UNHCR Expands Operations in Poland for Ukrainian Refugees 27 May 2022
/
2:43
/
MP4
/
200.8 MB

Edited News | UNESCO , UNHCR

Bi-Weekly Press Briefing: UNHCR Expands Operations in Poland for Ukrainian Refugees 27 May 2022

Amid rising needs of vulnerable Ukrainian refugees arriving to Poland, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has scaled up its activities in the country to provide aid as Poland continues to be the main country of arrival for Ukrainian refugees. More than 3.5 million have entered the country since the beginning of the war on 24 February.

Speaking from Warsaw at a news briefing at the United Nations in Geneva, UNHCR’s spokesperson Olga Sarrado said that “newly arrived refugees often come from areas heavily affected by the fighting, some having spent weeks hiding in bomb shelters and basements”. She added that “they often arrive in a state of distress and anxiety, having left family members behind, without a clear plan for where to go, and with less economic resources and connections than those who fled earlier”.

Noting that “the pace of arrivals has slowed down in comparison to early March, when over 100,000 people were arriving per day, to around 20,000 daily in the course of May”, Olga Sarrado said that “we have also seen more ‘pendular’ movements, where people go back and forth across the border to Ukraine for various reasons, including visiting families, checking their properties or returning to their jobs”.

Health services and medical needs are the main queries UNHCR staff receive from refugees. Other requests concern transportation, financial support, psychosocial needs, accommodation and access to social services, including for people with disabilities and older people.

UNHCR estimates that roughly “about 50 per cent of them would like to stay in Poland”. According to Olga Sarrado “the Polish authorities were mentioning as well that in between 1.5 to 2 million would be staying in their country.”

Given the large internal displacement due to the massive destruction and the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine, Poland expects to continue receiving large numbers of refugees.

Poland has put in place systems to ensure legal stay, access to employment, education, health care and other social welfare schemes for Ukrainian refugees.

“Over 1.1 million have registered with the Polish authorities, meaning they have received a state ID number (called PESEL), which gives them access to the services; 94 per cent of those registered are women and children”, said Ms. Sarrado.

UNHCR rolled out its cash assistance programme in March. As of today, UNHCR has established eight cash enrollment centres in the main refugee hosting areas, including Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw, Ostroda, Gdynia and Gdansk. Over 100,000 refugees from Ukraine have already received financial support from UNHCR to cover their basic needs, such as paying rent or buying food and medicine.

According to UNHCR’s Ms Sarrado, “almost 20 per cent of those refugees that enrolled for cash assistance have specific needs.” She added that ”aid is provided to serious medical cases, older people, single mothers without family support, women at risk and people with disabilities and half of the children with specific needs are separated or unaccompanied.”

Cash is provided for a three-month period to those most in need until they can better support themselves or be included in government social protection systems.

-ends-

  1. Exterior medium shot, United Nations flag alley, a sunny day.
  2. Medium shot, participants typing on laptops in the foreground with TV screen showing speaker delivering the speech in the background.
  3. SOUNDBITE (English): Olga Sarrado, UNHCR spokesperson (from Poland): “The pace of arrivals has slowed down in comparison to early March, when over 100,000 people were arriving per day, to around 20,000 daily in the course of May.”
  4. Close-up, TV screen showing the speaker is delivering the speech.
  5. SOUNDBITE (English): Olga Sarrado, UNHCR spokesperson (from Poland): “We have also seen more ‘pendular’ movements, where people go back and forth across the border to Ukraine for various reasons, including visiting families, checking their properties or returning to their jobs.”
  6. Close-up, fingers typing on the laptop.
  7. SOUNDBITE (English): Olga Sarrado, UNHCR spokesperson (from Poland): “Our estimates, because of the interviews that we are doing in border monitoring, roughly say that about 50 per cent of them would like to stay in Poland. And actually, yesterday the Polish authorities were mentioning as well that in between 1.5 to 2 million would be staying in their country.”
  8. Close-up, fingers typing on the laptop.
  9. SOUNDBITE (English): Olga Sarrado, UNHCR spokesperson (from Poland): “Newly arrived refugees often come from areas heavily affected by the fighting, some having spent weeks hiding in bomb shelters and basements. They often arrive in a state of distress and anxiety, having left family members behind, without a clear plan on where to go, and with less economic resources and connections than those who fled before.”
  10. Close-up, participants, blurred, with TV screen showing Olga Sarrado delivering remote message to rear.
  11. SOUNDBITE (English): Olga Sarrado, UNHCR spokesperson (from Poland): “Over 1.1 million have registered with the Polish authorities, meaning, they have received a state ID number (called PESEL), which gives them access to the services; 94 per cent of those registered are women and children.”
  12. Medium shot, two participants, seated, following the press conference.
  13. SOUNDBITE (English): Olga Sarrado, UNHCR spokesperson (from Poland): “Almost 20 per cent of those refugees that enrolled for cash assistance have specific needs. Aid is provided to serious medical cases, older people, single mothers without family support, women at risk and people with disabilities and half of the children with specific needs are separated or unaccompanied.”
  14. Medium shot, two participants in front of their laptops, with TV screen showing speaker to rear.
  15. Close-up, participant with TV screen showing speaker delivering the speech to rear.
  16. Medium shot, participants seated, a journalist is holding a microphone and asking questions.
  17. Close-up, participants listening.
  18. Exterior wide shot, United Nations flag flying, a sunny day.

Audio Files 1
Download UNHCR Expands Operations in Poland for Ukrainian Refugees
Download

Similar Stories

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity ENG FRA

A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025 ENG FRA

As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017. 

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR ENG FRA

Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’

In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA ENG FRA

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, repeated his urgent call for a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday, amid increased military Israeli activity in the enclave’s largest city.

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025 ENG FRA

Amid reports of increased Israeli military operations across Gaza City on Friday, UN aid agencies repeated urgent warnings of ongoing famine and a likely rise in preventable disease, linked to the dire living conditions in the war-shattered enclave.

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran ENG FRA

UN calls for Iran to halt executions and move towards ending the death penalty.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following comment on the killing of journalists in Gaza at the bi-weekly press briefing.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called on Egyptian authorities to end the practice known as “rotation”, which allows Government critics to be held arbitrarily and for prolonged periods.