The National Assembly of Persons with Disabilities of Ukraine held a webinar «Types of State Support for Internally Displaced Persons with Disabilities». The event was held within the framework of the project «Strengthening the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Response and Recovery in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities». It brought together representatives of NGOs, social sector professionals, lawyers, and displaced persons themselves and became a platform for a comprehensive analysis of existing assistance programs, their practical application, and the role of civil society in overcoming the consequences of the war.
For people with disabilities who were forced to leave their homes due to the hostilities, such displacement meant not only the loss of housing and jobs, but also interruption of rehabilitation, difficulties in accessing medical and social services, and the need to adapt to a new environment that is often not barrier-free. That is why, as noted at the webinar, state support for this category of citizens should be systematic, targeted and long-term.
Speaker of the webinar, head of the advocacy team at the Vostok SOS charitable foundation, Yaroslav Taranets, analyzed in detail the full range of support programs that are currently available to IDPs, including people with disabilities. The participants received a structured overview of housing, social, financial and economic instruments that allow not only to stabilize the situation of families, but also to create conditions for restoring independence and a decent life.
A lot of attention was paid to housing programs, as this issue is one of the most important for most people who were forced to leave their homes. They discussed compensation mechanisms for owners of destroyed or damaged housing, preferential mortgage programs, long-term lending for IDPs, and new instruments, including housing vouchers of a significant value for certain categories of victims. They also explained the possibilities of obtaining temporary housing, applying for a rent subsidy, participating in the compensation program for owners who provide free accommodation to IDPs, and mechanisms for reimbursement of utility costs during temporary residence.
A separate block of the webinar was devoted to employment and economic integration. Mechanisms for compensating employers for labor costs of IDPs, including persons with disabilities, as well as programs for reimbursing the costs of arranging inclusive workplaces were presented. Participants learned about opportunities for vocational training and retraining through government vouchers, as well as microgrants for starting or developing their own businesses.
Such instruments are of strategic importance, as they are not only about temporary support, but also about creating conditions for financial independence and active participation of people with disabilities in the country's economic recovery.
Social and medical services were another important area of discussion. The participants were presented with a mechanism for personalized financing of social services based on the principle of «money follows the person,» which allows the recipient to choose a provider of inpatient care or assisted living.
They also discussed the social service of shelter for people with limited mobility, long-term nursing care for evacuees, and the guaranteed right of IDPs to free legal aid. These programs provide not only for basic living needs, but also support people's dignity, autonomy and social integration.
This webinar once again demonstrated the important role of the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine as an expert and coordination platform. The organization systematizes disparate information, explains complex regulations in accessible language, advocates for the rights of people with disabilities and raises awareness among both internally displaced persons and local professionals.
The project “Strengthening the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities during humanitarian response and recovery in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” is being implemented by the NAPD within the framework of a grant from the International Disability Alliance (IDA). International Disability Alliance (IDA)
