With the expert support of the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the Advisor - Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Barrier-Free Environment, Ms Tetiana Lomakina, an updated edition of Ukraine's first state language standard in the field of accessibility, "Barrier-free Terminology", was prepared.
The document is the result of more than a year of work by an expert group established by the National Commission on State Language Standards. It incorporates comments and proposals submitted by civil society organisations, academic institutions, and subject-matter experts in response to the second draft of the language standard, which was approved by the National Commission on State Language Standards in February 2026.
The document standardises non-discriminatory terminology and identifies words and expressions that should no longer be used in official communication. The approved standard covers more than 100 terms related to the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities, veterans, parents with children, and other groups that may face prejudice or discrimination.
The standard was developed in line with international human rights, equality and non-discrimination standards, including those enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Social Charter (revised). The use of barrier-free language will contribute to promoting equality, respect for human dignity and social inclusion, while helping to prevent discrimination in public communication.
The approved terminology will become mandatory for use in official documentation, legal and academic literature, education, and public administration. The standard is also recommended for use in the media and public communications.
The development of the standard continues the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, "Without Barriers".
The Council of Europe Project "Strengthening the social dimension in Ukraine" is implemented by the Council of Europe within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026. The Project aims to ensure that general public and people from vulnerable groups, including war-affected population in Ukraine, benefit from targeted social protection and support.
