On February 10, 2020 the Council of Europe Project “Promoting Social Human Rights as a Key Factor of Sustainable Democracy in Ukraine” (hereinafter - the Project) has started the international needs assessment mission with respect to policy and legal framework revision in the area of rights of people with disabilities vis-à-vis Art. 15 of the European Social Charter. In the framework of the mission held from 10th to 15th of February, the expert team comprising of Monika Smusz-Kulesza, Council of Europe international consultant, Maksym Shcherbatiuk and Bogdan Mojsa, Council of Europe local consultants and Siuzanna Mnatsakanian, Council of Europe Senior Project Officer, has conducted working meetings in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Lviv.
Social rights are core European values enshrined in a number of formal commitments undertaken by the Council of Europe member States, including Ukraine. Respect for and the promotion of social rights including the rights of people with disabilities is essential in attaining sustainable democracy in Ukraine. More than 2.5 million persons with disabilities in Ukraine, including 159 000 children are facing everyday challenges and limitation of their rights. The state is obliged to provide the necessary support and create equal conditions of access to provide for the needs of people with disabilities. Therefore, in the framework of the mission the expert team has met with representatives of the public authorities, non-governmental organisations, local communities and other beneficiaries to highlight the current issues and develop recommendations for changes in legislation and in practice.
The main topics for discussion with the representatives of the public authorities were the priorities of the Government in the sphere of ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities in light of the decentralisation, medical and education reforms, employment issues, international classification of functioning, deinstitutionalisation, social services, inclusive education etc. These and other issues were raised at a numerous meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Social Policy, the Parliamentary Committee on Social Policy and Rights of Veterans, the Ombudsperson’s Office, the Office of the Government Gener Policy Envoy, the Commissioner for Rights of People with Disabilities and others.
Working meetings were also held with the civil society organisations and existing problems and ways of their solving were discussed with specialists on inclusion, representatives of the organisations of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Lviv, in particular, the Association of Social Workers of Kyiv, Kharkiv Association of Lawyers with with Visual Impairments NGO, Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, All-Ukrainian Assembly of People with Disabilities, People with Hearing Impairments NGO.
Building a dialogue with the local authorities is an integral part of the needs assessment mission. Therefore, it meetings with representatives of the Kyiv City State Administration, Kharkiv Regional council and Lviv Regional Council were held with the aim of discussing policies and regulations at local level in the area of rights of people with disabilities.
In the framework of the mission, international and national consultants prepared the needs assessment report that identifies gaps in the policy, legislative and practice levels on the rights of people with disabilities vis-à-vis Art 15 of the European Social Charter. There are concrete recommendations as to the policy, changes in legislation, practice to enhance protection and promotion of the rights of people with disabilities in line with European standards. Report will be presented for the discussion with partners, public authorities, local communities and other beneficiaries. Draft road map to be discussed with the Ukrainian public and local authorities will help to better implement the European Social Charter and to comply with the Council of Europe standards and implement the best European practices in the field of ensuring human social rights.
If you would like to join the discussion and get the draft report based on the needs assessment mission for getting acquainted with it and sending your comments, please kindly fill in the form via the link https://forms.gle/4EZBTupKXcN5bzYL8
Dialogue with as many people as possible is a good practice that provides a thorough approach to identifying and highlighting the issues regarding the rights of persons with disabilities. An analysis of the Ukrainian legislation and recommendations for the use of practices to enhance the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities in line with European standards will help to raise the standards of such protection in Ukraine.
