GENEVA — The UN refugee agency said on Friday that nine million people will need extra help to get through the coming winter in Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon and Afghanistan, as it launched a fundraising appeal for at least $50 million — $3 million more than it raised last year.
Source: AFP via Arab News
$50 million is roughly ₹440 crore. UNHCR raised $47 million (about ₹415 crore) in last year's winter appeal.
"Resources are scarce and costs are spiralling just as winter looms in the northern hemisphere," said Dominique Hyde, UNHCR's director of external relations. "Millions in these fragile, war-affected countries risk facing the elements without enough protection from the cold. We need to shield them immediately."
Ukraine's fifth winter of war
In Ukraine, entering the fifth winter since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, temperatures are likely to drop to minus 20°C amid accelerating Russian strikes on civilians and humanitarians, with power outages heaping fresh misery on the population, UNHCR said. An estimated 10.8 million people in Ukraine need humanitarian assistance, and under a separate 2026–2027 Winter Response Plan, UN agencies and partners are seeking $358.4 million (yaani, about ₹3,170 crore) to assist 2.1 million of the most vulnerable people.
Source: UNHCR briefing via Europe Says
Returns in Afghanistan and Syria, gaps in Lebanon
In Afghanistan, close to four million Afghans returned from Pakistan and Iran between January 2025 and July 2026, many with limited resources to rebuild, the agency said. In Syria, millions of refugees have returned following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad, but without more funding for the basics — a roof, clothes, heating oil — the fate of the returnees may become increasingly precarious, UNHCR warned. In Lebanon, around 300,000 people are expected to need winter assistance, though UNHCR can reach only half that number because of funding constraints.
The appeal underlines how tight the agency's finances have become: UNHCR sought $8.5 billion for its programmes in 2026 but, as of October 9, had $3 billion in available funds. Its winter assistance includes emergency cash payments, shelter repairs, insulation materials and support for heating needs.