Prime Minister and distinguished members of the Government.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to say a few words on behalf of the United Nations.
The fourth RDNA should not have been necessary, but here we are, three years into the full-scale war and 11 years since the start of the Russian invasion into your country.
The RDNA is again precise in documenting the overall price tag of infrastructure destruction and sustainable recovery needs. I commend the government and its partners, and in particular the World Bank and the EU, who have carried out the bulk of assessment work in most sectors. And I thank my UN colleagues, many who are here, who have mostly focused our contribution on highlighting the lasting human cost, the impact on the most vulnerable and social services, the media and culture.
So, allow me to say a few words about the human dimension.
We know that as a result of the war in your country, millions of Ukrainians struggle to meet their basic needs, with poverty rates rising significantly. Millions of Ukrainians are internally displaced, with many struggling to find stable employment and access to adequate housing. Internally displaced, older persons and people with disabilities suffer the most.
The war has also severely impacted almost 80% of young people. Educational disruptions are worsening learning outcomes and reducing future opportunities for many young people. This requires a national strategy to mitigate learning losses and bridge the gap between education and the labour market.
Addressing the specific needs of women is paramount. This includes promoting gender equality, reducing women's unpaid care work through the expansion of childcare services, and implementing effective measures to prevent and address gender-based violence.
Investing in people is critical for Ukraine's sustainable recovery and long-term development. Significant investments must be made in social services, education, accessible infrastructure for people with disabilities, decent jobs, robust mental health support services. There is also a workforce perspective to this. Thousands of doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers must be recruited to ensure that Ukraine's services can be restored back better.
Now, when visiting frontline gromadas, I often hear that a top priority is creating decent, stable and secure employment to facilitate returns and rebuild lives.
This includes, from our perspective:
Providing fair wages;
Social protection and safe working environments;
Expanding vocational training;
Supporting the requalification of displaced workers;
Promoting inclusive hiring practices for people with disabilities and older people;
And investing in retraining and employment support for veterans.
Ensuring efficient and impactful demining at scale is another key area as s a precursor for inclusive economic and agricultural recovery.
By embedding some of the principles I've mentioned of decent work, all initiatives will contribute to a stronger and more inclusive labour market, fostering long-term sustainable recovery and social cohesion. The scale of green recovery goes far beyond the ability of the public sector to generate financial investments.
And as all previous speakers have said, recovery will not be possible without significant private-sector investments. The UN will do its bit to help to create a private sector friendly environment.
Solutions for green recovery must be primarily offered at decentralised local levels. By supporting courageous and determined communities, strengthening local systems, subnational government and civil society, Ukraine can overcome immense challenges and build a big and sustainable economy on its way into the European Union.
In closing, let me come back to the people dimension of sustainable recovery. The role of women in humanitarian response and peacebuilding is well known, and the recovery path must incorporate adequate policies, accountability systems and gender-sensitive services that recognize and address inequality.
As the country moves forward, wounds must be healed. The physical and emotional wounds of both women and men, girls and boys. UN is ready to support Ukraine fully as it realizes unique opportunities to strengthen a society where not only rebuild infrastructure, but public services cater equally for all.