The information campaign “Time to step into the light” launched by the League of the Strong has already reached more than 2 million people. This was reported by Daria Sydorenko, Executive Director of the League of the Strong Public Union, during the presentation of the results of the work of the Center of Expertise in the field of the rights of people with disabilities at the Ukrinform news agency.
“The information campaign “Time to step into the light” has already reached 2 million people. It consists of photo shoots, exhibitions, and short videos about the participants. And we are preparing stories about people, about how they got a disability or how they were born with a disability, and the way they accepted themselves,” said Daria Sydorenko, director of the League of the Strong public union.
The next stage of the information campaign is a flash mob on social media called “Share Your Story”. People with disabilities are invited to share their stories of self-acceptance and overcoming internal barriers. The flash mob will be announced on the website and Facebook page of the League of the Strong.
In August 2023, as part of the work of the Center of Expertise in the field of the rights of people with disabilities, the first national sociological study on the perception of people with disabilities in Ukraine was conducted. It involved 2000 respondents and several focus groups.
The survey showed that 50% of Ukrainians rarely or almost never see people with disabilities in public places. Based on this data, the first information campaign “Time to step into the light” was launched, aimed at people with disabilities to start talking about themselves and their needs.
The “Time to step into the light” campaign was launched in early 2024. The heroes are 10 people with disabilities – children and adults. The campaign will include photo exhibitions at railway stations in 3 cities, as well as videos on the League of the Strong’s YouTube channel and social media, and media materials.
The Center of Expertise in the field of the rights of people with disabilities of the League of the Strong was launched in 2023. The key goal of its work is to provide expertise to local governments in their work on strategic documents governing the reconstruction and development of communities in terms of inclusiveness, barrier-free accessibility and ensuring the rights of people with disabilities.
We remind you that the Center of Expertise on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the NGO “League of the Strong” operates thanks to a grant from the Program “Support to Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Ukraine” within the framework of financial support from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Development.
The program is implemented by Crown Agents in partnership with International Alert and in cooperation with Crown Agents in Ukraine. The content is the sole responsibility of the public union “League of the Strong” and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the views of Crown Agents, International Alert and Crown Agents in Ukraine.