Aktion Deutschland Hilft: Ukrainian Refugee Crisis and Global Hunger

Luise Amtsberg, the German government's Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance, has highlighted the scale of the refugee crisis caused by the war in Ukraine and its challenges in Europe. She personally visited the border areas in Poland to meet refugees and aid organizations in April 2022.

Amtsberg described the situation at the Polish border as extremely strained, with inadequate protection for refugees, particularly women and children. She praised the extraordinary solidarity shown by the Polish civil society. Simultaneously, she expressed concern over reported discrimination and detentions of BIPoC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) individuals fleeing Ukraine. All victims of war have a right to safety.

The role of the Federal Republic of Germany in this crisis is central. Amtsberg stated that Poland urgently needs support from the EU and Germany in terms of financial resources, aid supplies, and refugee redistribution. The German government's decision to activate the EU's Temporary Protection Directive was a significant step towards ensuring rapid and unbureaucratic reception.

Coordination between state aid, aid organizations, and volunteers is challenging. Amtsberg emphasized the need for state oversight alongside the immense offers of help from civil society to ensure the safety of refugees and prevent human trafficking and exploitation. In line with a feminist foreign policy, the protection of fleeing women and children is of paramount importance. As a solution, she proposed enhanced cooperation at the municipal level, particularly between German and Polish partner cities.

Amtsberg also called for the introduction of humanitarian visas for Russian opposition figures, citing their drastically worsened security situation since the start of the war in Ukraine. She stressed Germany's duty to offer protection to these human rights defenders and critics of the regime. The global spillover effects of the war in Ukraine, particularly the worsening food insecurity, are affecting the most vulnerable groups worldwide, especially in import-dependent developing countries.