Women with disabilities in humanitarian initiatives at the local level. Dnipro

In July, the city of Dnipro hosted a seminar on «Women with Disabilities in Humanitarian Initiatives at the Local Level» organized by the NGO «I KNOW YOU CAN» with technical support from UN Women in Ukraine and funding from the UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).

The event was attended by activists, representatives of NGOs, local authorities, and mothers of children with disabilities.

The seminar became an important platform for discussing the systemic problems faced by women with disabilities in Ukraine. The key topics included:

• protecting the rights of women with disabilities,
• their participation in decision-making processes;
• preventing and responding to gender-based violence;
• overcoming barriers to access to education, services, and employment.

The participants of the event not only raised their legal awareness, but also got a space to voice their current needs, share experiences and find common solutions.

Thanks to an open dialogue with representatives of the government and the public sector, the seminar turned into a platform for real change, where knowledge of their rights became the basis for their active protection and promotion.

The event laid the foundation for further cooperation between activists, lawyers, civic leaders, and representatives of the authorities.

The established contacts will become an important resource for future joint initiatives. Such synergy is key to overcoming barriers and ensuring the participation of women with disabilities in decision-making processes. It brings us closer to building an inclusive and truly accessible society where every voice is important and counted.

The seminar was created by a non-governmental organization GO I know you can do it within the framework of the project «Humanitarian Response and Recovery: Strengthening the Leadership of Organizations of Women with Disabilities», implemented by National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine (NAIA) with the technical support of UN Women in Ukraine and with funding from the United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). However, this does not imply that the views and content expressed during the workshop are officially endorsed or recognized by the United Nations.

The UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is a flexible and operational funding instrument that supports quality interventions to enhance the capacity of local women to prevent conflicts, respond to crises and emergencies, and harness key peacebuilding opportunities.

This publication was prepared with the financial support of the United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). The contents do not necessarily reflect the official position of the United Nations.

Photos taken by Evgeny Harchenko