Author: Yana Kopytina - rehabilitator, associate professor of the department of health, physical therapy, rehabilitation and occupational therapy. Member of the Public Union "All-Ukrainian League of Organizations of Persons with Visual Disabilities "Modern View".
The formation of an inclusive policy, an inclusive space and an inclusive society in general is a conscious decision of Ukraine, which in March 2009 ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and in 2022 became a candidate for joining the European Union, realizing that this means colossal changes. , reforms, strict compliance with legislation and prevention of corruption. But does everyone understand this and follow this path?
In my opinion, the main assistant in the formation of an inclusive society is financial support and gradual - I would even say parallel-gradual - implementation of legislative reforms after democratic public discussions.
We will be able to create an inclusive society only when people with various disabilities and forms of disability will work at all levels of government - city, district, regional. Inconsistencies and contradictions will disappear when in all ministries, committees, working groups and other institutions the rights of persons with disabilities are protected by persons with disabilities who have experience, knowledge and public support in these matters. Only when faced with a problem or loss of health that led to disability, people begin to think and understand the importance of these issues.
Today, during military operations on the territory of Ukraine, military personnel and civilians receive significant injuries on a daily basis, which, unfortunately, lead to various degrees of disability, loss of health and work capacity. It is these people who now need the most attention, care and help. Treatment, various types of rehabilitation, restoration of lost body functions or their compensation become important aspects of their life after an injury. Recommendations, where to start the recovery process for a person who has received an injury, and how to act correctly for a family in helping a loved one, are contained in two books "Inclusive society in Ukraine. Handbook of practical recommendations". They were created by the joint work of experts who went through the recovery process many years ago and are now specialists in inclusive development. The guide was created with the support of the European Union in Ukraine and the International Renaissance Foundation and was presented at the discussion "Inclusive society in Ukraine. The path of a person with a disability due to the war to an independent life. The role and task of everyone" with the participation of representatives of the public and authorities.
In Ukraine, there is a large number of rehabilitation centers, different in terms of ownership, areas of activity and areas of service provision. Some rehabilitation centers focus their activities on people with conditionally mild injuries and refuse people who, for example, use wheelchairs, have a TBI, or have lost their sight, citing the lack of architectural accessibility, specialists in this field, specialized equipment, etc. Also, the existing social and professional rehabilitation centers are transferred to the medical field, thus destroying an important component of the rehabilitation process for people with disabilities and thus taking a step back.
We all understand well that medical rehabilitation is the first stage in the process of a person's recovery and return to a full-fledged life, but, probably, not the only one. Treatment, medical rehabilitation, psychological support and accompaniment, physical, social, professional and economic independence - this is a system of measures that will return and integrate a person into society after an injury or injury and disability. Currently, the issue of treatment and medical rehabilitation of military personnel is acute. In a year, all military and civilian wounded and traumatized as a result of the war and receiving medical care now will need social and physical rehabilitation and vocational retraining. It is necessary to combine efforts at the levels of communities, ministries, the military, and after the war - regional administrations, establish logistical connections between hospitals and existing rehabilitation centers, identify opportunities for providing rehabilitation services in communities.
An important role in this activity is played by public organizations, which are the biggest driving force in helping and ensuring people's rights. In order to form an inclusive policy in the state, it is necessary to combine the efforts of public organizations and authorities. This means creating a comfortable space for the realization of common goals and tasks. At the same time, it is necessary not to transfer the duties of the state to the shoulders of public associations, but to build equal, partnership relations.
One of the examples of interaction between the government and the public association is the Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center. It is architecturally accessible to all people: there are comfortable wide doors and no thresholds, there are elevators with sound output and convex numbers on the buttons that are duplicated in Braille, adapted bathrooms, exercise and rehabilitation rooms, an ergo room and much more. In this center, rehabilitation camps for persons with disabilities, children's camps, sports and scout meetings, rest and work can be comfortably held. We can safely say that this place in the Carpathians is a real inclusive space, which was created by the hands of intelligent and responsible professionals who know from their own experience what disability is and how to live with it.
It is possible to raise an inclusive society, create an accessible space, and ensure the protection of the rights of people with disabilities! It is only necessary to set the right goals and form specific tasks.
The article was created in support of the project "Inclusive society in Ukraine. Handbook of practical recommendations".
Download the Handbook of practical recommendations: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hIvuN969KGUwgvv0UYFpkOA55v1izB7l?fbclid=IwAR1VVvLpHhWJfh28w9bBTK885uBtShC34_iSWnATJZFk3OBHWelp_ynq-k8