08 December 2022
UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency welcomes a contribution up to $USD 445,898 from the Government of Japan for crucial humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria.
Japan’s essential contribution will strengthen the response capacity of UNHCR and its partners and enable them to provide critical humanitarian assistance and essential services to Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria. This would include access to information, legal assistance, and basic services, as well as social counselling and interpretation. With this valuable support, refugees will be supported in accessing healthcare, social assistance and information and provided with more socio-economic opportunities.
“I would like to thank the Government of Japan for its continuous and unwavering commitment to the refugee cause around the world,” said UNHCR Representative to Bulgaria, Seda Kuzucu. “Japan is an important donor, and this contribution comes at a critical time for UNHCR’s Bulgaria operation, which is committed to providing humanitarian assistance and essential services to Ukrainian refugees. Needs and costs have been rising due to the ongoing confluence of war and violence as well as economic and geopolitical crosswinds. The funding will help UNHCR continue its assistance to the most vulnerable groups.”
Japan’s contribution will also assist UNHCR to further enhance the identification and referral of persons with specific needs to appropriate services. These include children, women, persons with disabilities, older persons, as well as survivors and those at risk of gender-based violence (GBV) or trafficking. It will also expand the capacity of service-providers and support educational and recreational activities for Ukrainian refugee children enrolled in schools in Bulgaria and provide core relief items for winter to persons with specific needs.
“We hope that this project, implemented in cooperation between the Government of Japan and UNHCR in Bulgaria, will reduce the vulnerabilities and difficulties in the lives of Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria and improve their access to vital infrastructure, as well as their survival in the coming winter. We hope that we can assist Bulgaria in its efforts to support refugees. The Government of Japan, in cooperation with the international community, will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide assistance to the people of Ukraine at a time of extreme hardship for the entire nation,” said the Japanese Embassy in Sofia.
Bulgaria hosts more than 51,000 refugees from Ukraine, 87 per cent of whom are women and children.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, UNHCR Bulgaria has been supporting government-led efforts to provide protection and support to refugees.
UNHCR has also stepped up its operations and capacity in Bulgaria and is leading the inter-agency response aligned with the Regional Response Plan (RRP) for the Ukraine Situation.
In 2022, Japan ranked as UNHCR’s 4th largest government donor with its contribution of USD 164 million, making it one of UNHCR’s top donors.
For more information on this topic, please contact:
Christine Pirovolakis, Senior Communications Officer
[email protected], Tel: +359 2 980 2453/54, Cell +359 887 500 137
Yana Dodnikova-Pashkunova, Communications Associate
[email protected], Tel: +359 2 980 2453/54, Cell + +359 885 665 676
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