Lisa Doughten, Director of the Division of Financing and Partnerships of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), spoke at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine. UN Security Council on Ukraine: Number of civilian casualties doubled in November Peace and Security
Ukraine is preparing to face another harsh winter amid an ongoing conflict that is destroying the lives of millions of people. The UN is sounding the alarm: the humanitarian situation is worsening by the day, especially with destroyed infrastructure and no heating. This was stated by Lisa Doughten, Director of the Division of Financing and Partnerships of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), speaking to the UN Security Council on Monday on behalf of the head of OCHA.
On the brink of survival
According to her, daily shelling is turning the lives of civilians into constant stress. Many families living near the front line are faced with an agonizing choice: stay home and risk their lives, or leave everything they have and flee.
It is especially hard for those who have already faced similar situations. “Some are forced to leave their homes for the second or third time,” the UN representative said. People are in mortal danger, the speaker added: in November alone, shelling in 11 regions of Ukraine killed 65 people and injured 372 – this is twice as many as the month before.
Cold and power outages
With winter approaching, temperatures in some regions of Ukraine are already dropping to minus 20 degrees. Given that more than 60 percent of the country’s energy infrastructure is damaged, millions of people are left without heat, electricity and water. Everyday needs are turning into real trials.
Humanitarian aid
Despite the efforts of hundreds of international organizations providing assistance to people across the country, the situation remains extremely difficult. Damage to warehouses, transport, and even the murder of humanitarian workers put their work at risk. This year, 11 humanitarian workers have been killed in Ukraine – almost three times more than the year before.
Nevertheless, aid continues to arrive. In 2024, 630 humanitarian organizations provided assistance to 7.7 million people. People received assistance, including warm clothing, heaters, and help with home repairs. However, this is not enough: according to UN estimates, 14.6 million people in Ukraine need assistance.
Women and Children
Mass displacement of people has a particularly hard impact on women and children. They are more likely to face the risk of violence and have limited access to health and social services. In wartime, women take on the care of their families and look for a safe place for their children.
Call to Action
The UN calls on the international community to act. In particular, Lisa Doughten recalled the need to comply with laws protecting civilians and humanitarian missions.
She also spoke about the lack of funding. According to the speaker, donors have allocated two billion dollars for the needs of Ukrainians this year. However, this is $1.1 billion less than the amount requested by the UN.
The representative of the Office of Humanitarian Affairs also called on members of the international community to make efforts to stop “this destructive war.”