SEK 50 million to improve sexual and reproductive health in Ukraine

Russia’s systematic and illegal attacks on Ukraine’s health infrastructure have deadly consequences. In the worst affected areas, access to maternal health care and safe abortions is severely limited. 

“The need for humanitarian assistance increases during the winter months, both in Ukraine and for those forced to flee the country. Through this new support to UNFPA, Sweden is providing concrete help in mitigating the effects of war, including by supporting safe maternity care. For example, this could involve building birthing rooms that are better equipped to withstand Russia’s attacks,” says Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa. 

To make access to maternity care and other central SRHR services secure, UNFPA is equipping hospitals and health care centres in high-risk regions with basement units. These units mean that patients and health care staff are more protected. In order to provide maternal health care and support to victims of sexual violence, UNFPA also has mobile SRHR teams and clinics in areas where health care facilities are damaged or difficult to reach. 

In addition to meeting urgent health care needs, UNFPA is helping to build resilience in Ukraine’s health and medical care infrastructure, making it possible for facilities to withstand and operate under difficult conditions. 

Sweden’s SEK 50 million in funding from the development assistance budget will go through UNFPA’s Humanitarian Thematic Fund to the organisation’s operations in Ukraine. 

UNFPA operates in 150 countries and works with family planning, prevention of maternal mortality, and combating gender-based violence and harmful practices, such as genital mutilation and child marriage. UNFPA’s humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and for Ukrainian refugees include maternal, obstetrical and neonatal care, and other life-saving services related to sexual and reproductive health. UNFPA also provides psychosocial, medical and legal support to individuals who have been victims of conflict-related sexual violence.