Creating a barrier-free environment has become an extremely important task in Ukraine. After all, the war has driven up the number of people who have difficulties in using public spaces and receiving services at the municipality level. To overcome them, we need to build a barrier-free environment.
“We must see an actual person behind every one of our residents. Putting great value into their opinions and taking them into account in the decision-making process will definitely contribute to our great victory. I firmly believe that this new project of ours will have a continuation, and we will be able to help everyone who wants to make a difference in their municipality and help every resident of your municipality feel heard and valued,” Olena Tomniuk, Deputy Director of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, said in her address to the participants when launching the support programme.
Barrier-free means a legal requirement rather than just a trend
The concept of barrier-free spaces and accessibility is not a new one for Ukraine. Certain elements regarding physical environments have already been implemented quite often on the streets of cities and in public buildings.
“Barrier-free is very often perceived as a worldview, a philosophy if you will. However, it is important to understand that barrier-free access, perhaps under other names, such as accessibility or inclusion, has long been integrated into the legislation of Ukraine. Even though barrier-free access is a kind of social movement, it is also one of the fundamental principles of the Ukrainian state,” said U-LEAD expert Volodymyr Vysotskyi.
The requirements for a barrier-free environment in Ukraine have long been enshrined at the legislative level. The legal framework includes the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Constitution of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine “On the Regulation of Urban Development”, the Law of Ukraine “On the Basis of Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities in Ukraine”, the Law of Ukraine “On Education”, the National Strategy for Creating Barrier-Free Space in Ukraine for the period until 2030.
According to Volodymyr Vysotskyi, a barrier-free environment is created for the entire community instead of some specific subset of people. When designing public spaces and services, rather than working around a specific group of people, the key is to approach them from the perspective of universal accessibility. And it’s not just about physical accessibility.
For instance, the National Strategy for the Creation of a Barrier-Free Space in Ukraine for the period until 2030 provides for six directions:
- Physical accessibility
- Barrier-free information
- Digital accessibility
- Educational accessibility
- Social and public accessibility
- Economic accessibility
All these directions do not exist separately; they are interconnected and constantly intersect. Therefore, it is critical to constantly analyse development projects in order to build connections between these directions in a timely manner and create a complex barrier-free environment. The Strategy declares making barrier-free access a cross-cutting principle of state policy as its goal.
Proper language is the first step towards barrier-free development
One of the first steps to a barrier-free environment is proper language when communicating with people with disabilities or certain disorders, people with limited mobility.
“Proper language allows us to show our commitment and eliminate misunderstandings, prevent conflicts. When we communicate properly, use neutral or inclusive language, we develop a barrier-free environment in our country without much effort, time and financial investment,” said Svitlana Hnatiuk, expert of U-LEAD with Europe.
The expert named three simple rules of proper language:
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People first language.
You need to see a person first and only then their disability or impairment. Instead of saying “disabled person”, use the only proper term, “person with a disability”. -
Do not overblow things.
Do not use the term “bedridden person” in relation to a person with mobility impairments (e.g., due to the loss of legs). Instead, a “person without legs” will suffice. -
Call everything by its name — do not use euphemisms.
For example, saying “indigo children” is incorrect in relation to children with Down syndrome.
Svitlana Hnatiuk also emphasised that you should bring up a person’s disability only when the context and situation call for it. Do not focus on it otherwise. She voiced 5 rules of proper communication with people with disabilities:
- Ask questions (Do you need help? What kind of help?).
- Do not treat the person as a hero/pity them.
- Use proper gender forms.
- Address the person personally rather than their caretaker.
- Do not touch their crutches, prostheses, etc.
At the event, Volodymyr Vysotskyi also discussed the concepts of “universal design” and “intelligent adaptation”.
Eight municipalities from seven oblasts of Ukraine joined the support programme. As part of the educational and practical components, the municipality will develop regulations on the institution responsible for the formation of barrier-free policy in accordance with the defined model, regulations on the accessibility audit of buildings, structures and public spaces and the action plan of the institution responsible for the formation of barrier-free policy.
