To make Ukraine more accessible and convenient for all its residents, citizens should be involved in the recovery and planning process. This will help avoid the mistakes of the past. This is the opinion of Yuriy Vasylchenko, a consultant on architectural accessibility and inclusiveness at the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine (NAPDU). Mr. Vasylchenko also heads the Kyiv city branch of the All-Ukrainian Association of Freelance (Public) Inspectors of Architectural and Construction Control. We discussed with the expert the issue of accessibility of the environment in our country in the context of rebuilding infrastructure after the war.
Photo: From open sources
Yuriy Vasylchenko used to head the State Inspectorate of Urban Development of Ukraine (DIM), the State Architectural and Construction Inspectorate of Ukraine (SACI), and worked at the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers. Vasylchenko pays special attention to creating an accessible environment for people with limited mobility. In particular, he initiated the revision of state building codes, which resulted in the DBN B.2.2-40:2018 «Inclusiveness of Buildings and Structures». He also created a roadmap for the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine (MinRegion) on unimpeded access for people with disabilities.
Prioritize medical institutions, not schools
- As a result of Russia's military aggression, many schools, hospitals, and residential buildings have been destroyed. How to combine rapid infrastructure restoration with long-term plans to modernize and adapt to new challenges?
- Strategic planning involves planning for the worst-case scenario. If it is better, then great. Recovery is necessary. The only nuance is how to approach it. For example, it is not justified to lay asphalt on the territory next to the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus, or in the war zone in general.
Regarding the priority of restoring facilities. The National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine conducted a social survey of people with disabilities. We asked them which facilities they consider a priority. The majority put healthcare facilities in the first place. Housing was in second place, and educational institutions were in third place. The issue of transport infrastructure was also a priority.
Conclusion: Critical infrastructure needs to be restored wisely. The government has now allocated large sums of money to restore the thermal power plants destroyed by the enemy, including the Trypillia thermal power plant (Ukrainka, Obukhiv district). But one missile and all these funds will simply go down the drain again.
I share the opinion of international experts who advise that instead of restoring large critical infrastructure facilities, they should be divided into small ones (cluster type). This will minimize the consequences of a possible repeated hit to one facility. In other words, we can build a huge thermal power plant, spending several billion on it, and immediately lose everything, or we can build 50 small ones with these funds. Thus, the enemy will need at least several times more missiles to hit these power plants. In addition, these facilities will still need to be found.
Children's Hospital “Okhmatdyt”Photo: from open sources
- Do you agree that medical facilities should be the first on the list for reconstruction?
- If they are not restored, it will have catastrophic consequences. In my opinion, if we don't have enough educational institutions, we won't face such a critical problem (since online education has been introduced). And if people don't receive appropriate help in time due to the lack of medical facilities, this will quickly worsen the healthcare situation.
In Kyiv, I personally faced a problem when the next appointment for an MRI was in 2.5 weeks. And the need was urgent - it was necessary to confirm the diagnosis, which required urgent treatment. It is good that this issue was resolved. But the fact itself shows that there is a problem with healthcare facilities and diagnostic centers in Ukraine. They need to be restored. It is clear that the reconstruction should not be done within a 30-kilometer zone from the dangerous area. It's one thing when a rocket hits, it's another when artillery hits.
This also raises the issue of transportation. In particular, the lack of low-floor transportation means that people with disabilities will not be able to get to such facilities and receive services. And this includes not only people with disabilities and other low-mobility groups, but also the elderly, parents with strollers, etc.
So, on the one hand, we have to spend money on the army, and on the other hand, we need to treat the military and other victims of the war somewhere afterwards. And the basic treatment process should be continuous.
Don't give up on mobility impairment
- On the topic of a comfortable, barrier-free environment. Soldiers returning from the front line have mobility problems. How can we ensure equal access to shops, houses, and other infrastructure?
- This is an interesting and difficult question: we inherited inaccessible facilities. I divide them into those where nothing is being done and those that are being built from scratch or restored. If we are talking about long-established facilities where it is relatively quiet and there are no arrivals, the owners should be stimulated by law. By the way, Article 39 of the Law of Ukraine «On Regulation of Urban Development Activities» stipulates that owners or managers of construction projects put into operation must ensure their inspection and examination, and take measures for their proper operation. In other words, this inspection determines whether the facility meets the requirements set for it.
