A photo of refugees and volunteers taken between March 10-12 by a volunteer Martin Michlik. (source: Martin Michlik)
Most refugees want to return to Ukraine when possible. They expect to stay in their current host countries until the security situation back home in Ukraine improves, shows the latest survey by the the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
The survey was conducted between mid-May and mid-June 2022 in countries hosting refugees from Ukraine, including Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. About 8.8 million people have fled Ukraine due to the war. The survey interviewed 4,900.
Security at home decisive
Approximately 575,000 refugees crossed the Slovakian-Ukrainian border, the TASR newswire cites the official numbers. During that time, NGOs and volunteers showed up to help.
About 40 percent of refugees seek return and plan to do so in the next month. The survey showed that the interest in returning varies.
People from around Kyiv and western areas to Ukraine are more likely to return than those who have fled from the east and north. Out of 16 percent of refugees planning to leave, 15 percent want to stay in Ukraine temporarily – to visit family or get more supplies.
Plans are hard to make
Ukrainians are hesitating to make plans according to the UNHCR findings. Long-term plans are not secure.
While waiting for the conflict to resolve, a portion of refugees in Slovakia are working – mainly in cleaning and helping in kitchens. Most refugees are women with children.
“This age and gender composition affects the employment of refugees,” said Branislav Hábel from The Institute for Social Policy at the Labour Ministry, explaining interest in the field. Another big portion of refugees consists of young people with university education.
