The European Parliament’s Committee for Foreign Affairs (AFET) and the Committees on Budgets (BUDG) voted today (5 October) on their position on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the Ukraine Facility.
This proposed law, proposed by the European Commission in June 2023, aims to support short-term recovery needs and the reconstruction and modernisation of Ukraine.
Support for persons with disabilities
The Committees’ vote takes a more ambitious position to enhance support for persons with disabilities than the original proposal. It aligns with the demands of the European Disability Forum (EDF), especially by:
- Ensuring the right of meaningful participation in the recovery, reconstruction and modernisation of Ukraine, of persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, for example, by ensuring their involvement in policy shaping and decision-making processes, ensuring consultation and participation of Ukrainian civil society organisations and experts, ensuring timely access to relevant information, promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities and ensuring a safe and enabling operating space for human rights defenders.
- Ensuring measures under the Ukraine Plan contribute to the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
- Requiring the implementation of the Facility to be in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and ensuring accessibility in its investments and technical assistance.
- Responding to the healthcare needs of Ukraine and supporting the recovery of Ukraine’s society through proactive and targeted mental health and trauma care systems, requiring the improvement and strengthening of the social care systems and their accessibility for persons with disabilities.
- Ensuring comprehensive support for Ukraine to “build back better” through a people-centred recovery that focuses on sustainable development, the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and improves inclusiveness and cohesion.
- Ensuring easily accessible data on the allocation of assistance.
What is missing?
While we are largely positive about the European Parliament’s position, we will continue to advocate for a stronger text that includes more of our demands.
The text is especially missing a prohibition for using EU funding to build, renovate or rebuild segregating residential institutions.
Other demands that should be included:
- Include accessibility as a core principle of the Ukraine Facility with a cross-cutting approach.
- Including support for independent living and for the transition from residential institutions to community-based living for children, adults and older persons with disabilities.
- Timely collection of disaggregated data by gender, age, and disability.
What is next?
- The European Parliament will formally approve the position adopted today in its plenary session on the second half of October.
- The text with be negotiated further with the Council of the EU – representing Member States – and the European Commission.
We thank the co-rapporteurs and all the MEPs who supported the inclusion of persons with disabilities and their rights in the text.
More information
To know more about EDF position on the Ukraine Facility read our article.
Contact
Giulia Traversi Delpozzo, EDF Humanitarian Policy Officer
Email: giulia.traversi@edf-feph.org