One of these requirements is the accessibility of the facility. The law also stipulates that failure to ensure inspection, failure to ensure certification and failure to take measures by owners or managers will result in sanctions. However, it has not yet been determined what kind of sanctions.
By the way, under this article, all multi-apartment residential buildings and facilities with consequence classes CC2 (medium) and CC3 (significant) are subject to mandatory inspection. As a rule, this is 25-30% of the total number of objects built or under construction in Ukraine. This includes all cultural heritage sites.
- Are there any examples of successful implementation of accessibility programs at the local level?
- I know that Lviv has a program to equip apartment buildings with lifts or ramps. Every year, funds are allocated from the local budget for this program, and every year such facilities will gradually become more accessible. This is where there are no condominiums, which have assumed responsibility in addition to rights. Such a program operates in Dnipro and this year it was adopted in Kyiv.
Lift for people with disabilitiesPhoto: Lviv City CouncilAuthor: Roman Baluk
Why not introduce this in other cities, at the local level? Why not adopt a law to deduct a certain percentage from each budget for such measures? After all, accessibility is not only for people with disabilities, it is for each of us. Today you are fine with everything, but tomorrow your wife gives birth, and with a baby carriage you will already belong to the low-mobility group. Or if you carry a huge load, this is also a disability.
- How can you ensure the availability of existing facilities?
- We must understand that such facilities are problematic and cannot be made accessible without subsidies. At one time, I tried to stimulate the owners of such facilities by licensing their business activities. That is, if you make money on the facility, you have to fulfill an additional requirement - and make it accessible to people with disabilities. My idea was picked up, and the bill became a government bill. Then the government changed, but our draft law, albeit under a different authorship, was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada. The law covers about 40 types of activities.
I once analyzed how this rule works and found that, unfortunately, most public authorities did not comply with the law at all. And even if the requirements are met, there are questions about their quality. There should be appropriate incentives...
Current repairs are a «Klondike» for money laundering
- How has the war affected the accessibility process in Ukraine?
- During the military operations, I came across the fact that most of the reconstruction projects were major repairs. And if the reconstruction is called a major overhaul, I am almost certain that there will be no accessibility.
Major repairs are interventions in load-bearing structures without changing their geometric dimensions, key technical and economic indicators and/or functional purpose. When it comes to the overhaul of a Khrushchev, this object will be molded into an exactly the same Khrushchev without an elevator or ramp. Because adding a ramp or installing an elevator usually means changing the geometric dimensions.
Designers choose major repairs because it does not require compliance with certain requirements. And we advocate that when it comes to restoring facilities, priority should be given to their reconstruction, not to major or, God forbid, routine repairs, which are not controlled at all. Routine maintenance is a «Klondike» for money laundering.
I received an interesting piece from our colleagues at the European Disability Forum (EDF): a post on Twitter about a Ukrainian school being renovated with donor funds. But it essentially remained the same as it was, just a different color - it was refreshed. But the ramp that was supposed to be installed is out of the question. The school has been restored with donor funds from the European Union, but it is in fact inaccessible. And this is not the only case: I have many examples of similar restoration of facilities.
- Recovery does not always equal availability? What is the solution?
- First and foremost, restoration should involve new construction or reconstruction of facilities. Perhaps in some cases, reconstruction is not effective. It is necessary to demolish and build a new high-quality facility in compliance with construction standards.
Due to military operations, the government adopted Resolution No. 303 of March 13, 2022 «On the termination of state supervision, control and state market supervision measures under martial law». This means that all scheduled inspections are prohibited. Unscheduled inspections may be conducted if there is a threat that has a negative impact on the rights and legitimate interests, human life and health, environmental protection, and state security.
A year ago, at a meeting of the Kyiv Regional State Administration's Accessibility Committee, we were considering a new school construction project. I noticed that the entrance to the building was not level with the ground. But the porch is raised by about two meters and there is a lift. This project was developed in violation of clause 6.1.1 of the State Building Code «Inclusiveness of Buildings and Structures,» which stipulates that for new construction, all entrances and exits to the building must be level with the ground, without a porch. This is a complaint against the specialists who developed this project documentation and those who gave a positive expert report. We made a corresponding request for an inspection, and the review process is still ongoing. Although in this case, remedying the situation did not require huge amounts of money, we simply had to make adjustments to some sections of the project and undergo a second expert review. But there is no desire to do so.
