The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has caused the greatest damage to vulnerable groups, i.e., the elderly and children. As the orphanage is trapped in war conflict, for the orphans, it means they have lost their only home. Türkiye has taken the lead in working hard to evacuate and shelter children in its area.
Since the outbreak of the conflict, 988 orphans and 392 caregivers and guardians have been brought to the country due to the efforts of the first ladies of the two countries. Across Turkey, the Ministry of Family and Social Services strives to provide them with shelter and psychological and social support to help them overcome the trauma of displacement.
The first orphans and their caregivers arrived in Türkiye on March 25, a few weeks after the conflict broke out. Later, eight orphans arrived. They are housed in hotels in the south of Antalya and Mura provinces and in the northwest of Sakariya provinces. The government addressed all the needs of these orphans and others who were evacuated to the country. Staff assigned by the ministry are able to communicate with orphans in their native language and conduct regular interviews to resolve their problems.
The Ministry’s Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation is usually responsible for assisting vulnerable communities, caring for these orphans, including overseeing regular health checks, and providing children with stationery so they can resume education.
The ministry also implements an integration program for Ukrainian children, and recently brought them together with Turkish children on the occasion of Children's Day on April 23, a festival dedicated to the country's children. The Ministry has organized social, cultural, sports and educational activities for Ukrainian children in cooperation with Turkey's Red Crescent Club, , , UNICEF and non-governmental organization . The children will also attend Turkish language classes to adapt to their new life in Turkey.
Türkiye already has extensive experience in helping children affected by the conflict, as the country hosts the largest number of refugees from neighboring Syria . While providing routine assistance, the country also helps thousands of children from Syria to enroll in school and educate.
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Ukraine has more than 100,000 children in orphanages, boarding schools or homes with disabilities, a number that is the highest in Europe. Many are considered so-called social orphans because their parents or other relatives are still alive but cannot take care of them in one of the poorest countries in Europe. According to official data, at least 8,000 caring minors have been taken abroad or relocated in Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. About 31,000 people have been sent back to their parents, and officials estimate at least 2,500 people are trapped in combat areas and need to be evacuated. The UN International Organization for Migration has warned refugees who fled the country to be careful of traffickers who are eager to take advantage of the chaotic population movement. In March, Ukraine implemented new rules for evacuation and monitoring of orphans, but NGOs said more work still needs to be done.
A UNICEF official said last Friday that Ukraine is facing an extraordinary child protection crisis, which may have never been seen before, with hundreds of children killed and more injured. Aaron Greenberg, UNICEF Child Protection Advisor, Europe and Central Asia Greenberg said at a biweekly press conference of the UN Office at Geneva in Lviv, Ukraine: "There are reported nearly 200 attacks on medical facilities and schools continue to be affected by the attacks."
He said: "The two-month war in Ukraine has caused 7.7 million internal displacement and forced more than 5.5 million people to cross international borders, including nearly two-thirds of all children in Ukraine. The war has affected the social and mental health of all children. UN declared that at least 324 children died from the war. Children were driven out of their homes, separated from their caregivers and directly exposed to the war. Children were shocked by the harsh alarm sounds of bomb explosions and missile alarm systems.”
Greenberg said nearly all children are dealing with the absence of their father, older male siblings or uncles, as almost all men aged 18 to 60 are mobilized to participate in the war. And, most importantly, many children have witnessed or experienced physical and sexual violence. “Let me highlight a particular problem we are seeing,” he said. Ukrainian labor force, including social workers , child psychologists and other professionals, are also affected by the conflict. "
He said that UNICEF expects that the number of violence against children in all forms will reach tens of thousands of people.
