The Rozhyshche community is launching an advocacy campaign called “Space for equality: From communication culture to accessibility standards,” which aims to strengthen a culture of respect and support for people with disabilities and promote the creation of a more accessible environment.
The first step will be a public event called “Without Barriers: The Practice of Respect,” where community residents, young people, people with disabilities, and local government representatives will be able to discuss the barriers that exist in everyday life and learn practical ways to interact.
That is why the Rozhyshche community in the Volyn region is launching an advocacy campaign called “Space for Equality: From Communication Culture to Accessibility Standards,” aimed at creating an inclusive environment that supports people with disabilities and raising awareness among community members about accessibility.
One of the key events of the campaign will be a public event called “Without Barriers: The Practice of Respect,” which will take place on March 18, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the city of Rozhyshche at 10 Dragomanova Street. The event will serve as a platform for open dialogue between people with disabilities, young people, representatives of local government, and community members.
During the meeting, participants will discuss the barriers that people with disabilities face in their daily lives and will learn practical skills for interacting appropriately.
In particular, participants will learn how to correctly offer help to a person who uses a wheelchair, how to be a reliable companion for a blind person indoors, and how to communicate clearly and respectfully with people with hearing impairments.
The event will also discuss the culture of interaction, because inclusion is not only about physical accessibility, but also about attitude, respect, and equal opportunities to participate in community life.
The program will combine training, open dialogue, and elements of psychological support. Participants can expect to learn the rules of proper communication with people with disabilities, practical exercises on interacting in various life situations, a panel discussion entitled “From Inclusion on Paper to Inclusion in the Heart,” during which real changes in the community will be discussed, art therapy practice for emotional relief and creating a friendly atmosphere, an open question and answer session, and joint reflection.
Young people, community residents, people with disabilities, veterans, and local government representatives are invited to participate.
After the public event, an advocacy brunch called “Space Without Barriers” is planned—a meeting and dialogue between young people, people with disabilities, and representatives of local government.
During the brunch, participants will discuss issues of accessibility in the community—in particular in medical and educational institutions, as well as in public spaces. Proposals and ideas will be recorded in an open format to form a list of specific steps that the community can implement in the near future.
The advocacy campaign is being implemented by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine and the public organization “Sporidnen Teplo” in cooperation with local community partners.
The initiative is being implemented as part of the international project "Multisectoral disability-inclusive humanitarian assistance for internally displaced persons, returnees, veterans, and host communities in Ukraine," which is being implemented by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine in partnership with the European Disability Forum (EDF) with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) and CBM (Christian Blind Mission).
The campaign coordinator is Svitlana Arshulik.
The slogan of the initiative, “Communities for All: Creating Change Together with People with Disabilities,” emphasizes its main idea. After all, true accessibility is not only about infrastructure, but also about people's willingness to listen to each other, learn, and act together. It is precisely such meetings that are an important step towards a community where every person can feel equal and included in communal life.
Oleksandra Perkova, Communications Manager of the Project
