New Report Finds Ukraine Authorities are Failing People with Disabilities as War Intensifies

Kharkiv, Ukraine — A new report from Human Rights First released today finds that people with disabilities in Ukraine are being left without adequate housing, care, or protection. As Russia’s war on Ukraine continues, internally displaced people (IDPs) with disabilities face inaccessible shelters, overcrowded facilities, and burdensome bureaucracy.

Titled “Nowhere to Go: Internally Displaced People with Disabilities in Ukraine,” the report draws on dozens of interviews with human rights defenders (HRDs), volunteers, and evacuees, as well as testimony from 20 research trips to Ukraine’s eastern front by Human Rights First since 2022.

“People with disabilities are being evacuated from the front lines into cities where bomb shelters are inaccessible, housing is unavailable, and government support is nearly nonexistent,” said Brian Dooley, Senior Advisor at Human Rights First and co-author of the report. “While volunteers and NGOs are doing extraordinary work to fill the gaps, it is not enough. The Ukrainian government and international community must urgently act to protect this vulnerable population.” 

Ukraine’s application to join the European Union depends on meeting certain standards for disability rights. “Despite making notable advancements prior to the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, the war has significantly worsened the situation for people with disabilities,” said Maya-Fernandez-Powell, co-author of the report. “Among other needed reforms, it’s essential that IDPs with disabilities receive timely assistance, have access to bomb shelters, and are included in plans for rebuilding infrastructure.” 

Some key findings from the report include: 

• State-run housing is at full capacity, and applications for disability-related accommodations are impeded by complex bureaucratic processes.
• Most bomb shelters in frontline regions are physically inaccessible to people with mobility challenges. Of Kharkiv’s 30 metro stations, only one is accessible to wheelchair users.
• HRDs estimate that 40% of those evacuated by volunteer teams in Kharkiv have mobility impairments. Evacuation journeys from Russian-occupied areas are dangerous, costly, and often impossible for those with disabilities.
• IDPs with disabilities are often separated from family members or forced into under-resourced institutions due to a lack of accessible options.

The report calls for donors to visit frontline areas to assess the situation for themselves, and to fund local efforts to evacuate and assist civilians with disabilities. It also calls for reform of  housing and social service processes, and for authorities to ensure shelters and infrastructure are accessible.

To speak with Dooley please contact [email protected].