After Russia’s full-scale military invasion into Ukraine in February 2022, armed conflict seems to have returned to Europe. Not only are hundreds of civilian casualties now reported, but tens of thousands of Ukrainians are also forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries. Many of the refugees are women and children now displaced from their homes, with little or no means of working or going to school. Moreover, while the military invasion is limited to Ukraine alone, media coverage now sends shock waves towards the Western world, creating multiple concerns about the future.
Like many other Western countries, the US has known a long period of peace and prosperity during the 21st century, and few conflicts have disrupted its relative stability. With the exception of the September 11 attacks in 2001, younger generations have been brought up in peace, with good access to education and few or no worries about future wars. The military conflict in Ukraine might change all that, especially because tensions with Russia are now on the rise, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has gone as far as to say that nuclear deterrence forces are now on high alert. While a direct military conflict between the West and Russia remains unlikely, this conflict will probably impact children’s lives and futures even beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Attacks on schools in Ukraine
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the conflict in Ukraine saw an increase in the number of civilian casualties and damage to critical infrastructure during the last few days. The military invasion now has serious humanitarian consequences for the people in Ukraine, and children across the country are not immune to these new dangers. The non-governmental organization Save the Children warns that raids on schools are now threatening the lives and futures of Ukraine’s 7.5 million children. More than 10 children have already lost their lives in the conflict and schools continue to be bombed in many cities.
However, many women and children are now fleeing Ukraine in an attempt to save their lives, although Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 have to be left behind to fight. As families in Ukraine are being separated, tens of thousands of refugees are now heading towards neighboring European countries.
Europe prepares to receive millions
As the Russian military invasion continues, the European Union prepares to receive millions of refugees from Ukraine, mostly women and children. According to the United Nations (UN) up to 4 million refugees from Ukraine are expected to head towards neighboring countries if Russia’s invasion continues to escalate. However, the real number of people leaving Ukraine in the near future ultimately depends on how the conflict develops. Even more, the time spent by these people in other countries also depends on the outcome of the conflict. If Russia decides to end the invasion, most families will quickly return to their homes, European Union (EU) officials say.
For now, most people leaving Ukraine are joining relatives or friends already living in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, or Romania, while other EU countries are doing their best to support them logistically. However, new waves of refugees are expected to follow, if the invasion continues, and living, schooling, and housing them might prove to be an immense task for the EU.
Mental health concerns
As children are now either leaving Ukraine as refugees or living in fear inside their country, mental health concerns about them are rising. Not only are these children in immediate danger inside the Eastern European country, but even as they escape the conflict, they are left facing new dangers. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), migrant children are at high risk for mental and psychosocial problems, like internalizing disorders — post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety — associated with exposure to violence and migration stress. Moreover, mental health and well-being seem to be directly related to the routine educational institutions normally provide.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and other key institutions in the US have said that children’s mental health became a national emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic. The healthcare crisis disrupted the routine schools normally provided to children of all ages, leading to new risks. Similarly, the conflict in Ukraine is now disrupting access to education for Ukrainian children, exposing them to similar risks.
Schools in Ukraine have already closed as the Russian invasion escalated, leaving Ukrainian children with little or no access to education. As many children are now also fleeing the country to escape hostilities, they are also facing new risks regarding their safety, their access to education, and their mental health and well-being. While the conflict is now limited to Ukraine alone, media coverage, as well as rising tensions between Russia and the West, are bound to send shock waves well beyond its borders.
