Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Combined second and third periodic reports submitted by Ukraine under article 35 of the Convention, due in 2020 * * , ** *

[Date received: 5 October 2020]

Abbreviations

ConventionConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

EUEuropean Union

IDPInternally Displaced Person

NGONon-governmental organization

ILOInternational Labour Organization

SBNState Building Norm

OTGUnited territorial communities

Concluding ObservationsConcluding observations on the initial report of Ukraine

National PlanState Program National Action Plan for the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the period up to 2020

The Verkhovna Rada of UkraineUkrainian Parliament

UNUnited Nations

OSCEOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

UNICEFUnited Nations Children’s Fund

WHOWorld Health Organization

USAIDUnited States Agency for International Development

I.Introduction

1.According to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (hereinafter – Convention), the Government of Ukraine submits the combined second and third report on the implementation of the Convention for 2015–2019 period. The Report is prepared in accordance with CRPD/C/2/3, 2009; HRI/GEN/2/Rev.6, 2009.

II.Replies to the list of issues prior to reporting (CRPD/C/UKR/QPR/2-3)

Reply to paragraph 1 (a) of the list of issues

2.The Law № 1490-VIII “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On Ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol” was adopted on September 7, 2016. The goal of the Law is to ensure compliance of national legislation with the official terminology of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (hereinafter - the Convention) and its Optional Protocol. The Law eliminates the discriminatory component of the word “disabled”, “disabled person” and other related constructions. The Ukrainian Parliament adopted the Law № 2249-VIII “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine” of December 19, 2017, which changed the current legislation on the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in line with the official terminology of the Convention and its Optional Protocol and the Law № 2581-VIII “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine” of October 2, 2018.

3.In February 2020, the Government adopted Resolution № 132, which amended 40 Government acts and ensured compliance with disability-related terminology. The drafts of Government acts have been approved by NGOs of persons with disabilities in accordance with the requirements of the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (paragraph 6, Concluding Observations on the initial report of Ukraine (hereinafter – Concluding Observations).

4.Relevant changes in disability-related terminology are being made to the Government, central and local executive bodies legal acts.

Disability assessment mechanism

5.On December 27, 2017, the Government approved an Action plan for the implementation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and the Classification of Functioning, Restriction of Life and Health of Children and Adolescents in Ukraine.

Reply to paragraph 1 (b) of the list of issues

6.For the implementation of the State Program “National Action Plan for the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the period up to 2020” (hereinafter – the National Plan) UAH 14,882.4 million were provided, of these UAH 8,871.7 million during 2015–2019.

7.In the framework of the implementation of Articles 26, 28, 29, 31 of the Convention, during the period 2015-2019 the State budget funds to carry out projects set out in the National Plan have been allocated:

•UAH 6,694.5 million (99.4% of the planned allocations) to provide certain categories of the population the rehabilitative and assistive equipment. 3,084 million rehabilitative and assistive devices for persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, were manufactured and delivered, in particular: 1,6 million prosthetics and orthopedic products (including breast prostheses); 1,04 million pairs of orthopedic shoes; 114.5 thousand wheelchairs; 313.4 thousand rehabilitation devices; 23.3 thousand special tools for orientation, communication, information exchange; post-warranty repair of 24.6 thousand rehabilitative and assistive devices was carried out;

•UAH 104,8 million (99.4% of the planned allocations) – to ensure the strengthening of technical resources and repair of all-Ukrainian, state and interregional rehabilitation centers for persons with disabilities and children with disabilities, funded from administrative and economic sanctions and penalties for non-fulfillment of the standard of workplaces for employment of persons with disabilities;

•UAH 39,9 million – to a one-time financial assistance in the amount of 50% of the subsistence level for persons who lose their working capability. 64,5 thousand people with disabilities have benefited from such financial aid ;

•UAH 352,5 million (98.4% of the planned allocations) – to financial support for non‑government organizations of persons with disabilities;

•UAH 9,9 million – to the development and technical support of the Centralized Database on disability issues;

•UAH 8,1 million – to publish the special literature and audio recordings (including for the professional training of persons with disabilities) for libraries of enterprises, civil society organizations for persons with disabilities, centers for professional rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, including the publishing of special literature for libraries of the All-Ukrainian Organization of the Disabled Persons “Ukrainian Blind Society” (hereinafter - UTOS), that had helped to voice 6 957 hours of books and magazines, as well as to publish in Braille the 1,6 million book and magazines pages (paragraph 41, Concluding Observations).

