The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), reported some 7.1 million Ukrainians, mostly women and children, refugees in Europe.
In a joint statement, the UN agencies explained that of this number, nearly 234,000 refugees were able to benefit from the protection and support services provided by 36 Blue Dot centers established by UNHCR and UNICEF in seven country.
Quoted in the press release, the UNICEF regional director for Europe and Central Asia, Afshan Khan, specifies that these Blue Dot centers have been created in Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, to support the work of governments and other partners in supporting refugees.
It is noted in particular that the Blue Dot centers set up by the UNHCR and UNICEF at the various crossing points, in particular at “stations”, “border points”, “registration centers for cash assistance “, “refugee accommodation centers and community centres”, made it possible to “identify” and “support unaccompanied and separated children traveling alone”.
In view of the increasing number of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the country or still on the move, UNHCR and UNICEF have also launched a digital platform “Digital Blue Dot”, (www.bluedothub.org), further highlights the document, noting that this initiative, “adapted to mobiles and tablets, permanently available and in the main languages, in particular Ukrainian and Russian”, aims to complement the physical Blue Dot Hubs to provide access to up-to-date, precise and localized information on mobile phones, including rights, key services, social providers and how to access them.
Note that the “Blue Dot Hubs” are secure one-stop spaces equipped to provide information, advice, mental health and psychosocial support, legal aid and protection services to refugees.