School Photo: From open sources
- You said that now there are accessibility and barrier-free requirements for old high-rise buildings. How do you comply with them if a new building is built with violations?
- To begin with, we need to understand people. Let me define the term «people with limited mobility». According to the law, these are people who temporarily or permanently have certain difficulties in moving. In addition to people with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women, etc., I also include foreigners who do not speak the local language among the low-mobility groups. Just imagine: such a person got separated from his or her group and went to a village where they are not understood. All other things are formed from this basis. For example, you need to plan the installation of ordinary signs that are intuitively understandable to people without knowledge of the language.
In our city of Dnipro, under martial law, people protested against the installation of a ramp in place of a flower bed. Although the responsible services there did everything in accordance with the law. So I advised our colleague to invite military personnel with disabilities to this protest.
You know, there is such a resistance to change: no matter how good it is, you will always have to overcome this resistance. Even after information campaigns, there will still be those who are against it. Sometimes people think that accessibility is for some people. And, as a rule, these people are in love with themselves: they want comfort for themselves. But sooner or later, everyone becomes an elderly person and moves to a group with limited mobility.
By the way, accessibility was prescribed in the building codes because of the European Union's requirement.
Build better than it was
- What technological solutions or materials can be used to adapt the existing infrastructure in Balta, in particular the pavement, to provide barrier-free access for people with disabilities?
- First, you need to advocate for the creation of accessible walking routes in your city. It is much easier to advocate for accessibility where something is already being done. For example, in Kyiv, I used my resources to focus on those facilities that were undergoing renovation and where funds had already been allocated. It is much easier. This is one of the approaches to rebuilding Ukraine: build better than it was. That is, if something is being built and funds have been allocated for it, it must be of high quality.
It is important to review whether the repair work takes into account the issues of creating accessibility and removing barriers. It is easier to prove your case to the contractor when you refer to the standards. This issue needs to be comprehensively regulated, and different ways of communication should be sought. For example, to ensure that the exit from the pedestrian part to the road is level with the road.
Pedestrian crossing: without accessibility for all Author: Lyudmila Shelikh
- Surely we need activists interested in advocating for barrier-free access?
- There should be local accessibility and barrier-free commissioners. And preferably elected, not appointed.
Another nuance. Sometimes there is no other option: you need to comply with building codes, but you don't have the technical capabilities. Again, in Balta. As it turned out, it is in a mountainous area. How can you make the pedestrian path slope according to the DBN if it goes uphill? So, we need to approach the problem differently. It is possible to proceed from the fact that automobile routes should have appropriate access. That is, with an accessible surrounding area. Yes, some pedestrian paths will remain inaccessible to people in wheelchairs. But they will be conditionally accessible for parents with strollers, and for people with visual impairments - accessible to most.
It's important to plan accessibility measures for each year, to create a chain of continuity. There is a problem with this in Kyiv: some sections have been repaired, even great bike routes have been made, and then this bike path simply ends... with the entrance to the fence. This is a typical situation.
Kyiv Author: Lyudmila Shelikh
There is a problem with the fact that civic activism is more of a volunteer activity. Perhaps we should create a network of public experts. Funds should be allocated for this. If the state does not have them, we should attract donor funds.
We tell donors that each project should include a certain percentage of funds to support civic experts and institutional support for civil society organizations. This is capacity building, raising their awareness of the topic. This means allocating funds for trainings so that public experts can study accessibility. In theory, everything is fine, the question is: how to turn theory into practice.
Where to find experts in barrier-free accessibility
- A person with a disability is probably the best of the experts on accessibility and barrier-free issues.
- Every person with a disability is an expert in their own category. But are the needs of other people with disabilities taken into account? We worked with Kryukiv Carriage Works. They showed us drawings of a sanitary room for people with disabilities in compartment cars. They also showed us a video showing a person with a disability transferring from a wheelchair to the toilet without any problems. But the hero of the video has to carry about 80 cm of his body in his arms from the wheelchair to the toilet. This was a person with lower limb amputation who was able to do this.