8.To implement the Convention, 20 out of 31 tasks provided by the National Plan have been fulfilled in 2012–2019.

9.By the Law “On Principles of Prevention and Combating of Discrimination in Ukraine”, enacted on 6 September 2012, the term of discrimination is defined, the principle of non-discrimination in the Ukrainian legislation has been introduced and the discrimination, including discrimination on the grounds of disability, is prohibited.

10.At the Drahomanov National Pedagogical University’s faculty of special and inclusive education the “Sign language interpretation” and “Teachers of deaf-mutes” curriculums were launched in 2016.

11.In 2018, the licensing terms for educational activities have been complemented by requirements of documentary confirmation by inspector of buildings and structures on accessibility to educational institutions, including classrooms, for persons with disabilities and limited mobility.

12.The Article 96 of the Administrative Offenses Code was amended to strengthen the responsibility for the development of project documentation for construction works against the law.

13.The state building norms SBN B.2.2-40: 2018 “Buildings and structures. Inclusive buildings and structures. Basic Provisions”, which is the main document on accessibility, covers the design, construction and reconstruction, restoration, overhaul and technical re‑equipment of existing buildings and public buildings and structures, as well as their reasonable adaptation to the needs of persons with limited mobility were adopted.

14.Amendments have been made to the Procedure on the tendering process for transportation of passengers by buses. The requirement for adaptation of buses for transportation of persons with disabilities has been determined.

15.From January 1, 2019 to July 31, 2020, free legal aid was provided to 10603 persons with disabilities who had applied to local centers mainly on issues related to family, civil and housing laws. Cooperation between free legal aid centers and regional organizations of the All-Ukrainian non-government organization “Ukrainian Society of the Deaf” on the development of a mechanism for including sign language interpreters as part of free legal aid to people with hearing impairments was established.

16.A new version of the Procedure for providing comprehensive rehabilitation (habilitation) services for some categories of persons has been adopted on March 27, 2019 (Government’s Resolution № 80).

17.25 service centers have been established to provide a rehabilitative and assistive technologies and maintenance of such means for persons with disabilities on the basis of state prosthetic and orthopedic enterprises. Today, the enterprises of the prosthetic industry carry out targeted delivery of technical means of rehabilitation directly to persons with disabilities.

18.A new Procedure for registration, re-registration of the unemployed and keeping records of job seekers has been approved and the institution of a career adviser has been introduced envisaging profiling of the unemployed and job seekers to assess the possibility of their employment, creating individual service plans.

19.Twelve tasks defined by the National Plan are in the process of being implemented: the Parliament of Ukraine has registered a draft Law “On Railway Transport of Ukraine”, which includes rules for creating appropriate conditions for access of persons with disabilities to railway transport’s services.

20.The Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories has drafted the order “On some issues of activity of public inspectors of state architectural and construction control”, which would be approved as soon as the Article 41 of the Law “On Regulation of Urban Development” is adopted.

21.The Ministry of Internal Affairs is developing a technical project to create and implement an emergency system for the population on a single phone number 112, which will allow people with hearing impairment to make emergency calls via video.

22.The Ministry of Social Policy has developed and finalized the draft Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Guardianship and Care of Adults” to take into account the proposals and comments submitted by interested authorities and non‑government organizations (hereinafter – NGO).

23.The Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture is finalizing the draft Law “On Collective Agreements and Treaties” that includes also the issues related to social dialogue.

24.Due to the lack of funds, the following measures of the National Plan have yet to be implemented: increase in providing cars for people with disabilities who have disorders of the musculoskeletal centres; establishing of a research center on the problem of deafness at the Drahomanov National Pedagogical University.

25.Due to the transformation of the state television organization “National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine” thematic plans for media coverage, including information materials on raising public awareness of special needs of people with disabilities, respect for their rights, personality and dignity are yet to be approved.

