UNHCR to provide financial aid to over 2,500 IDPs living in Mariupol
An agreement on the provision of financial assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in Mariupol was signed at a meeting of Mariupol Mayor Yuriy Khotlubei with Head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Mariupol Dinu Lipcanu on Monday.
The press service of Mariupol Town Council reported on Monday that the UN will provide assistance to over 2,500 IDPs in the amount of UAH 2,000 per each IDP.
"First, pregnant women, single mothers, grandmothers with children, families with disabled persons and families with many children will receive the aid," the town council said.
Khotlubei and Lipcanu also discussed the most urgent problems IDPs face when they come to Mariupol and the possible mechanisms of providing UN financial aid to IDPs and residents of Mariupol who find themselves in difficult circumstances.
Khotlubei thanked Lipcanu for the UN assistance, adding that Mariupol residents who suffered due to a terrorist' attack on January 24, 2015 when the neighborhood of Skhidny in the city was shelled also need aid.
"A large group of families are in the extremely difficult financial situation, and this is first linked to the Anti-Terrorist Operation. Some of them lost their business, especially in the Skhidny neighborhood," Khotlubei said.
He said that town authorities are making all possible efforts to help residents of the town and IDPs, but due to the tragedy in the Skhidny around 400 infrastructure facilities were destroyed and large funds were allocated to restore them.
"Today, there is not always a possibility of supporting citizens in difficult circumstances. The town head believes that the UN program to help Mariupol residents who suffered from the terrorist attack is needed," reads the report.
Lipcanu said that the issues of providing aid are under the control of his office and all the required support will be provided to the greatest extent possible. He said that the ways of providing aid to people who suffered due to the conflict, in particular residents of Mariupol, are being discussed by many international organizations.