Olena Zelenska Speaks at the National Forum on Disability Rights

Olena Zelenska Attends National Forum on Rights of People with Disabilities in Kyiv

Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, participated in the National Forum on the Rights of People with Disabilities held in Kyiv on December 2-3, 2024.

“This event holds immense significance as it unites civil society activists, government officials, and international partners. This collective approach—sharing ideas and taking action together—is essential. When the full-scale invasion began, Ukraine’s priority was survival, but we quickly realized that ‘survival’ meant more than physical safety; it also meant continuing to grow and develop,” Zelenska stated.

The forum, which welcomed over 200 participants, included representatives from public and international organizations, local authorities, and the business sector. A key outcome of the event was the creation of the “Agenda for 2025,” a comprehensive strategic document designed to safeguard and advance the rights of persons with disabilities.

Key Points of the “Agenda for 2025”:
The document highlights eight priority actions:
– Transitioning to a human rights-based model of disability, alongside implementing functional disability and health assessments for civilians and military personnel.
– Reforming deinstitutionalized services for adults with disabilities and elderly individuals.
– Overhauling current legal capacity laws and introducing decision-making support tools.
– Ensuring access to employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the mainstream labor market.
– Including persons with disabilities in decision-making processes during wars, disasters, and other emergencies.
– Providing architecturally accessible housing for internally displaced persons (IDPs) with disabilities.
– Continuing reforms to social services in alignment with international human rights standards.
– Securing full participation in political life, including the right to vote and run for office.

Zelenska stressed the importance of deinstitutionalization as a requirement for European integration. “Behind this technical term lies a fundamental humanitarian issue: to ensure people aren’t kept in isolation. It’s essential that our defenders—those who have been wounded—are not placed in institutional care facilities. Likewise, it is unacceptable for adults with disabilities to live behind barriers and fences,” she emphasized.

The First Lady also drew attention to the Cabinet of Ministers’ recent decision to begin funding supported living services for older people and persons with disabilities among internally displaced populations. She urged local communities to apply for these services through the Fund for Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities.

The forum was organized by the League of the Strong and Fight for Right NGOs, with support from international partners.

Source: Official website of the President of Ukraine, December 3, 2024, 15:02.