The war in Ukraine has triggered the world’s fastest-growing displacement crisis since World War II. Since the Russian invasion, more than a quarter of the Ukrainian population has fled within Ukraine or out of the country. Hostilities are concentrated in eastern Ukraine, but attacks are also reported in the south and west of the country.

Conditions in conflict-affected areas are deteriorating due to shortages of electricity, gas and water. The need for humanitarian aid is increasing. The war has also devastated Ukraine’s economy. Economic losses due to the ongoing military offensive may be more than a trillion dollars, and about 64 per cent of the Ukrainian workforce has lost their jobs since the war began.

The war is affecting women and men differently, exacerbating already existing inequalities. The majority of displaced people are women (64 per cent), and many have had to leave behind their husbands and often other family members. Many forms of violence against women are reported: Intimate partner violence, sexual violence (including conflict-related sexual violence), trafficking and economic abuse.