11 Ways to Help Ukraine

Help support the Ukrainian people as their country is invaded.

The ongoing war in Ukraine has caused hundreds of civilian deaths, with more than 2 million refugees having already fled the country. It is crucial in these trying times that Ukrainians know they have support. Here are some ways to help. 

Meduza

“Within a few days, maybe even today, it is possible that there will be no independent media left in Russia,” read a post on Meduza’s website. Meduza is an independent media source at extreme risk of losing its platform to inform the public. Russian President Vladimir Putin is working to have complete control over censorship in Russia and Ukraine, meaning citizens of these countries will no longer have access to any information besides what Russia’s government allows. Meduza has already been blocked in Russia, and now it is fighting to stay alive through the support of allies outside of these countries. The organization is looking for financial support and social media awareness.

For more information and to donate, visit Meduza’s website. 

Reporters Without Borders

Reporters Without Borders is a worldwide independent media organization that works to keep freedom of the press and information to citizens of the world. According to their site, on March 4, Russia adopted a new law making the “publication of ‘false’ or ‘mendacious’ information about the Russian armed forces punishable by up to 15 years in prison.” This threatens every single independent media outlet in Russia and Ukraine. Support Reporters Without Borders through sponsorship, donations, volunteering and more listed on the website. 

For more information and to support, visit Reporters Without Borders’ website. 

The Kyiv Independent

The Kyiv Independent was launched three months ago by journalists who had been fired in Ukraine for defending editorial independence. Now, they are playing a vital role in keeping the freedom of the press alive in Russia and Ukraine. On their website, they have options to “become a patron” and donate to the organization’s GoFundMe.

For more information and to support, visit The Kyiv Independent’s website.  

Doctors Without Borders

Working in conflict zones, Doctors Without Borders focuses on helping citizens in need after natural disasters, wars, epidemics and more. Responding to the Ukraine crisis, the organization sent 1,400 cubic feet of medical supply shipments on March 6, along with members of the organization. There are multiple ways to get involved with Doctors Without Borders from working in offices to working in the field, and if a career path isn’t something you’re considering, donating is another great way to show support. 

For more information and to support, visit Doctors Without Borders’ website. 

International Medical Corps

A global first responder organization, International Medical Corps provides emergency medical assistance to people in need in any circumstances. A hub in Poland has been created, so members of the organization can assist members of Ukraine and surrounding countries with physical and mental health situations. International Medical Corps is looking for donations to continue its efforts in Poland. 

For more information and to support, visit International Medical Corps’ website. 

Contact Government Representatives 

Don’t have the money to donate? Another way to get involved if you are in the United States or Europe is by contacting government representatives in efforts to accept as many Ukrainian refugees as possible. Boundless offers great tips for formatting emails, finding your elected officials and learning information about what your contribution will do for citizens in need. 

To find your representative, visit the U.S. House of Representatives’ website. 

Global Giving

Global Giving is a nonprofit that connects other nonprofits with donors and companies. Helping to properly equip humanitarian projects in distressed communities and donating to the Ukraine Crisis Fund creates a direct impact on citizens in need. With a goal of $10,000,000, Global Giving has promised that all funds raised will go to providing shelter, food, clean water, health support, psychosocial support and more. 

For more information and to support, visit Global Giving’s website.

The World Food Programme 

As the world's largest humanitarian organization, The World Food Programme works to provide meals to all people in emergency situations. Working directly with citizens in Ukraine who have been forced from their homes and into hunger, donating to The World Food Programme will provide families with meal packages and more.

For more information and to support, visit The World Food Programme’s website.

UNICEF

UNICEF is running an emergency response for Eastern Ukraine, leading health, social policy, child protection and many more programs to aid families affected by the conflict. UNICEF is looking for volunteers, donors, social media support and reporters to help with the efforts in Ukraine. 

For more information and to support, visit UNICEF’s website. 

United Help Ukraine

An organization started directly in response to the attack on Ukraine, United Help is focusing on wounded warriors, humanitarian aid, medical supplies and raising awareness. Donating to United Help Ukraine will directly help Ukrainian citizens, soldiers and frontline volunteers. 

For more information and to support, visit United Help Ukraine’s website.

Airbnb

Offering free short-term housing for over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, Airbnb is relying on the help of citizens across the world. Airbnb is looking for donations and possible hosts to house refugees. Nonprofits are working with Airbnb during this time to book homes for eligible citizens. 

