant crisis of 2015-2016. These spaces are set up in close coordination with national and local authorities along routes of major population flows – often in conjunction with municipalities. They connect to one another in a sequenced way, as people move, to help support tracing and family reunification.
UNICEF plans to set up 26 Blue Dots, with the capacity to provide support to 3,000-5,000 people per day, per location, in Moldova, Romania, Belarus, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Czech Republic.
One of the first Blue Dots is now up and running in Sighet on the Romania – Ukraine border.
More information on BLUE DOT SAFE SPACES with key facts and figures available here
How can the UK public support?
UNICEF has been working around the clock to keep children safe since this conflict began eight years ago – as things escalate now, we are committed to staying and delivering for children. We are helping to make sure that child health and protection services are sustained and families have clean water and nutritious food. You can help protect children in Ukraine by donating to UNICEF UK’s appeal: unicefuk/ukrainedonate
