On 26–27 August, 28-29 October and 18-19 November 2025, the Project of the Council of Europe “Rights of Veterans and Personnel of Armed Forces in Ukraine”, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Ukraine, held specialised trainings on inclusivity in the security and defence sector for the representatives of the Ministry’s healthcare facilities, social support services, as well as MoD specialists responsible for implementing accessible environments.

The trainings resulted in strengthening the professional capacity of defence sector personnel by enhancing their ability to ensure accessible environments within the MoD, apply inclusive practices and respectful communication with persons with disabilities, and develop skills in trauma-sensitive communication while providing basic emotional first aid to service members and veterans with disabilities.

The three two-day trainings combined theory and practice to enhance participants’ skills in inclusivity, accessibility, and trauma-sensitive communication. Participants also learnt about important international instruments such as the Recommendation 1742 (2006) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on human rights of members of the armed forces, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the European Social Charter, as well as national documents including Ukraine’s National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment and its 2030 Action Plan.

The events were organised under the Council of Europe Project “Rights of Veterans and Personnel of Armed Forces in Ukraine,” a component of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” (2023-2026).