This report provides an overview of the protection needs and risks faced by refugees from Ukraine coming to Poland after February 24, 2022. The data analysed in this report was collected during the Protection Monitoring (PM) conducted by the IRC in September, October, November and December 2023.

Two years following the full-scale attack by Russia on Ukraine, and a decade into the conflict, the situation is evolving into a phase of protracted conflict, leading to extended displacement for Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced persons. 

The International Rescue Committee's (IRC) Protection Monitoring data indicates not only a prolonged conflict, termed as a "permacrisis," but also persistent, unmet needs "perma-needs," among the displaced populations. These needs span across accommodation, employment, material assistance, and healthcare, intertwined with the critical necessity for legal status protection and socio-economic inclusion.

Protection Risks Identified in Q4:

  • Impediments and/or restrictions to access legal identity.
  • Domestic violence.
  • Insecurity of tenure and risk of homelessness.

“Just because these people found themselves in a safe country, doesn't mean women and children found themselves in a safe home.”

(KII, NGO worker)

The analytical conclusions are to guide the development of strategies for reducing protection risk. In this cycle IRC Protection Monitoring Team in collaboration with IRC’s MEAL Team additionally conducted a monitoring based on the Legal Aid Assistance Framework. Additionally, PM & MEAL Teams carried out research for the education modalities of Ukrainian children.

Learn more about the IRC's work in Poland.