Reply to paragraph 1 (c) of the list of issues

26.Training modules have been introduced for students of the Institute of Prosecution and Criminal Justice, at the Institute of Training for Justice and at the Faculty of Justice. The National Academy of the Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine is developing training workshops for prosecutors on the protection of the rights and interests of people with disabilities, including on the Convention (paragraph 8, Concluding Observations).

27.The project “Development and implementation of a training program for new police officers to improve communication and work with people with disabilities” was implemented from September 2017 to March 2018 with the support of the Democracy Fund of the US Embassy in Ukraine. The project includes the training program “On improving the level of communication and work of new police officers with persons with disabilities”; mobile application “Patrol” with information about the legal status of people with disabilities and algorithms of interaction of police officers with people with disabilities of various nosologies, including hearing impairments.

28.In order to improve communication between the population and the police, the mobile applications “Police 102” and “My Pol” were developed to the specific needs of people with disabilities. Citizens can use all services, including making an emergency call to the police using the “SOS” button, to report offenses in an SMS mode with photo-recording of events. The police do not call to persons with hearing impairments in in case of an alarm message, but immediately go to the place.

29.The National School of Judges of Ukraine with the USAID Fair Justice Project and the Regional Public Foundation for Law and Democracy has developed and successfully implemented a training program for court’s staff to improve communication with people with disabilities.

30.The Standard program of advanced training for teaching staff to serve in the inclusive education conditions at the general secondary education level is approved.

31.Training, retraining and advanced training of specialists and professionals of social service providers are carried out by educational institutions. International organizations, charitable, religious and non-governmental organizations, institutions and organizations with relevant experience can also be involved in advanced training.

32.In 2019, 588 social workers, paramedical staff of residential institutions and territorial centers of social services, employees of health institutions and volunteers have attended the training course “Framework of care for the elderly and people with disabilities”.

Reply to paragraph 2 (a) of the list of issues

33.Interaction of central and local executive bodies with civil society, including non-government organizations of persons with disabilities, is regulated by the Law № 4572-V “On Public Associations” of March 22, 2012, the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution № 996 “On Ensuring Public Participation in the Formation and Implementation of State Policy” of November 3, 2010 and the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations. To conduct the public discussions, draft laws are made available on governmental and local executive bodies’ websites. Civil society organizations, in particular NGOs of persons with disabilities, are involved constructively in the discussion and development of policies and strategies aimed to implement the Convention.

34.Representatives of non-government organizations of persons with disabilities are members of Public Councils at the Ministry of Social Policy, the Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories, the Social Council at the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Committee for Accessibility of Persons with Disabilities and other limited mobility groups at the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development, participate in meetings of commissions and working groups. The Public Council under the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Veterans and Persons with Disabilities includes representatives of 11 non-government organizations of persons with disabilities. Representatives of public associations, including people with disabilities, are invited to participate in the parliamentary hearings. The relevant Parliamentary Committee, while preparing a draft law, may invite civil society organizations to express their opinion (paragraph 18c, point 61, Concluding Observations) (Annex 1).

35.In 2019, the implementation of projects of youth and children’s NGOs was provided with financial support from budget funds: “Integration of youth with functional limitations into society” (the project covers 2500 people), “Country of Opportunities Support Program for Youth with Disabilities” (2500 people), “Conducting an all-Ukrainian youth action of vacancies and careers, including internally displaced persons and vulnerable youth” (5 events held, 30000 people covered), “Own business in the rural territories” (4 events held, 2500 people covered).

36.In order to introduce European mechanisms and approaches to work with youth and consolidate the efforts of the government, civil society and business to address the education and employment issues of young people, the NGO Center for Corporate Social Responsibility in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the United Nations Population Fund has launched the Pact for Youth 2020 initiative since 2016. To date, the initiative has brought together 146 companies from 19 cities in Ukraine. Employers have jointly created 42482 jobs for young people, 666 partnerships with the education sector and mentored 2783 young people. In 2019, employers involved 70 new institutions (joint projects, training programs and internships); 10355 people (18-30 years old) were involved in internships or work; 1083 young people received mentoring support from employers.

Reply to paragraph 2 (b) of the list of issues

37.The Pension Fund of Ukraine and social protection agencies do not carry out their activities in the temporarily occupied territories. At the time being, there is no possibility to ensure the pensions payments and other benefits in the manner prescribed by law in temporarily occupied areas where Russian occupying administrations exercise control over access to the payment facilities of banking institutions and post offices.

