Main topic of the issue

NAPD News

Training in Kyiv: Ensuring Inclusivity in Humanitarian Response

Enhanced Participation: Veterans with Disabilities Unite at NAPD to Protect Their Rights

NAPD held a meeting with war veterans to identify the key challenges they face after returning to civilian life — including access to treatment and rehabilitation, employment difficulties, insufficient support for IDP veterans, and lack of information about their rights.

In response, the organization announced the creation of a dedicated structure to protect the interests of veterans with disabilities, advocate for their rights, and coordinate assistance. The meeting marked the beginning of a joint, systematic efforts to fully integrate veterans into public life and Ukraine’s reconstruction.

Implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Proposals from NAPD

📌 The Convention as a benchmark: NAPD held discussions on the draft Action Plan for 2030 for implementing of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Government representatives, experts, and activists reviewed the UN Committee’s comments and developed proposals to update legislation, strengthen the status of organizations of persons with disabilities, enhance the qualifications of civil servants, and systematically monitor the implementation of the Convention.

NAPD will forward the collected recommendations to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine to reinforce the legal protection of persons with disabilities and support Ukraine’s European integration movement.

Orphan Diseases, Assessment Procedures, and Expert Team Profiles: Experts Answer Questions from Webinar Participants

📚 What’s changing in disability identification: answers to the most frequently asked questions

The webinar on the new rules for determining disability, organised by the Resource Center of the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine as part of the “Rehabilitation in Ukraine” (Rehab4U) project, attracted a large audience. The participants’ questions addressed not only the algorithm for completing documentation but also a wide range of challenges currently faced by people with disabilities.

Inna Borysova, an expert from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, and the NPAD lawyers provided detailed explanations to help participants understand the new rules and protect their rights. The guidance covered military and civilian victims, children, cancer patients, people with rare diseases, those with hearing impairments, as well as step-by-step procedures for handling controversial cases.

For your convenience, we offer a brief overview of the most relevant questions and answers.

Realizing the Potential: NAPD’s Resource Center Continues Training Activists from Public Organizations of People with Disabilities

Webinar “Determining Disability – 2025: Step-by-Step Instructions” on July 22, 2025 (Video)

Watch the recording of the webinar “Determining Disability – 2025: Step-by-Step Instructions,” organized by the Resource Center of the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine (NAPD) as part of the “Rehabilitation in Ukraine” (Rehab4U) project.

The webinar covers the changes in Ukrainian legislation since January 2025 concerning the reform of medical and social expertise and the introduction of assessments of a person’s daily functioning. It also explains the steps an individual must take to establish disability: contacting their doctor to obtain a referral for assessment in the electronic system, submitting the necessary documents, and choosing the form of assessment.

All this – and much more – is presented in this video in an accessible manner, with examples and detailed explanations of key nuances.

Speaker: Inna Borysova, expert in “Medical and Social Expertise,” Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

NAPD Member Organisations Inform

A Camp for War Veterans and Their Families Organized in Vinnytsia Region (VIDEO)

Report by Suspilne TV. Vinnytsia. In the village of Dorozhne, Vinnytsia region, a family camp for people with disabilities is taking place at the regional centre for social and psychological rehabilitation. The second group of participants includes veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war and their families. 

Project manager Natalia Holovko told Suspilne that seven veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war and the same number of accompanying family members are attending the second session. Among the camp participants are people with visual impairments, musculoskeletal disorders, and limb amputations.

“The first task is to provide psychological support to the participants, show them prospects for socialization even with the impairments they have, and restore the resources of families facing such challenges. The veteran, who was once a helper, is now the one who needs support, and it is very difficult for many people to accept and cope with this,” said Natalia Holovko.

The Second “Kitchen by Touch” Event Took Place at the “Echoes of War” Public Space

The Kharkiv Association of Blind Lawyers, as part of the “Disability in a New Way” project, held its second practical event, giving people with visual impairments the opportunity to try out an induction cooker with a voice interface, purchased for the ergonomic room.

The participants cooked, tasted delicacies, and shared their experiences of using kitchen appliances. The event clearly demonstrated how modern assistive technologies help overcome barriers in everyday life.

Life after 4:30 p.m., Everyday Heroism, and Other Lessons in Optimism from Oleksandr Tereshchenko

The Republican House of Sound Recording and Printing of the Ukrainian Society of the Blind presented a book written by veteran and “cyborg” Oleksandr Tereshchenko, published in Braille and audio format. It is an honest and self-ironic story about the path after a serious injury, his inner transformation, and his daily struggle for the right to live life to the fullest.

The book has become a source of support for those facing difficult circumstances — proof that even after losing limbs and enduring the pain of war, life can remain rich, meaningful, and full of dreams. After all, according to the author, true courage lies in overcoming barriers every day and not being afraid to dream.

Breaking Stereotypes

Who Said She Can’t Be a Mother?

Motherhood should not depend on disability, social status, or other people’s ideas of “normality.” 

It is not a reward for conformity, a privilege for the chosen few, or a right that must be proven. It is a natural and fundamental right of every woman. However, women with disabilities often face prejudice, pressure, and unsolicited advice to “give up” and “not take risks.” 

They are made to doubt themselves, denied support, and have their ability to love, care for, and raise children questioned. This video is about resisting that. 

It is about the voices of women who refused to be labelled “incapable,” “incompetent,” or “unwanted mothers.” It is about the right to give birth, raise children, and be supported. Motherhood should be free from prejudice, barriers, and discrimination. Because love has no limits. Neither does dignity.

The project “Humanitarian Response and Recovery: Strengthening the Leadership of Organizations of Women with Disabilities” is implemented by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine, with technical support from UN Women in Ukraine and funding from the UN Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)—a flexible and rapid-response funding instrument that supports high-quality activities aimed at enhancing the capacity of local women to prevent conflicts, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities. 

This publication was prepared with financial support from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). The views and content expressed herein, however, do not necessarily reflect the official position of the United Nations.

A Story from Practice

“Childhood without Limits”: a New Advocacy Campaign Launched in Torchyn community 

When Personal Experience Helps Change the Rules

An athlete, traveller, activist, and loving grandmother—61-year-old Zinaida, who uses a wheelchair—breaks stereotypes about disability every day by choosing to live life to the fullest. Her journey—from initially refusing to use a wheelchair to obtaining a driver’s license and traveling across Ukraine—proves that disability is not a sentence, but simply a new reality.

However, Zinaida’s story is not only about strength of spirit. It also sends a clear message about the need for change to ensure:

• accessible transport and mobile lifts at train stations;
• fair parking policies;
• cities where people with disabilities can move around independently and participate actively in community life.

👉 Her approach to life reminds us that the activism of people like Zinaida is not an exception, but a compelling argument for the systemic changes Ukraine has long needed.

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED THIS MONTH:

One Application—Several Rehabilitation Devices

How to Obtain Free Endo prosthetics Services

Compensation for Victims of Industrial Accidents

From the Editors

Every new project, every meeting, and every story brings us closer to equal opportunities for all. We are launching this digest to keep you informed of the changes around us, share news, and support those who foster inclusion in Ukraine every day.

Read, join, and share – together we are stronger 💙💛