We, the European Disability Forum, and our Ukrainian partners the National Assembly of Persons with Disabilities (NAPD) and the League of the Strong (LoS), have been working together since 2022 to improve the situation of Ukrainians with disabilities. The Warsaw Declaration (endorsed by EDF Ukraine programme partners and approved by the EDF General Assembly in 2024) outlines opportunities for inclusive recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. With the reconstruction based on human rights and disability inclusion, Ukraine will be an example to countries facing similar situations. However, to succeed in this direction Ukraine needs systemic financial and expert support.
To ensure a disability inclusive recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, we ask the donor’s community to:
- Use public and donor funds effectively and efficiently, including EU funds and the EU accession budget, for rebuilding Ukraine;
- Fully include everyone and respect the rights of persons with disabilities in the process.
EDF and our Ukraine partners produced a simple and comprehensive list of actions that can reduce and overcome existing barriers and issues that undermine the access to rights for persons with disabilities. The document contains general recommendations for donors on working with organisations of people with disabilities (OPDs), as well as a detailed list of specific challenges and possible responses to them, which are inherent in Ukrainian realities and require financial support.
Based on our findings, the main priorities for financial support are:
- Ensure meaningful participation of OPDs in all decision-making processes.
- Emphasise that Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction efforts should align with and contribute to the implementation of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
- Pay particular attention to include those persons with disabilities who are most marginalised.
- Put accessibility as a core principle of recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.
- Ensure the timely collection of disaggregated data by gender, age, and disability.
- Effectively implement already-existing frameworks and guidelines.
- Build disability-inclusive resilience.
- Prioritise the transition from residential institutions to community-based support, for children, adults, and older persons with disabilities.
We consider these actions strategic and urgent, and we ask the donor community to prioritise them in their civil society funding programs.