This support is intended to strengthen the two countries’ efforts to meet the humanitarian needs of women and girls and promote their opportunities and rights in both the short and the long term. The support will be channelled through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women.

“Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and attacks on health and medical care facilities have life-threatening consequences for women and girls. These earmarked funds can be used for life-saving assistance through additional mobile health clinics, equipment to prevent maternal and infant mortality, and protection and support for victims of conflict-related sexual violence. This is fully in line with the Government’s development assistance priorities – mitigating the effects of the war in Ukraine,” says Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell. 

The support aims to meet the humanitarian needs of women and girls, promote their opportunities and rights, particularly sexual and reproductive health and rights, and combat sexual and gender-based violence. It is also intended to help rebuild and reinforce Ukraine’s health care system and infrastructures that have been severely affected by Russia’s attacks. In Moldova, the support will assist internally displaced women and girls. A total of almost EUR 9 million will go to Ukraine and Moldova through UNFPA, while about EUR 2 million will go to Ukraine through UN Women.

“Russia’s full-scale invasion has put millions of civilians at risk, a majority of which are women and girls. We still have an acute current situation to handle, but it is also important for us to ensure that women continue to have a voice in the reconstruction and recovery of our country,” says Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy in Ukraine Kateryna Levchenko.

"In the Republic of Moldova, the majority of beneficiaries of health services among refugees from Ukraine are women and girls. Over the course of a year, the health system ensured their access to reproductive health services, surgical interventions, dialysis sessions, medicines. The health professionals in the country assisted 219 Ukrainian women in giving birth. The healthcare assistance provided to the refugees was entirely free, and part of the costs were covered by international partners, on whose support we continue to count," says Ala Nemerenco, Minister of Health of the Republic of Moldova.