For more information and to support, visit Airbnb’s Help Ukraine website. 

Knowing what organizations have the best intentions and support for people in need can be difficult. The American Endowment Foundation provides a great resource for choosing the right organizations where your support will make the biggest difference.

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Haleigh Kierman

Haleigh is a student at The University of Massachusetts, Amherst. A double Journalism and Communications major with a minor in Anthropology, she is initially from Guam, but lived in a small, rural town outside of Boston most of her life. Travel and social action journalism are her two passions and she is appreciative to live in a time where writers voices are more important than ever.

The Impact of the Coronavirus on Efforts to End Child Marriage

The coronavirus pandemic has negatively impacted the world, creating unforeseen challenges and serving to highlight and deepen racial disparities and global inequalities. Since the start of the pandemic, many countries have enacted mandatory quarantines in order to slow the spread of the virus, while a few countries are now in the process of easing, and in some cases lifting, restrictions. In addition to the coronavirus’s effects around the world, the pandemic is also having lasting impacts on the lives of women and girls across the globe—from school closures to a rise in domestic abuse to a loss of access to health care and community programs. In particular, COVID-19 is setting back efforts to end child marriage as it causes delays in programs around the world that are dedicated to ending child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). According to the World Health Organization, more than 3 million girls are at risk for FGM every year. According to UNICEF, there are approximately 15 million child marriages annually.

Researchers at the United Nations Population Fund predict that there “could be an extra 13 million child marriages and another 2 million cases of FGM in the next decade as the pandemic stymies global efforts to end both practices,” according to a report from Reuters. As more families face economic struggles caused by a global recession in the wake of the pandemic, “parents may marry off girls as a way to reduce the number of children they have to support or to access dowries,” according to the World Economic Forum. The risks of child marriage and FGM are also increasing during the pandemic because schools are closed and many organizations are finding it difficult to operate under lockdown. Schools help protect children, particularly girls, and when the schools shut down, organizations found it difficult to reach the girls and communities they support, according to Girls Not Brides, a global organization dedicated to ending child marriage.

The Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) said that “some girls are prioritizing marriage and children over education” and “in Malawi, some people are saying, ‘Schools won’t reopen, so just marry,’” according to Voice of America. Malawi has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, according to UNICEF. In Malawi, 42% “of girls are married before the age of 18 and almost one in 10 are married before their 15th birthday,” according to a 2016 study.

The Centre for Social Concern and Development (CESOCODE) is one group that is trying to continue its work despite the challenges of COVID-19 restrictions. The programs director for CESOCODE, Ephraim Chimwaza, said, “When girls are forced to stay at home or within their communities rather than attending school, they are at far greater risk of experiencing gender-based violence and are more vulnerable to child marriage. The difficulty of the lockdown means that they cannot report anything that does happen to them, as they are much more isolated,” according to Girls Not Brides. CESOCODE utilized technology to keep in touch with the girls, using social media and a Bluetooth messaging service to check in with them and to promote domestic violence prevention and public health. They have also developed a podcast about domestic violence against girls, and for communities without access to technology the organization is handing out flyers and brochures to educate and spread advice on how to keep safe.

In Somalia, the coronavirus lockdown led to a huge increase in FGM. The country has the world’s highest FGM rate “with about 98% of women having been cut,” according to Reuters. The practice is “traditionally carried out during school holidays in urban settings or during the rainy season in rural areas,” according to Plan International, a girls’ and children’s rights charity. According to Plan International, Somali girls are being subjected to FGM from door-to-door circumcisers who are using the lockdown as an opportunity to carry out FGM since the girls are not in school. Since the period that girls are off of school is longer than other years, there is already an increase in FGM cases.

Girls and young women who were already at risk before the pandemic are now left unprotected, and as such, Sadia Allin, Plan International’s head of mission in Somalia, says, “Measures to address increased risk of gender-based violence and harmful practices, including FGM, should be included in response and recovery plans and these should be gender and age responsive. Girls and young women should be involved in the development of response and recovery plans to ensure their unique needs are met.”

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Asiya Haouchine

Asiya is an Algerian-American writer who graduated from the University of Connecticut in May 2016, earning a BA in journalism and English. She was an editorial intern and contributing writer for Warscapes magazine and the online/blog editor for Long River Review. She is currently studying for her Master’s in Library and Information Science. @AsiyaHaou

Nearly a Decade of Strife in Libya

After the overthrow of then-leader Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, Libya has been in a constant state of political unrest. Since 2014, the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA)  have sought control over the country, sparking a destructive civil war. Based in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, the GNA is recognized by the United Nations. Allied with General Khalifa Hifter, the Benghazi-based LNA receives aid from Russia, France and the United Arab Emirates. 