Toilet in a compartment car (including for people with disabilities) Author: Lyudmila Shelikh
Thus, the sanitary room is accessible to some people with disabilities, but remained inaccessible to people with spinal or cervical injuries.
But I think it's a good practice to make experts out of people with disabilities. If they are taught to understand the construction aspects, the issues of various other nosologies, it will be very good. You don't need to reinvent the wheel, you should work with what is already there.
There is always a way out
- How would you solve the problem of accessibility to buildings in Balta where it is difficult to install ramps?
- There are no problems that cannot be solved. For example, let's take the Balta Public Library, where we had a meeting (presentation of the USAID Inclusive Rehabilitation Services project - ed.) There is already a concrete ramp there. We model that it is not there: you have the same facility, but without a ramp. What can be done? There are several variations: make a concrete ramp, wooden, plastic or metal. You can also make a lift. That is, there are many different tools and materials to make this object accessible.
Now we analyze the pros and cons of each solution. If we choose a lift, we remember the potential lack of electricity, which is a disadvantage. The upside is that it is compact and takes up little space. This is the best option for the elderly, because the path is shorter (unlike a ramp). It will also provide accessibility to a person in a wheelchair, but it will not be able to lift, say, a person with a prosthesis, a plastered lower limb, or crutches.
Balta. One of the shops Author: Lyudmila Shelikh
But you can also build a ramp. A concrete one requires professional work, but I think it will cost less than the others. Remember that there is a problem with concrete: ensuring that it is not slippery. That is, there is a risk of poor-quality work.
Photo of the ramp: From open sources
I am a fan of factory-made metal ramps. This is a temporary structure that can be removed and rearranged at any time to, for example, repair the facade.
I like the metal lattice ramp because it is easy to operate: it does not need to be cleaned of snow. But you can choose any option, the main thing is to control the work at all stages.
Important: without an intermediate platform, the ramp can only be made up to 80 cm in height.
I have seen plastic ramps on low gradients in Europe, and they are easy to make. If there is a small drop, it is better to do it without ramps at all, and gradually bring it to the level of the ground with the relief. This is much better than a separate ramp or staircase, because any difference, even one step, is a chance to get injured: put your foot wrong, or trip and fall.
A tip instead of a conclusion
- Do you have anything else you would like to add to the topic of our conversation?
- When it comes to creating an accessible environment, identifying the problem and understanding it professionally is much better than saying that everything is fine and we have everything accessible. After identifying the problem, the next step is to write a plan on how to fix it. As we have already mentioned, there are many problems at existing facilities, and it is important to prioritize them by determining which barriers are critical and which can wait.
As part of the Hoverla project, we visited some communities, including Baltska. During the presentation, I made a remark that the reception area had a non-standard ramp. I was told that an expert had been invited to arrange the ramp and had approved it.
I have another example. We had a project - a library in Vyshhorod. It was a two-story building, with a 60-cm staircase to climb, a broken porch, and no adapted sanitary facilities on the ground floor. A problematic object.
But I liked working with the director. I explained to her that we needed to make the first floor accessible, then the sanitary facilities. Next, we need to repair the emergency corner, where we can install a lift. Then, only gradually, we would bring beauty, for example, to the doors. What did we do within 3,500 €? For 76 thousand, we installed a metal ramp as a temporary structure. The local council gave us permission to install it. We installed mnemonic schemes that reflect tactile and informational aspects, duplicated the signs in Braille, and purchased universal furniture.
And then we managed to raise funds from UNICEF for the current repairs. The second floor was turned into a hub for children. Then a member of parliament joined in and helped to repair part of the sanitary facilities, making them universal. Last year, the local authorities repaired the porch, and this year they have allocated funds for repairs.
Do you understand? The first floor is not accessible to all 100%s, there are still thresholds, and other things need to be finished. But it gave us an impetus for action. Now the director plans to make the second floor accessible as well. Emergency works are underway, and the place I showed her for the elevator is being prepared. That is, the facility is becoming conditionally accessible from being completely inaccessible. Yes, everything will not be perfect there, there is still a lot to be done. The funds were raised from various sources, but there is already a result and, most importantly, confidence that everything will work out.
Prepared by. within the framework of the project «Mediators» by the Abo Media Agency«
