“The League of the Strong” Public Association is launching a new project to develop a model local accessibility program for ten communities in Ukraine. The initiative aims to help communities implement systemic solutions in the area of accessibility and create an accessible environment for all residents. This is the main focus of the association’s new project, “Building Community Capacity to Create an Accessible Environment and Services”.
Today, the need for accessible services and inclusive public spaces in frontline communities has significantly increased due to mass displacement, a growing number of war-related injuries and disabilities, damaged infrastructure, and staff shortages at the local level.
At the same time, many local governments and service providers still lack standardized tools for assessing barriers, planning improvements, and measuring progress. As a result, accessibility policies are often limited to isolated infrastructure solutions rather than being implemented through a comprehensive, systemic approach.
The new project aims to address this gap by creating a practical “toolkit” for communities — a model accessibility program that can be adapted to local needs and immediately integrated into municipal planning and operations.
This approach enables communities to move from isolated interventions to systemic change: not simply installing a ramp, but building a comprehensive accessibility policy.
In addition, the project will include accessibility audits, focus groups, and online surveys. As a result, participating communities will receive not only ready-to-use tools but also practical skills and knowledge for independently implementing accessibility policies in the future.
“We believe that a strong community is, above all, one in which every person can feel included and have access to all necessary services. For many years, we have been working with communities across Ukraine and have seen how much the demand for systemic solutions in the field of accessibility has grown today. This is particularly evident in frontline regions, where the war has changed people’s needs and the burden on local services. “It is important to us that accessibility in communities is not limited to isolated changes, but becomes part of local policy and day-to-day management. That is why this project is not about creating a document, but about developing practical tools that communities can actually implement,” noted Bohdan Kokhan, program director of “The League of the Strong” Public Union.
“The League of the Strong” will work with communities in the Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Kyiv regions. The civic association invites communities from these regions to join the project — those that wish to address accessibility in a systematic manner, are ready to contribute to the development of a model framework in their region, and are prepared to adopt their own accessibility program.
In addition to developing a model for a local accessibility program, “The League of the Strong” will conduct accessibility audits, organize focus groups, and conduct online surveys to help communities become self-sufficient and capable of independently implementing systematic accessibility measures.
“The League of the Strong” emphasizes that accessibility is not just about physical space, but also about every person’s ability to fully use services, participate in community life, and feel safe regardless of their life circumstances.
This project is being implemented with the support of the “Partnership for a Strong Ukraine” Program, which is funded by the governments of the United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden.
The “Partnership for a Strong Ukraine” Program is a multilateral donor initiative funded by the governments of the United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden. The Program’s goal is to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience in the face of Russian aggression by providing critical support to communities in cooperation with Ukrainian government agencies, civil society, the media, and the private sector.