Libyan civilians have endured chaos, including shelling near the front lines, injuries from explosive devices and abductions for ransom. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that 1.3 million Libyans require urgent humanitarian assistance.

Armed Conflict and War Crimes 

Weapons proliferation has been a major security concern in Libya, as allied countries provide the GNA and LNA with advanced military equipment. State-provided arms transfers make Libya a volatile battleground. Currently, the country has the world's largest uncontrolled ammunition supply, with an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 metric tons of uncontrolled munitions. Yacoub El Hillo, the U.N.’s resident and humanitarian coordinator in Libya, announced, “The increasing use of explosive weapons has resulted in unnecessary loss of life, displacement, destruction and damage to vital civilian infrastructure.” The Islamic State group has also used the country as a hub to coordinate broader regional violence, further complicating efforts to create a united government. 

In April 2019, Khalifa Hifter’s forces attacked Tripoli, resulting in over 1,000 fatalities. As General Hifter continues his campaigns, the International Criminal Court (ICC) warns of potential war crimes, including mass murder, desecration of corpses and kidnappings. In a statement to the U.N. Security Council, chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda accused the LNA of targeting innocent civilians: "Of particular concern to my Office are the high numbers of civilian casualties, largely reported to be resulting from airstrikes and shelling operations. Intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population or against individual civilians not taking direct part in hostilities is a war crime under the Rome Statute. Likewise, the Rome Statute prohibits the intentional directing of attacks against hospitals and other buildings protected under international law, such as those dedicated to religion or education, when they are not military objectives." 

Civilian Victims and Internal Displacement 

Displaced civilians flee their homes in Libya. Magharebia. CC BY 2.0

Due to ongoing conflict, nearly 400,000 Libyans have been forced to flee their homes and are now internally displaced. According to UNICEF, Libyan hospitals and schools serve as shelters for thousands of displaced civilians around Tripoli. Yet, with military forces continually targeting these makeshift shelters, Libyans face inadequate access to health care, essential medicines, food, safe drinking water and education. School has been suspended indefinitely for nearly 200,000 children, leaving them susceptible to abuse, human trafficking and violence.

Given the lack of eyewitnesses and credible reports, experts can only estimate the total number of fatalities since 2011. Small Arms Survey, a research-based organization, suspects that approximately 27,000 people have perished in the nine-year-long dispute. 

Migrants, Refugees and Asylum-Seekers 

Migrants aboard an inflatable vessel in the Mediterranean Sea. Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet. Public Domain.

Within this war-torn nation, there are currently 654,000 migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, mainly from sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 90% of people crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe depart from Libya. Migrants and asylum-seekers who are captured at sea and returned to Libyan territory are detained in centers run by the GNA’s Interior Ministry, where many suffer inhumane conditions including sexual violence, extortion and forced labor. While the GNA manages formal migrant detention centers, smugglers and traffickers run numerous informal facilities. “Those interned there, mainly refugees, keep dying of diseases and hunger. They are victims of violence, rape and arbitrary treatment at the hands of militias,” said Julien Raickmann, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) chief in Libya. Since January, more than 4,000 migrants have been intercepted at sea and returned to Libya, while hundreds have disappeared altogether. Despite threats of detention, migrants and asylum-seekers still venture to Libya, hoping to reach Europe. 

Humanitarian Relief 

After nine years of instability, thousands of Libyan civilians and migrants face displacement, malnutrition and violence. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) launched the 2020 Humanitarian Response Plan, which pledges $115 million in relief efforts. Protection is at the core of this plan, as well as the provision of food, shelter, health care, water and sanitation. The U.N.’s refugee agency, UNHCR, will also work at 12 disembarkation points in Libya to aid and protect migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers. At detention centers, they will provide humanitarian assistance and mitigate maltreatment. These organizations seek durable solutions to prevent another decade of turmoil.

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Shannon Moran

Shannon is a Journalism major at the University of Georgia, minoring in English and Spanish. As a fluent Spanish speaker, she is passionate about languages, cultural immersion, and human rights activism. She has visited seven countries and thirty states and hopes to continue traveling the world in pursuit of compelling stories.