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As part of the national social change campaign “Barrier-Free – When You Can”, more than 70 ambassadors for barrier-free Ukraine — leaders who are already helping to create a Ukraine without barriers — gathered in Kyiv on October 6, 2025.
The event was reported by the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.
Participants represented various communities, businesses, government institutions, and the civic sector, all united by a common goal — to make the country accessible to everyone.
“Five years ago, when we first began this initiative in Ukraine, most Ukrainians thought that barrier-free meant ‘something about ramps,’ because barriers were understood literally — only as physical obstacles. We had to spend years explaining that, in addition to the physical, barrier-free includes social, economic, educational, digital, and informational dimensions. These six key areas eventually became the foundation of the government’s barrier-free strategy”, — emphasized First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.
The meeting also brought together representatives of ministries, activists, and experts promoting change at both the national and local levels. The event marked the first step toward creating a nationwide network of barrier-free ambassadors.
“It is a great honor for UNICEF to support Ukraine on its path toward barrier-free development. Together with the Government of Ukraine and the First Lady, we aim to build a country where every child, family, and individual can fully participate in community life. We work to ensure that policies translate into real change — in schools, hospitals, communities, and homes”, — said Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine.
The Deputy Prime Minister for Ukraine’s Restoration and Minister for Communities and Territories Development, Oleksiy Kuleba, announced the start of work on a new law that will serve as the foundation for systematic implementation of barrier-free policy.
“We need unified principles, effective mechanisms, and clearly defined responsibilities at all levels — local, regional, and central. That’s why we are drafting the law ‘On the Basic Principles of the State Policy for Building a Barrier-Free Society.’ It will define shared principles, mechanisms, and accountable institutions at every level. The document will cover the educational, informational, digital, economic, and civic spheres, ensuring accessibility in each of them”, — he stated.
Acting Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, Tetiana Berezhna, presented a vision of barrier-free communication as a key element of a just society.
She spoke about the Communication Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Space in Ukraine and the Ministry’s flagship project “Information Without Barriers”, which is already improving public access to information and making government communication clearer and more inclusive.
“Barrier-free communication takes on new meaning during wartime. Every clear and understandable word can warn of danger, offer support, or even help save lives. That is why we are building a barrier-free communication system — where information is accessible to everyone, language is clear, and words serve as tools of protection and support”, — she said.
Tetiana Lomakina, the President’s Advisor-Commissioner on Barrier-Free Issues, emphasized:
“Ambassadors for barrier-free Ukraine — as active citizens — can promote a culture of dignity: explaining to colleagues why barrier-free equals respect. They can talk about inclusive language, lead by example, implement their own initiatives, and help others find barrier-free solutions by relying on the ambassador community. Being a ‘voice of barrier-free values in the community’ means learning to identify barriers — in schools, hospitals, libraries, or transport — and raising these issues at the local government level”.
Participants also took part in a training on the basics of barrier-free development conducted by the NGO Barrier-Free and jointly developed individual project implementation plans for their communities.
These are specific steps that each participant plans to implement by the end of the year to make their communities more accessible for everyone. Examples include:
- monitoring public spaces and businesses for physical accessibility,
- creating maps of accessible locations,
- and promoting construction standards (DBN) compliance.
Social and civic accessibility includes advocacy for the creation of Barrier-Free Councils, as well as training for professionals working with veterans and people with disabilities.
In the area of educational accessibility, efforts will focus on teachers, parents, and students, along with raising awareness among people with disabilities about their educational rights.
Meanwhile, in the informational accessibility sphere, ambassadors plan to conduct audits of information accessibility.
