February 12, 2025

1084th day of Russian invasion

1.7 million children in Ukraine lack access to safe, clean water

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A senior UN official says 1.7 million children in Ukraine lack access to safe and clean water due to Russian attacks on infrastructure.

UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Regina De Dominicis spoke to NHK in Tokyo on Thursday.

De Dominicis said Russian airstrikes in Ukraine have contaminated water sources and damaged or destroyed 1,000 kilometers of water networks. She said UNICEF fears that the lack of clean water will lead to a rise in disease cases.

De Dominicis noted that her organization, with international help, has been working to install water pipelines in Ukraine.

UNICEF is advancing an initiative in Ukraine to prepare about 21,000 households with children for the upcoming winter. The program focuses on families living near the frontlines, providing them with cash, warm clothes, blankets and other goods.

De Dominicis stressed the importance of the effort. She said temperatures in the country will drop below zero, enormously impacting the daily lives of families and children.

She said the biggest challenge for UNICEF is a lack of funding and that it understands very well that crises are happening around the world. But she added that it is time for the international community to support UNICEF in doing as much as it can to ensure decent living conditions, especially for children everywhere.

Source: UNICEF

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