The annual Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2025), held in Rome on 10–11 July, included, for the first time, both a side event and a panel that addressed disability inclusion.
We and our partners played a key role in making this possible.
While estimates remain largely inaccurate, it is known that the number of persons with disabilities in Ukraine has grown exponentially since March 2022, whether through injury as veterans, violence against civilian captives, or trauma amongst children.
Despite this, the inclusion of disability rights in the Recovery Conference had considerably lower visibility than expected considering the Ukrainian ambitions to align with EU values and legislation.
Side event on human-centred recovery.
The European Disability Forum co-organised a high-level side event together with the Italian Ministry for Disabilities on 9 July: “A Human-Centred Recovery: Why Disability Inclusion Matters.“
The event highlighted the need for inclusive recovery and humanitarian response in Ukraine, grounded in the rights and lived experiences of persons with disabilities.
One of the most powerful testimonies came from Ruslan Topchan, a 22-year-old Ukrainian war veteran with bilateral lower-limb amputation, speaking on behalf of the National Assembly of Persons with Disabilities of Ukraine:
Rebuilding Ukraine is not just about reconstruction – it is about building a country for everyone… Veterans with disabilities are not just victims. We are leaders, workers, parents, activists. We don’t need pity. We need cooperation.
He reminded the audience that many of Ukraine’s systems – from rehabilitation to transportation – remain inaccessible, a result of both the legacy of Soviet-era exclusion and the devastation of war.
Ukraine will rise. But it must rise for everyone. Not despite disability – but with it, and through it.
Panel on Inclusion and Social Cohesion
Disability rights took the stage on 10 July during the panel “Strengthening the Fabric of Society: Fostering Inclusion and Social Cohesion in Ukraine’s Recovery.”
Our Vice-President Gunta Anča, joined other high-level speakers to discuss how to ensure inclusion is a cornerstone of Ukraine’s recovery.
Gunta’s message was clear:
Accessibility is what creates belonging. If something is not accessible, people are excluded. That is not what we mean when we talk about a new Ukraine.
She stressed that inclusion must go beyond words:
We can change laws quickly. But changing mindsets takes time. Without implementation, the gap between law and real life will remain wide.
She added that civil society must be included:
Ukrainian organisations of persons with disabilities have done amazing work throughout the war. They must have a meaningful role in all plans. They should be the ones saying: ‘This doesn’t work for us. Change it.
A call backed by data and lived experience
Uliana Pcholkina, Chair of the League of the Strong, presented new research showing the scale of systemic exclusion:
- 68% of people with disabilities in Ukraine lack sufficient income for basic needs.
- 61% are unable to access necessary medical or rehabilitation services.
- Only 17.5% are formally employed – far below the EU average of 50%.
“Creating accessible environments and responding to the needs of persons with disabilities is not charity. It’s not a cost. It’s an investment in potential.”
The context: 3.4 million people with disabilities in Ukraine
According to updated data from the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, approximately 3.4 million people now live with disabilities in the country – a figure that has sharply increased due to the war.
Looking ahead: inclusion must be mainstreamed
To ensure real impact, disability must not be confined to one panel or one event. Persons with disabilities must be present and heard across all thematic areas – from digitalisation and economic reform to security and infrastructure.
We observed that accessibility of the event venue itself was substandard. While accessible entrances existed, they were not clearly marked, and staff were not informed about them. The registration process involved long outdoor queues, with no consideration for participants with visual or physical impairments. These issues are stark evidence that accessibility must be planned from the start – not added as an afterthought.
EDF remains open and ready to support future URC organisers in ensuring inclusive planning and implementation.
More information
Details of the Conference and its main results can be found on the conference website – URC International.
EDF resources: