The Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine is now accepting proposals from communities to participate in the second phase of the Movement Without Barriers project. As the Ministry reports on its website, The initiative provides for the creation of barrier-free routes in communities and is part of a systematic approach to creating an accessible environment.
We are talking about the construction of integrated transport and pedestrian routes. They will connect socially important objects of daily use - from educational and healthcare institutions to residential facilities, public services and businesses. All residents, including people with disabilities, people with limited mobility, parents with small children and the elderly, will be able to use the accessible routes without hindrance.
The selection will be based on a unified methodology with clearly defined criteria. For this purpose, the Ministry of Development has developed a checklist for assessing hromadas' readiness, which will be the basis for analyzing the submitted applications and finalizing the selection of participating hromadas. More than 1,300 communities across the country have already received the document.
The list of more than 20 criteria is organized into five key blocks. In particular, it evaluates:
- An integrated approach to route formation - availability of a ready-made project of a barrier-free route with social infrastructure facilities included in it, as well as the integration of the street, road, and transport network that will connect social facilities with residential areas. The availability or plans of the community to purchase accessible public transportation are also taken into account.
- Financial capacity of the community - the estimated cost of creating the route and readiness to provide co-financing for the project in 2026.
- Design and construction works - the availability of design organizations and construction companies in the community that can perform the work, as well as the degree of readiness of project documentation.
- Attracting business - participation of local businesses, namely trade, service and other private institutions, in creating a barrier-free environment along the route.
- Project management system - having an official responsible for accessibility in the management of the local self-government body, as well as a structural unit that will coordinate the implementation of the route and an active accessibility council in the community.
These criteria are needed not only for the selection of communities. They will help cities and towns better prepare for the implementation of barrier-free routes, establish cooperation with businesses, and implement comprehensive changes in the urban environment rather than single solutions.
In the first phase of the project in 2025, 15 pilot communities from different regions of Ukraine joined the initiative. The total length of barrier-free routes in cities and towns was about 100 kilometers, and the routes included more than 700 objects that have been changed within the project. Some of the objects that took longer to implement due to difficult conditions, terrain features, or the need for comprehensive reconstruction of historical buildings, the communities plan to continue to implement in stages, dividing the work into several parts.
For reference:
"Movement Without Barriers is a flagship project of the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development, which is being implemented as part of First Lady Olena Zelenska's initiative »Without Barriers“ and is part of the National Strategy for Barrier-Free Development until 2030.