38.The Ministry of Social Policy continues to cooperate with international organizations on a positive solution to the problem of pension payments to persons living both in the territory controlled by the Ukrainian Government and in its temporarily occupied territories. Jointly with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Ministry of Social Policy is examining the possibility of transporting people with limited mobility by the Ukrainian Red Cross Society from the certain areas of temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions to the territory controlled by the Ukrainian authorities for the purpose of providing social payments by the social protection bodies and the Pension Fund of Ukraine.

39.In order to ensure the rights to education for Ukrainians living in the temporarily occupied territories, a new version of the Regulations on individual forms of general secondary education were approved on July 10, 2019and the Procedure for ordering, accounting and issuing duplicates and corrected documents on general secondary education to persons who have obtained general secondary education in educational institutions in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and in educational institutions of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Reply to paragraph 3 (a) of the list of issues

40.Organizational and legal principles of preventing and combating discrimination in order to ensure equal opportunities for the realization of human and civil rights and freedoms are defined by the Law № 5207-VI “On Principles of Preventing and Combating Discrimination in Ukraine” of September 6, 2012. A person who believes that he/she has been discriminated has the right to file a complaint to state bodies, authorities of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, local governments and their officials, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights and/or to a court in accordance with national legislation, and is entitled to compensation for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage as a result of discrimination.

41.The draft Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Harmonization of Legislation in the Sphere of Prevention and Combating Discrimination with EU Law” (registration number 0931 of 29.08.2019), which provides for administrative liability in the form of a fine for violation of the law to prevent and combat discrimination (direct or indirect discrimination, harassment, denial of reasonable accommodation, incitement to discrimination, aiding and abetting discrimination or victimization, and multiple discrimination) is being prepared for the second reading in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (paragraph 10, Concluding Observations).

42.On December 19, 2019, the Electoral Code was adopted and amendments were made to the Laws of Ukraine “On the State Register of Voters”, “On Local Elections”, “On Ensuring the Rights and Freedoms of Internally Displaced Persons”, ensuring the voting rights of internally displaced persons and other citizens moved within the country by changing the approach to determining the voter’s voting address. According to the existing law, the voter who does not live at the place of registration may apply to the State Register of Voters on changing the electoral address, adding to the application documents confirming the actual place of residence (certificate of an internally displaced person registration, housing lease agreement, certificate of business activity or ownership of housing, a document certifying the voter’s marriage, family relations or care for a person whose place of residence is registered in accordance with the Law of Ukraine № 1382-IV “On freedom of movement and free choice of place of residence” of 11.12.2003).

Reply to paragraph 3 (b) of the list of issues

43.Information on complaints of discrimination and hate crimes against persons with disabilities, including the number of initiated and considered cases, the applicable provisions of civil and/or criminal law, the results of these cases are not highlighted in the courts’ reports.

Reply to paragraph 3 (c) of the list of issues

44.In order to respond to complaints and appeals of citizens on discrimination on the grounds of gender, the Ministry of Social Policy has an advisory body – the Expert Council for Prevention and Combating Discrimination on the Grounds of Gender, which includes representatives of central executive bodies, international and public organizations gender experts, ILO representatives in Ukraine. In 2019, the Expert Council received 24 appeals for expert assessment of discrimination (54 in 2018), of which 14 were considered discriminatory. 22 advertisements were withdrawn and 8 lawsuits were filed against them.

45.In 2019, a series of workshops on “Prevention of sexist advertising: tools for local bodies and interaction with civil society” initiated by the Ministry of Social Policy in cooperation with the Industrial Gender Committee for Advertising and the Friedrich-Eber Foundation Ukraine were held in 16 cities of Ukraine.

Reply to paragraph 4 (a) of the list of issues

46.The state program for ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men up to 2021 takes into account the special needs of girls and women with disabilities from rural areas; elderly women; meeting the needs of rural people, including women with disabilities, the elderly in basic social services, health, education, labor and employment services, infrastructure and new technologies, providing access to administrative services, participation in political life and taking into account their needs in regulations.

