Response to Ukraine War and Resources

International News

Rebuilding a society for all ages in Ukraine “Reforming long-term care and support, healthcare and pensions and building inclusive infrastructure, are critical priorities to address as Ukraine rebuilds and aligns itself with EU norms and standards.” (2023, HelpAge International)

Fighting for Disability Rights Amid Russian War. Profile of Tanya Herasymova. “We helped more than 14,000 people in the last year,” Tanya says, “and we’ve got one more thousand waiting for help.” (2023, Byline Times)

Immediate needs and an inclusive future: Persons with disabilities in Ukraine need more support. (2023, EDF)

The monitoring of the accessibility of pre-fab camps for people with disabilities (2023, League of the Strong)

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Europe

Disability-inclusive recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine a declaration to “ensure that the rights and requirements of persons with disabilities are fully respected by policy makers and donors”. (Feb, EDF)

EU Commission Highlights Disability Rights in Ukraine “Ukraine should go further by ending institutionalization and ensuring everyone, including people with disabilities and older people, can exercise their right to live in the community.” (2023, Human Rights Watch)

Reflections from supporting response on building sustainability into disability rights work. (2023, EDF)

Solidarity platform for people with disabilities (2022, Inclusion Europe)

the European Union Agency for Asylum Response to the War in Ukraine (2022, EUAA)

European Commission allocates €9 million for mental health assistance of Ukrainian refugees (2022, EC)

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Romania

Safe Haven And A Ray Of Hope For Ukrainian Orphans With Intellectual Disabilities (2022, Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty)

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Ukraine

Recommendations for Mainstream Disability in Humanitarian Response in 2025 summary of collected views. (Link to pdf, Oct, National Assembly of Persons with Disabilities)

Disability equality for Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction ”UNESCO sensitizes and guides dozens of Ukrainian media in this pivotal transformation for the country’s recovery and reconstruction process.” (Oct, UNESCO)

A main priority in rebuilding Ukraine will be designing for disability “Approximately 300,000 Ukrainians registered for disability in the first 18 months of the war.” (Sep, The Architect's Newspaper)

How to Improve International Support for People with Disabilities in Ukraine. (Aug, GPPI)

Inclusive cities: rebuilding Ukraine to be truly accessible. (Jun, EU Neighbours East)

Soviet-era attitudes to disability hinder Ukrainian fighters’ recovery “Injured soldiers face social stigma … and their numbers have soared.” (May, Politico)

A disability activist who rescued locals from occupied Kherson.

"My childhood hardships inspired me to be an activist and help youth with disabilities," Viktor says, "I use prosthetics, and I know what it’s like trying to integrate into society after leaving the orphanage. I know that nobody owns us anything, but it is very hard to adjust. Children struggle immensely whenever they leave the institution It is great whenever you meet people willing to help you and let you flourish and become the person you want to be." (Feb, Ukrainska Pravda)

Ukraine prepares to serve veterans with disabilities · Global Voices The country faces a dramatic demand for disability-friendly services amid the Russian war (Jan, Global Voices)

Ukrainian reconstruction efforts lack commitment to accessibility. (2023, Euractiv)

Inclusive reconstruction of Ukraine: What’s at stake? “War destruction offers a ‘chance’ to rebuild Ukraine in a way that considers its changing identity — and with special attention for people with disabilities such as soldiers and amputees” (2023, Euractiv)

They understand me like no one else: peer support for injured Ukrainian soldier. (2023, EDF)

Uzhhorod Centre for Persons with Disabilities (2023, EDF)

Decolonising disability and other ableism reflections. “Decolonising aid, and in particular decolonising disability, is a battle worth fighting. We want to address discriminatory and ableist practices within the humanitarian response in Ukraine. Funding needs to reach people with disabilities and their representative organisations.” (2023, EDF)

Ukrainian soldiers benefit from U.S. prosthetics expertise but their war is different. (2023, NPR)

Frontline Defenders of Disability Rights: Our Stories. (2023, EDF)

UNICEF urges a humanitarian response that includes all children with disabilities (2022, UNICEF)

Humanitarian needs of older men and women IDPs in Lviv and Lvivska oblast. (2022, HelpAge)

Ukraine, where sirens sound day and night: a factsheet on persons with disabilities and emergency health services. (2022, Humanity and Inclusion)

Do not use Ukraine recovery money for institutions, but for support to independent living - Raisa Kravchenko. (2022, Inclusion Europe)

We must not neglect rehabilitation in Ukraine “The damage and disruption to usual health services, coupled with conflict related traumatic injuries and the forced displacement of millions of people, will create an enormous surge in rehabilitation needs.” (2022, eClinicalMedicine)

Cash Feasibility Assessment conducted on adult internally displaced people (IDPs) with disabilities in Ukraine in May/June. “The assessment shows that cash and emergency livelihoods support is highly needed and appropriate given the income loss all IDPs with disabilities have experienced since their displacement.” (2022, NAIU)

Reflections from HelpAge on six months in: delivery, impact and challenges. (2022)

No One Should be Left Behind Disabled People in the Russia-Ukraine War and Armed Conflicts (2022, Politics Today)

When sounds of war can't be heard: How one group is helping deaf Ukrainians survive (2022, USA Today)

Open letter to US administration to Protect the Rights of People with Disabilities and Older People (2022, Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies and others)

UNICEF launched project to support children with disabilities and their families (2022, Disability Insider)

Sound of Silence “Now, a non-profit organization [Off The Grid Missions] is helping people who are deaf or hard of hearing learn of the danger.” (2022, The News with Shepard Smith)

