My husband and I lived in Kyiv, Ukraine in 2012 and 2013 providing humanitarian service so this column is personal for me. We came to love and appreciate the wonderful Ukrainians who became our dear friends. The armed conflict in this peace-loving country is heartbreaking. We have witnessed the strength and resilience of Ukrainians thousands of miles away. My friend Pavlina described fleeing from Kyiv with her 88-year-old mother, waiting 40 hours at the border of Poland with thousands of others in the freezing cold. They were welcomed with bowls of hot soup and nourishing bread provided by volunteers and given much-needed support. Young mothers carried infants as they walked across international borders found rows of strollers, donated by other mothers to ease their load, and express the love and caring from other women. Another friend Acia, the mother of two young children, wrote the following to me about her bittersweet experiences, "I have never witnessed such horrific cruelty in my life, and I have never felt such incredible generosity."

During the first month of the armed conflict with the Russian Federation in early 2022, more than half of Ukrainian children (over 4.3 million) crossed into neighboring countries as refugees and 2.5 million children have been internally displaced in the Ukraine. According to UNICEF (2022, p. 1), "The war has caused one of the fastest large-scale displacements of children since World War II. This is a grim milestone that could have lasting devasting consequences for generations to come. Children's safety, wellbeing, and access to essential services are all under threat from nonstop violence." The overwhelming humanitarian crisis highlights the desperate need for safety, stability, and protection for Ukrainian displaced women and children who have been profoundly traumatized by the violence all around them. Per the United Nations, "Unless the conflict ceases, thousands of additional families will be forcibly displaced, dramatically escalating the scale of he already dire humanitarian situation and increasing the risk of sexual violence and exploitation" (United Nations, 2022, p. 1).

UNICEF and the World Health Organization (2022) noted a reduction in vaccination coverage for routine childhood immunizations, which could quickly lead to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. UNICEF is working with partnering humanitarian organizations to reach vulnerable children and families with essential services, including health, education, protection, water, and sanitation and lifesaving supplies at UNICEF BlueDot hubs in the host countries. There is a focus on improving access to health care for millions of mothers, newborns, and children with the numbers of those who are vulnerable increasing continually.

There is very little research on long-term effects during armed conflict on women and their families (Akseer et al., 2020; Bendavid et al., 2021). Documenting the lived experiences of these women is essential. Their voices should be heard because they also reflect the voices of their children. More research documenting the deleterious effects of this trauma, and the effectiveness of current interventions during armed conflict is vital. May wars end and peace be achieved.

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