47.In 2016, the National Action Plan for the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 “Women, Peace, Security” for the period up to 2020 was approved. The Ministry of Social Policy jointly with the UN Population Fund in Ukraine within the project “Integrated approach to violence against women and girls in Ukraine” facilitated the activities of 49 mobile teams to provide social and psychological services to victims of gender-based violence in 12 regions of Ukraine, including the Government-controlled territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

48.The Instruction on the Integration of Gender Approaches in the law-making process focuses on different groups of men and women, girls and boys, including persons with disabilities living in rural areas, while analyzing the root causes of the problem, determining the best option, ways and means of its solution, monitoring and evaluation of the legal act. The Instruction also contains a number of provisions on consultations with stakeholders, including public associations working in the field ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men and representing different target groups of girls and boys, women and men.

49.Within the framework of the State Social Program for Combating Human Trafficking for the period up to 2020, the National Police of Ukraine is taking measures to identify victims of human trafficking and to provide assistance. According to the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations, during the first quarter 2020 38 persons, including 12 women, were identified as victims of criminal proceedings initiated under Article 149 “Human Trafficking” of the Criminal Code. According to the materials of operational subdivisions of the Administration of the State Border Guard Service, 5 persons involved in committing criminal offenses related to human trafficking were detained.

50.In order to ensure a comprehensive, timely and effective response to acts of violence, taking into account the requirements of international law, the standards on a day center for social and psychological assistance to victims of domestic violence and/or gender-based violence, as well as on a specialized social service have been approved. In particular, the assistance includes: shelters for victims, medical and social rehabilitation centers for victims, mobile teams of social and psychological assistance to victims, as well as specialized services designed exclusively for social protection (paragraph 12, Concluding Observations).

51.As of August 1, 2020, 21 centers of social and psychological assistance; 28 shelters for victims of domestic violence and/or gender-based violence; 393 mobile teams of social and psychological assistance to persons who have suffered from domestic violence and/or gender-based violence; 2 centers of medical and social rehabilitation; 11 day care centers; 116 regional hotlines provide social assistance, including temporary shelter to persons in difficult life circumstances.

52.Owing to the absence of specialized shelters for human trafficking victims, the Government has decided to establish the state body “All-Ukrainian Center for Services” and to finance the activities of the call center of the Ministry of Social Policy on combating human trafficking, prevention and counteracting domestic violence, gender-based violence and violence against children on account of the state budget funds.

53.The online trainings “Gender-Oriented Budgeting for Community Development” for social workers, involving 1500 participants from all regions of Ukraine, were conducted by the Ministry of Social Policy in cooperation with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in Ukraine. Three one-day trainings for 59 Ministry of Social Policy’s specialists (including 46 women) on the application of gender approaches in the regulations development were also undertaken.

54.The Ministry of Social Policy jointly with the OSCE carried out a certified training for psychologists who implement programs for offenders at the territorial community’s level (125 people attended). 52 trainings were conducted for 345 specialists of the network of centers of social services for families, children and youth, in order to upgrade their professional qualification to provide social services to families prone to the problem of violence.

55.According to the Ministry of Health Order № 1254 of October 13, 2017, the List of heavy work and work in harmful or dangerous conditions that are prohibited for women, with the exception of the chapter 3, section I of the List, has been annulled. Upon completion by Ukraine the procedure of denunciation of the Underground Work (Women) Convention, 1935 (No. 45), the chapter 3, section I shall cease to have effect.

Reply to paragraph 4 (b) of the list of issues

56.As of January 1, 2020, there are 692 aid agencies in Ukraine to support families and children in difficult circumstances, including because of disability, in particular 604 social services centers for families, children and youth and 88 social welfare institutions for families, children and youth (centers of social and psychological care, maternal and child care, socio-psychological rehabilitation).

57.The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine has approved the State Standard for Social Support of Families (Persons) in Difficult Living Circumstances (Ministry of Social Policy Order № 318 of 31.03.2016).

58.Social support for persons with disabilities since childhood and families with children with disabilities is provided in paying the social benefits, care allowances, delivering social services, housing subsidies, compensations and privileges. Local authorities have the right to grant, with its own financial resources and charitable donations, additional social security guarantees.

59.On July 1, 2020, the principles of financial aid to single mothers and low-income families have been unified; the state social assistance for the care of single persons who have reached the age of 80 and need care has been introduced, as well as the social guarantees for children with disabilities under guardianship or custody have been increased from 2 to 3.5 subsistence minimums for a child of the appropriate age.

