Ukraine

Education & Care for Children in Detention Centres

In partnership with a local charity New Life Lviv, WER is reaching out to 80 children who are serving prison sentences at a detention centre in the town of Horoduk. The children are aged between 10 and 14 years and most of them were previously struggling to survive on the streets of Ukraine's cities or have come from disadvantaged and troubled home backgrounds.

Total population (millions): 46.9

Life expectancy at birth (years): 68.2

Adult literacy rate (% age 15 and above): 99.7

GDP per capita (PPP US$): 6,941

Combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio (%): 90.0

Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe after Russia and gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The process of transition following independence has not been easy for large sectors of the population. Many Ukrainian families continue to live in poverty and the unemployment rate in the country is high.

Ukraine is a key trading partner with the rest of Europe. A wide variety of fruits and crops are grown in the wide, fertile plains seen throughout the country. Ukraine is also rich in natural resources such as iron ore, coal and clay.

The most recent Human Development Report ranks Ukraine at 85, with a medium human development rating status. The Human Development Index (HDI) value is 0.796 compared to the HDI of the UK, which is 0.946.