Ukraine Winterization UNDP - WHO - UNHCR 13 December 2022
/
2:39
/
MP4
/
194.7 MB

Edited News | UNDP , UNHCR , WHO

Ukraine Winterization UNDP - WHO - UNHCR 13 December 2022

With temperatures continuing to plunge in Ukraine, nearly 10 million Ukrainians who live in the most affected areas by the war will probably spend winter without water, heat and electricity, and 18 million will need humanitarian aid, according to UN estimates.

50% of people, you know, are directly affected by electricity", said Jaco Cilliers, UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine. "Everybody in the country is facing energy cuts at the moment, you know, but it’s 50% of direct infrastructure has been affected by these attacks within Ukraine.

Speaking from the sidelines of an international donor conference currently hosted in Paris to help Ukraine to survive winter’s freezing temperatures and to rebuild after the war with Russia, Mr. Cilliers said that “the UN realizes that nearly 10 million Ukrainians who live in the most affected areas will probably go without water, heat and electricity in the coming winter.

Mr. Cilliers added that “it is estimated that nearly 18 million people, or 40% of Ukraine’s population, will need some sort of humanitarian aid during these periods of time.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is working together with the World Bank on a damage assessment report and the need of energy structure. UNDP is also bringing in voltage equipment for the restoration of the energy grip which will be crucial not only for the immediate needs but also on the long term.

Furthermore, so the UNDP Resident Representative, “we are working on mine action and rubble removal. It is a fact that nearly 6.7 million people have left the country. So there’s a lot of people outside that are looking to come in and back into the country, but they need to be safe, and they need to know that when they enter their communities and that they return to their communities that these areas are also cleared from mines and dangerous ordinances.

At the end of October 2022, over 6.5 million people are estimated to be internally displaced, while 7.8 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded across Europe, most of them women and children. Our top priority is to deliver the winterization response and critical assistance to people, including housing protection and assistance programs for internally displaced people and other conflict-affected people as well,” noted UNHCR’s spokesperson, Shabia Mantoo.

With over 715 attacks on health care facilities and the difficulty to reach crucial help on time, the World Health Programme (WHO) stressed the enormous mental stress under which the population has been suffering. The lack of electricity is adding another health damage.

When people are in this dire situation, with no electricity, no heating, they turn to alternative sources like diesel, like wood fuels in very crowded situations », said WHO’s spokesperson Margaret Harris. « And that creates toxic substances that will increase the harm to people’s lungs, especially children and old people. And as we know, we are also seeing a large rise in respiratory illness and other respiratory infections beyond COVID. So we’ve got respiratory syncytial virus causing a lot of bronchiolitis and bronchitis with also going to see flu surge. We’re also concerned about diphtheria and measles in large unvaccinated populations.

Furthermore, large numbers of people affected with HIV in the Donetsk region were not able to receive their medication during the last months.

We really need humanitarian corridors, we really need the opportunity, the chance to help those many, many people in need,” said Margaret Harris.

-ends-

STORY: Ukraine Winterization UNDP - WHO - UNHCR

TRT: 2 mins 39 s

SOURCE: UNTV CH

RESTRICTIONS: NONE

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS

ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

DATELINE: 13 December 2022 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST

  1. Medium shot, UN Geneva flag alley in snow.
  2. Wide shot, press room with panel of speakers.
  3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, Jaco Cilliers: “The UN realizes that nearly 10 million Ukrainians who live in the most affected areas will probably go without water, heat and electricity in the coming winter.
  4. Medium shot, journalists taking notes, screen of speakers in the background.
  5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, Jaco Cilliers: “It is estimated that nearly 18 million people, or 40% of Ukraine’s population, will need some sort of humanitarian aid during these periods of time.
  6. Medium shot, press room, panel in the background, journalists taking notes.
  7. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, Jaco Cilliers: “We are working on mine action and rubble removal. It is a fact that nearly 6.7 million people have left the country. So there’s a lot of people outside that are looking to come in and back into the country, but they need to be safe, and they need to know that when they enter their communities and that they return to their communities that these areas are also cleared from mines and dangerous ordinances.
  8. Medium shot, speaker panel and screen of press room.
  9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, Jaco Cilliers: “50% of people, you know, are directly affected by electricity. Everybody in the country is facing energy cuts at the moment, you know, but it’s 50% of direct infrastructure has been affected by these attacks within Ukraine.
  10. Wide shot, press room, panel in the background, journalists taking notes.
  11. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNHCR spokesperson, Shabia Mantoo: “Our top priority is to deliver the winterization response and critical assistance to people, including housing protection and assistance programs for internally displaced people and other conflict-affected people as well.
  12. Medium shot, journalists taking notes.
  13. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), WHO spokesperson, Margaret Harris: “When people are in this dire situation, with no electricity, no heating, they turn to alternative sources like diesel, like wood fuels in very crowded situations. And that creates toxic substances that will increase the harm to people’s lungs, especially children and old people. And as we know, we are also seeing a large rise in respiratory illness and other respiratory infections beyond COVID. So we’ve got respiratory syncytial virus causing a lot of bronchiolitis and bronchitis with also going to see flu surge. We’re also concerned about diphtheria and measles in large unvaccinated populations.
  14. Wide shot, press room, panel in the background, journalists taking notes.
  15. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), WHO spokesperson, Margaret Harris: “We really need humanitarian corridors, we really need the opportunity, the chance to help those many, many people in need.
  16. Close-up shot, journalist taking photo with phone.
  17. Close-up shot, spokesperson listening.
  18. Close-up shot, journalists in front of the screen.

Similar Stories

HRC60 Press Conference: Report of the Sudan Fact-Finding Mission - 09 September 2025

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC

HRC60 Press Conference: Report of the Sudan Fact-Finding Mission - 09 September 2025 ENG FRA

A high-level independent rights probe into the Sudan crisis on Tuesday condemned the many grave crimes committed against civilians by all parties to the war, citing disturbing evidence indicating that they had been “deliberately targeted, displaced and starved”.

Ukraine attacks - health update - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Ukraine attacks - health update - WHO ENG FRA

Ukraine: ‘Relentless’ attacks rattle health system as winter approaches: WHO

Ambulances attacked, chronically ill patients lacking care and no peace in sight: for millions of Ukrainians, the run-up to another winter of war is just the latest life-or-death challenge they face, the UN health agency (WHO) said on Tuesday.

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.