60.Information on access to disability-related welfare payments is contained in para 281 (answer to question 25, paragraph a).

61.Information on benefits for working single women raising children with disabilities is provided in a First Report of Ukraine on implementation of the Convention.

Reply to paragraph 4 (c) of the list of issues

62.During the parliamentary hearings on “Preventing and Combating Discrimination against Women from Vulnerable Social Groups”, held in 2018, representatives of central and local executive bodies, local governments, NGOs, relevant international organizations, scientists and experts also addressed issues related to women with disabilities.

63.The Ministry of Social Policy has produced and posted on Youtube and other social networks, regional and central TV channels a social video on combating discrimination on the grounds of sex “You are the source of change!”, including women suffering from multiple discrimination.

Reply to paragraph 5 (a) of the list of issues

64.Mechanisms had been improved for the participation of civil society in decision‑making to protect children’s rights, to monitor children’s rights implementation by care and education institutions as stipulated in the update Model Regulation on Child Protection Commission (paragraph 21, Concluding Observations).

65.The Ministry of Social Policy has developed recommendations to draw up and implement regional plans to reform the system of children institutional care; to transform every institutional care body, data collection forms (on the situation of children in the district/city/united territorial community, medical, rehabilitation services provided to children and families with children); the pilot project on data collection forms and implementation of methodological recommendations is being run in the Zhytomyr region.

66.In November 2018, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the UNICEF in Ukraine and the Ukrainian Network for Children’s Rights to support cooperation in the field of children’s rights protection and the development of a system of alternative care in Ukraine. The Memorandum, in particular, provides for consolidation of the efforts of all parties aimed at strengthening the protection of children’s rights, including the development of monitoring and protection of children’s rights, as well as the development of alternative care in Ukraine.

67.The Ministry of Social Policy has developed a draft order “On approval of the Procedure and Methodology for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the system of institutional care of children reform”.

Reply to paragraph 5 (b) of the list of issues

68.The Procedure for granting the status of a child affected by hostilities and armed conflicts has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers’ Resolution № 268 of April 5, 2017. Any child who as a result of hostilities and armed conflicts was wounded, contorted, injured; physically and/or sexually abused; abducted or illegally moved out of Ukraine; involved in the actions of paramilitary or armed groups; illegally detained, including in captivity; subjected to psychological violence has the right to obtain such status.

69.By August 31, 2020, 197370 children are registered in the Unified Information Database on Internally Displaced Persons. As of July 30, 2020, 46105 children in 25 regions of Ukraine were registered with established status, of which 92 children were injured, contused, maimed (in Dnipropetrovsk region ‒ 3 children, in Donetsk region ‒ 76 children, in Zaporizhia region ‒ 2 children, in the Kyiv region ‒ 1 child, in the Luhansk region ‒ 7 children, in the Kharkiv region ‒ 2 children, in the city of Kyiv ‒ 1 child); 46012 children ‒ experienced psychological violence; 1 child in the Donetsk region was physically abused. 26627 applications were submitted to the guardianship authorities, and the centers of social services for families, children and youth needs assessment was conducted for 84312 families with children.

70.Information on the evacuation of children with disabilities is provided in response to question 9.

71.The domestic violence hotline ‒ 1547 has been launched.

72.In 2016, the National Police together with the National Academy of Internal Affairs developed guidelines on “Organization and tactics of investigative measures (search actions) with the participation of persons with physical disabilities”.

73.The National Police of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and higher education institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine have developed guidelines on the identifying, documenting and investigating crimes related to human trafficking. In 2017, the guidelines, with the support of IOM in Ukraine, were transmitted to the territorial police units to be taken into account in their work.

74.Since there are no specific peculiarities of the pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings, in which the victims of a crime are persons with disabilities, the investigation is carried out on a general basis.

75.In order to provide adequate living conditions for boys and girls with disabilities living in boarding schools, in particular to ensure right to privacy, Amendment № 2 SBN B.2.2 18: 2007 “Houses and Buildings. Social welfare institutions.”, which contains design requirements for the orphanages with a high level of barrier-free environment for children and people with disabilities was introduced (paragraph 14, