Online Moderated Discussion “Exchange of International Experience in Organizing Shelters for Internally Displaced Persons with Disabilities”

 

 

As the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) with disabilities continues to grow across the Ukraine, the accessibility of emergency and accommodation shelters has become ever more critical in guiding vulnerable individuals toward appropriate care.  

IDPs and refugees with physical or cognitive disabilities or mental illnesses are disproportionately more likely to experience challenges facing the shelter system. The reason for this is that shelter buildings are often inaccessible to people with disabilities. 

INKuLtur partner organization Fight For Right conducted this fall an accessibility monitoring of shelters for IDPs in various regions of Ukraine. They documented the current access status of shelters and recorded shortcomings. This helped to understand how to make shelters comfortable and accessible for all people with disabilities. 

To discuss Ukrainian going practices with the international ones, on November 30, 2023, Fight for right will host a moderated discussion on “Exchange of International Experience in Organizing Shelters for Internally Displaced Persons with Disabilities.” Invited are shelters’ staff and administrations, as well as leaders of institutions involved in organizing shelters for IDPs. In addition to sharing experiences, we will discuss the challenges that need to be addressed first to ensure accessibility. Together, we want to find ways to solve these issues. 

The event will take place online, (Zoom) starting at 14:00 (UTC). The number of participants is limited, so register promptly! Registration is open until November 28, 2023, at this link.

The discussion will be synchronously translated from Ukrainian into English. 

Fight For Right will continue its collaboration with shelters in December through three training sessions focused on ensuring shelter accessibility and working with people with disabilities. An engaging conversation is guaranteed! Details on how everything will unfold will be shared soon. 

The project “Barrier-free Safety for People with Disabilities” is part of INKuLtur Programme implemented by Austausch e.V. together with Eastern Partnership countries funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.