On 20 and 21 September, we met our donor CBM International to discuss about the progress we have made since the beginning of the “EDF/CBM Ukraine Project”, in March 2022.
For 6 months, we have worked on the 3 specific objectives, with the aim of providing support to persons with disabilities and their OPDs affected by the Ukraine war and ensuring an inclusive humanitarian response. EDF members and partners in 8 neighbouring countries, including Ukraine, have been addressing the needs of all persons with disabilities in collaboration with organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs). They have also been advocating for disability inclusion in the wider humanitarian response and started to work around the recovery of persons with disabilities and build the capacity of the disability movement in the long-term.
Thanks to the Ukraine project, by 31 August 2022, more than 11,800 people and their families have been reached with direct services or referrals across six countries. Of this number, disaggregated data is known for about 3453 people (65% of these are persons with disabilities, 47% identify as female and 16% are children (under 18 years)). This data was collected from our members and partners using different methodologies. In most cases, family members are not included in this counting even though they will often benefit from the services, and people receiving multiple services are counted as one individual.1
The project’s achievements
We work with our members and partners to provide direct assistance (including food, medicines, equipment, accessible transportation), with advocacy and influencing, and in strategic planning for building the disability movement moving forward.
Specific examples of this work include:
- Collaboration with our member, the National Assembly of Persons with Disabilities (NAPD), to provide direct assistance to numerous OPDs, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) with disabilities in Ukraine, providing psychological, legal, and technical services. NAPD is also very involved in providing evacuation services and access to information. In the last months, they have conducted two studies on cash-based assistance and provided recommendations to the CRPD Committee on the situations of persons with disabilities in Ukraine. In the future, they will continue advocating issues related to humanitarian aid and accessible accommodation. Moreover, they are engaged and represent Ukrainian OPDs in the UN Age and Disability Technical Working Group (ADTWG), together with our partner, the “League of the Strong”.
- The work with the “League of the Strong” and its members to continue the provision of services. Since the beginning of the war, they have reached many persons with disabilities giving them all types of assistance, from humanitarian aid, psychological aid, legal aid and information and consultation assistance.
- The work with our member SUSTENTO in Latvia, for the provision of assistive devices (i.e. tailored wheelchairs), accessible transport services, medical equipment, hotline for refugees just arrived in Latvia, and financial assistance.
- In Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Romania, EDF members are providing basic support and assisting with referrals (including transport, accommodation, healthcare and integration). In Lithuania, work is underway to build and promote tools on disability inclusive integration of refugees and to ensure disability inclusive disaster risk reduction (DRR).
- In Moldova, EDF is collaborating with 4 organisations of persons with disabilities and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on a project that will promote participation and leadership of persons with disabilities, identify barriers faced by Ukrainian refugees with disabilities, and influence the disaggregation of data for informing programming and monitoring inclusion.
Another important outcome of this project is the Riga Declaration , which was ratified by EDF members and partners during the Riga Conference, and it is now open to signatures. It contains 3 main messages – accessibility, deinstitutionalisation and meaningful participation – and it represents the voice of persons with disabilities.
In terms of advocacy, EDF, together with members and partners has been in constant engagement with the European Union and with the UN coordination mechanisms, both inside Ukraine and neighbouring countries, including with the UN Protection Cluster System.
Another important piece of work was the engagement with the CRPD Committee. EDF, NAPD and the League of the Strong participated in the private consultation organised by the CRPD and provided inputs. As a result of this meeting, we found our messages and our members’ messages in the recommendations of the CRPD Committee, especially regarding deinstitutionalisation.
The future of the Ukraine project
During this first part of the project, the bulk of the work has been addressing immediate needs and influencing the wider humanitarian response. Already we have seen how these activities strengthen the capacity of the disability movement, with the need for rapid development of budget and project planning but also enhancing the cooperation between OPDs across borders.
Looking at the second phase of this project, EDF with its members and partners will continue the work around disability inclusive recovery and building the disability movement in the long-term: trainings, advocacy, capacity and network building will be fundamental pillars for the future.
Contact
For more information, reach out to Gordon Rattray, programme coordinator
gordon.rattray@edf-feph.org