Current Events
Around 73 million induced abortions take place worldwide each year according the WHO. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that nearly 1 in 4 pregnant people in the U.S. will have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old. The Council on Foreign Relations notes that the average abortion rate in countries with generally legal abortion (excluding China and India) declined by 43% over the past thirty years. Find more information, data, and statistics at the websites below.
Located in Eastern Europe, Ukraine is the second largest country on the continent (after Russia). It is situated on the Black Sea and has a population of over 40 million people. Some of its neighbors are Russia, Belarus, Poland, and Romania. The picturesque Carpathian Mountains can be found in Ukraine, along with one of Europe’s longest rivers, the Dnieper. The vast majority of the people in Ukraine are ethnic Ukrainians who speak Ukrainian, with Russians as the largest minority. In the nineteenth century, one fourth of the world’s Jewish population lived in Ukraine territory, but that population was devasted by the Holocaust. Before Ukraine declared independence in 1991, it was part of the Soviet Union. More recently, protests in 2014 toppled the government of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. Russia responded by annexing Crimea, a historically contested region on the Black Sea. The UN General Assembly has voted several times reaffirming Ukraine's territorial integrity and nonrecognition of Crimea’s annexation. On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. The UN subsequently voted overwhelmingly for an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and released a statement condemning Russia aggression.
With so much information at our fingertips, including lots of misinformation and disinformation, it can be hard to find accurate and trustworthy reporting. Below is a list of some reputable news sources to stay up to date.
APA: Talking to kids about the war in Ukraine
Psychologists offer strategies for discussing the conflict in age-appropriate ways with children and teens.
NPR: What to say to kids when the news is scary
Conversation with a handful of child development experts about what parents, teachers and other caregivers can do to help prepare and protect kids from all the scary news out there.
Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services
Offers a guide on "Processing the Ukraine-Russia Conflict/War" for adults and the children in their lives.
CARE is an international aid organization aiming to provide Ukrainians with services cut off by the fighting, from social services to clean drinking water.
Doctors without Borders is assisting those in Ukraine suffering from medical problems, from war wounds to diseases caused by the horrendous conditions.
Fight for Right is a group which helps disabled people in Ukraine escape from the violence they face following the invasion by Russia.
Rainbow Railroad is a non-profit organization that helps LGBTQI+ people escape persecution and violence around the world, including in Ukraine.
Save the Children is concerned for children caught in the middle of armed conflict, forced from their homes in freezing temperatures, and exposed to injury, hunger and cold. Your donation can help provide children and families with immediate aid, such as food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support and cash assistance.
Ukrainian Red Cross Volunteers and staff of the Ukrainian Red Cross in different parts of the country support people who have found themselves in difficult living conditions or suffered from emergencies.
UNHCR helps refugees who have been forced to flee their homes because of the invasion, both in Ukraine and in neighboring states across the EU.
UNICEF is a global charity to help children get the nutrition, healthcare and education they need, particularly in times of crisis such as those seen in Ukraine.
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Click here for the full list.
