The Barrier-Free Council discussed the results of implementing barrier-free measures in Ukraine in 2024 at a concluding meeting organized with the support of the Council of Europe. The First Lady of Ukraine, Ms Olena Zelenska, attended the event, which was chaired by Mr Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Community and Territorial Development.
The participants of the meeting analysed the results achieved previous year and discussed future plans. Over the course of 2024, the Government and central executive bodies implemented 895 measures, which constitutes 89% of the planned actions.
“The uniqueness of Ukraine’s defence is that we are trying to develop and not postpone our development for 'after the war.' According to UNICEF study this year, in spring, 83% of Ukrainians for the first time named accessibility as a new value. In the second wave of the study, conducted in autumn, this figure rose to 87%,” Ms Zelenska noted.
Ms Tetiana Lomakina, the Advisor - Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Barrier-Free Environment, emphasized that one of the priorities for 2025 is the promotion of accessibility in the communities.
“Barrier-free environment is becoming an increasingly important priority for Ukrainians. The understanding of its value is growing, and, accordingly, so is the demand for solutions and results. Today, we have come together—representatives of the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Government, territorial communities, civil society organisations, and development partners—to bring the barrier-free policy from offices and document pages to the streets of Ukrainian cities and villages,” she stated.
In 2024, the Council of Europe systematically supported the implementation of the National Strategy for the creation of a barrier-free environment. The CSO “Center for Expert Solutions and Advocacy”, with the support of the Council of Europe, implemented the project “Barrier-Free Literacy”, through which a series of activities aimed at developing accessibility and inclusion policies in the regions of Ukraine were carried out.
The Council of Europe project “Enhanced social protection in Ukraine” is being implemented within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026, with the aim of improving social protection for vulnerable groups, particularly those affected by the war.
