First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in the final meeting of the Accessibility Council, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister – Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Oleksii Kuleba.
“The uniqueness of Ukraine’s defense lies in the fact that we strive to develop even now, without postponing it for ‘after the war.’ This spring, a UNICEF survey showed that 83% of Ukrainians identified accessibility as a new value for the first time. In the second wave of the survey, conducted this fall, this figure rose to 87%,” said the President’s wife.
Participants of the meeting analyzed the results achieved this year and discussed plans for the next year. Relevant ministers spoke about mechanisms for implementing various services, employment programs, and veteran policies.
Based on the results of this year’s work, it was noted that the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories conducted a monitoring of shelter accessibility – only 3% of them can be considered barrier-free. Methodological recommendations for the accessibility of educational institutions’ infrastructure for people with limited mobility have already been developed, as well as for the creation and operation of local accessibility councils.
The Ministry of Social Policy implemented the project “Improving the System for Providing Assistive Rehabilitation Tools,” introduced the profession of “prosthetist-orthotist,” which can already be obtained in four universities, and provided housing for 57 large foster families.
The Ministry of Economy implemented the “Barrier-Free Work” project, which includes grants for entrepreneurs to create additional jobs. A total of 21,500 microgrants worth over 5 billion UAH were issued, creating more than 40,000 jobs.
In addition, 1,100 veterans and their family members will receive about 500 million UAH in total investments to develop their own businesses.
The Ministry of Health implemented the project “Development of the Rehabilitation Assistance System.” Currently, 316 medical institutions provide services under the “Rehabilitation Assistance for Adults and Children in Inpatient Settings” package. Over 280,000 patients received this assistance during the year.
Moreover, seven Centers of Excellence have been established at modern rehabilitation departments, where specialists improve their qualifications and implement advanced assistance methods.
The Ministry of Education and Science continues to implement the National Strategy for the Development of Inclusive Education. Currently, there are over 60,000 children with special educational needs in Ukraine, and 673 inclusive resource centers are operational.
This year, six new “Schools of Superheroes” were opened, enabling children to study during treatment or rehabilitation.
Construction of 73 shelters in frontline and border areas is also underway.
Additionally, the project “Touchpoint” for people who lost their sight due to the war was launched. This comprehensive free training program helps them develop necessary daily living skills.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports is implementing the Adaptive Clubs “Unstoppable” project. This year, 85 clubs received grants for their activities, and 135 coaches were trained at the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine to work in physical and sports rehabilitation for war veterans with disabilities.
The Ministry of Veterans Affairs is implementing the project “Development of Sports for Veterans” and also spoke about holding All-Ukrainian sports competitions as part of the preparation of the national team of Ukraine for participation in the Invictus Games.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs is implementing the “Driving School for People with Disabilities” project. Such schools are already available in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Kropyvnytskyi, Kamyanets-Podilskyi, and Kryvyi Rih. A total of 104 people have received driver’s licenses, including 36 military personnel.
Additionally, the “Reboot: Rehabilitation” project has been launched, focusing on training employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs who lost their sight. Work on launching the 112 system, which will integrate all emergency services, has also begun.
This year, for the first time, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine provided female defenders with sets of summer field uniforms.
The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications is implementing recommendations for government agencies on providing information in accessible and user-friendly formats.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation is carrying out the “Digital Education Program,” which adopted a European standard for the accessibility of digital services.
Over 2.2 million users are already registered on the “Diia.Education” portal. Twenty educational products are available in sign language, and 111 educational series include subtitles.
The Central Election Commission introduced the “Improving Voting Accessibility for People with Disabilities” project. Equipment testing to make the voting process accessible to everyone is ongoing.
The First Lady thanked the agencies for their work and called on them to continue developing accessibility in Ukraine.
“At least one in four people in the country needs accessibility. That’s why this is not about someone else – it’s always about all of us,” Olena Zelenska concluded.