Seoul – On 27 June 2024, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in the Republic of Korea (ROK) – in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) – hosted a webinar on the Humanitarian Situation Update in Ukraine. The webinar was attended by representatives from NGOs, academia and government.  

Two years since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, the consequential humanitarian crisis remains profound. Approximately 14.6 million people in Ukraine remain in dire need of humanitarian assistance; refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons are compelled to seek safety within and outside the country.  

Led by Katy Snowball, Partnerships and Programme Development Coordinator at IOM Ukraine, and Kai Wilson, Programme Support Coordinator at IOM Poland, the webinar detailed IOM’s ongoing response efforts to address the immediate and long-term needs of affected populations in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, including Poland.  

The key highlights included IOM's active attempts to address the basic needs of affected populations, such as providing protection support for children and elderly people, offering Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) to traumatized individuals, and addressing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) needs. The speakers emphasized areas requiring additional support and urged continued attention to vulnerable groups, despite growing fatigue in crisis response efforts over time. 

The speakers noted that as internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees are compelled to leave their homes in search of better services, support and stable environments, and eventually return, IOM is providing comprehensive assistance through various pathways to support those in need. 

The webinar was a part of IOM’s quarterly knowledge-sharing series to enhance the preparedness and response capacity of the ROK humanitarian professionals to natural and man-made emergencies.  

Since 2014, IOM ROK, with support from USAID BHA, has been enhancing the capacity of ROK humanitarian actors through awareness-raising and advocacy activities, targeting both the public and humanitarian professionals. 

*** 

For more information, please contact Youngin KIM, IOM Republic of Korea Mission, Tel.: +82 70 4820 2647, Email: yokim@iom.int.