The reconstruction of Ukraine must take into account human diversity — human rights defender Yuliya Sachuk (2022, Fight For Right)

Disabled children and the war against Ukraine “The EU should ensure its humanitarian aid involves this vulnerable group while also supporting community-based disability support,” (2022, Euractiv)

How To Help Disabled Ukrainian Children Left Behind During War (2022, Today)

‘I just can’t stand aside if I know that I can help’ “Disability rights activist Tetiana Barantsova escaped the war in Ukraine in a wheelchair. Now she’s helping others with disabilities to do the same.“ (2022, UNHCR)

Ukraine highlights efforts to close digital divide for people with disabilities (2022, Relief Web)

Support for the remaining disabled people in Ukraine as Nippon Foundation launches new initiative for those who are ‘trapped or abandoned’ (2022, Valuable 500)

People with disabilities in Ukraine are being left behind. “It's time for concerted humanitarian action” (2022, World Economic Forum)

Key Principles and Recommendations for Inclusive Cash and Voucher Assistance in Ukraine (2022, EDF)

In the humanitarian response, the Age and Disability Technical Working Group is a forum for exchange and working to “effective mainstreaming of age and disability into the humanitarian response” since 2015. (2022, OCHA Humanitarian Response)

Protection Monitoring Highlights on how organizations are supporting displaced persons, including persons with disabilities. See the protection snapshot of 7th April for brief notes on support to those remaining in institutions. (2022, Protection Cluster Ukraine)

Generations Beat Online had put together news links on the situation of older persons in Ukraine (2022, GBO News)

HelpAge have a series of blogs on the situation of older people in the war. (2022, HelpAge)

Short video montage on Off-The-Grid Missions supporting Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in Ukraine. (2022, Off-The-Grid Missions)

EDF Position Paper, the Recommended response to children from institutions in Ukraine. (2022, EDF)

Facebook group helps Ukrainian refugees with autistic children (2022, InfoMigrants)

People with intellectual disabilities, families in Ukraine April Updates (2022, Inclusion Europe)

A Ukrainian translation of the WG Short Set on Functioning is now available. (2022, The Washington Group on Disability Statistics)

Why we must not forget older people and people with disabilities in Ukraine (2022, LSHTM)

Luhansk Association of Organizations of People with Disabilities A nice photoessay on the work they did before the most recent invasion as well as how they are responding now. (2022, UNDP)

World Federation of the Deaf Updates on Ukraine. "Several deaf associations throughout the country dispersed these announcements. Interpreters have also been at work to ensure that government announcements are accessible, and a 24/7 video relay network still works to guarantee deaf people their right to make phone calls at all hours as necessary." (2022)

Update from the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine on how they are responding (scroll down for English text, 2022, NAIU)

Armed conflict and displacement heightens risks of all forms of sexual violence including trafficking in persons. Calls for responses to risks of trafficking in persons to be inclusive and ensure the rights of persons with disabilities. (2022, OHCHR)

Persons with disabilities in Ukraine face a ‘crisis within a crisis’ "Civil society calls on the EU, national governments and humanitarian organisations to step up efforts to protect Ukraine’s 2.7 million persons with disabilities who risk abandonment, death or a lack of shelter amid Russia’s invasion." (2022, Euractiv)

A rapid review: Can social protection be sustained and support a humanitarian response? "the Ukrainian Government has moved with remarkable speed to adapt systems to ensure the delivery of existing programmes." Includes mention of disability-related benefits. (2022, CIDT)

Webinar discussion from GADRA and Fight for Right Ukrainians with disabilities In-depth discussion on the response. Include insights into the volunteer networks coordinating the response, some of the organizations supporting, and the challenges being faced. (2022) See also the webinar transcript.

Disability Inclusion Helpdesk Report Impacts of the Ukraine invasion for persons with disabilities and priority entry points in humanitarian response. (2022, Inclusive Futures)

Psychoeducational resources on PTSD and trauma translated into Ukrainian, Polish and Russian. (2022, Psychology Tools)

Disabled people in Ukraine at risk of being abandoned and forgotten (2022, Eye Witness News)

Fight for Right's Call to Action Prioritize Ukrainians with Disabilities. Relates experiences and calls for inclusion in response. (2022, The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies) See also practical information for people with disabilities seeking to evacuate.

Advice and support for those affected by the Ukrainian crisis Overview of organizations and resources in relation to older people, people with dementia and their families. (2022, Alzheimer's Disease International)

UNHCR portal on the Ukraine Refugee Situation which gives an indication of overall numbers in destination countries as well as the flash reports on the situation of displacement and refugees. (2022, UNHCR)

European Disability Forum page on Ukraine War providing updates, testimonies of disabled people, resources, and further links. (2022)

HelpAge page on Supporting older people in the Ukraine crisis (2022)

The National Assembly of People with Disabilities has frequent updates on the evolving situation, in Ukrainian. (2022)

The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies Ukraine Crisis. Practical information and resources. (2022)

Autism Europe Support for autistic people in Ukraine includes link for a facebook group supporting the autistic community in Ukraine. (2022)

Resources on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities during Armed Conflict (link to docx, 2022, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Ukraine resources. As of 16th March, estimates are almost 6.5 million internally disabled people. (2022, OCHA)

The UN High Commission for Refugees Summary of Regional Refugee Response Plan. Mentions the need to target and adapt services for persons with disabilities. (2022, UNHCR)

Relief Web hub on the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis. Overall information and key documents from the international humanitarian response. (2022)

Updates from Inclusion Europe (2022)

Resources, particularly from Germany and Slovakia, on Support for Sick, Disabled and Deaf People affected by the war. (2022, Nowar.Help)

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