(April –July 2015, under the support of the foundation “Abilis")

Chernobyl History Workshop acted as a regional partner in the project "Mission on the monitoring of the observance of rights of displaced persons – disable people “We Can Do Everything Together”, which was realized by non-governmental organization “Foundation for Human Rights” under the support of Foundation “Abilis”.

People with disabilities are referred to population category, whose status is usually in disadvantage comparing to other categories, that needs the creation of additional conditions for their integration into the society. It is integration but not isolation that is the main aim of social policy, which should correspond to the international practice and principles. These questions are getting a particular actuality for disable people, who have been forced to leave their homes in Donetsk and Lugansk regions because of the military actions and get a status of internally displaced persons.

People in Ukraine face the substantial barriers in the realization of their rights and it is extremely difficult to arrange a normal life in the situation of a forced resettlement. In fact a disable person doesn’t have any opportunity of self-realization without a permanent support and assistance and integrate into the society as a valuable member of society.

The social protection for disable people is of primary importance problem (issue), therefore, the monitoring of the observance of the rights of this category of population was carried out within April – July, 2015 to monitor and change the situation in the field of rights protection of internally displaced persons with disabilities. The main purpose of the monitoring was to get an answer to the question: Who are the displaced persons with disabilities for Ukraine - valuable citizens or unnecessary burden? The project was implemented in Donetsk, Zaporozhye, Lugansk and Kharkov regions.

The conducted research has showed that the declared rights of displaced persons with disabilities are not realized in practice. Having moved to a new place of living, the displaced disable persons can’t expect on the support from the authorities. The low level of welfare benefits puts most of them on the edge of starvation.

As a result of conducted monitoring the brochure was issued which dealt with a methodology of research, its results and the recommendations for changing the situation in this sphere. The brochure is available for downloading on the site “Foundation for Human Rights”.