United Nations agencies led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assessed the impact of the war on Ukrainians, noting a decline in living standards and inclusivity, access to medicine and education.

The UN system coordinator in Ukraine Denise Brown, quoted in a press release, said that the data contained in the Human Impact Assessment emphasize the serious consequences of the Russian invasion, especially for the most vulnerable segments of the population of Ukraine. The recommendations presented in the document will also help guide the entire UN system in its cooperation with the government, communities and civil society in Ukraine to provide them with the necessary assistance on the way to recovery.

According to the report, the standard of living and access to basic services in Ukraine deteriorated again after the winter of 2022/2023 due to interruptions in the supply of utilities due to Russian attacks on infrastructure, while the southeastern and northern regions of the country experienced the most decline in living standards.

Experts estimate that 65% of households have recorded a decrease in income since February 2022, and the share of families for whom the only source of income is paid work has decreased from 67% to 53%. At the same time, 22% of households spend more than a quarter of their monthly income on health, 11% of young people noted the unavailability of quality education.

According to the report, 44% of Ukrainian households cannot afford the essentials, and the share of families with insufficient food consumption has increased from 1/5 to 1/3. About 43% of households reported having to limit portions, eating cheap foods or buying them on loan.

The analysis showed that due to the war, the risks of gender-based violence have increased in Ukrainian society – 55% of women do not feel safe in everyday life. In total, 3.6 million people are at risk of gender-based violence.

About a quarter of women reported spending more than 50 hours a week on household chores. At the same time, after the outbreak of the war, the role of women in decision-making at the family and community level has increased somewhat.

For socially vulnerable groups of the population, after the start of a full-scale invasion, it increased to 45%, which includes internally displaced persons (IDPs), veterans and persons with disabilities. Experts have estimated that IDPs, persons with disabilities and the elderly have the lowest level of income, and displaced persons and Roma also face discrimination when looking for work or housing.

UN experts have made recommendations to the Government of Ukraine to overcome the consequences of the war. Among them, in particular, improving access to social protection systems, restoring agriculture, investing in education and vocational training, developing an inclusive society, priority measures to ensure livelihoods taking into account economic and demographic changes. In addition, recommendations were drawn up to support Ukraine for international non-governmental organizations, donors and international financial institutions.

"Assessing the impact of the war on people gives an important understanding of the resilience of our people, as well as those areas on which we need to focus reconstruction efforts. We understand the depth of our responsibility and strive not only to recognize, but also to meet the needs of our most vulnerable citizens," said Yulia Sokolovska, Deputy head of the President’s Office.