International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Today, December 3rd, we celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This day serves as a reminder of the significance of respecting the dignity of every individual, which is the foundation of a strong and just society.
The focus is on accessibility and equal opportunities for all: the right to free movement, access to quality services, education, and employment. Individuals, their choices, autonomy, and the ability to actively participate in community and national life should remain the priority in all decisions.
The war has further highlighted the importance of barrier-free environments. It is not just about isolated initiatives, but about the necessity for long-term transformation in management, design, and interaction—creating a philosophy that will shape the future of urban spaces and digital services.
Therefore, it is essential to continue working systematically to ensure that accessibility becomes a standard norm in all areas of life. This process has strong societal support. In the last two years alone, over 40 state construction norms and standards regarding accessibility have been updated, and a draft law titled “On the Basic Principles of State Policy for Creating a Barrier-Free Space in Ukraine” is currently in preparation. A comprehensive accessibility monitoring has been conducted nationwide, and an interactive Barrier-Free Map has been created, containing data on over 70,000 facilities.
As part of the initiative by the First Lady of Ukraine, “Without Barriers,” this year, the flagship project of the Ministry of Community and Territory Development, “Movement Without Barriers,” was launched. It covers 15 pilot communities where comprehensive barrier-free routes are being developed, with plans to scale the best solutions nationwide.
Our collective task is to ensure that accessibility becomes a norm, and barrier-freeness becomes a mandatory standard at the national, regional, and local levels.
Let us work together, each in our own place, to build a country where people can live fully, realize their potential, and not be hindered by barriers.
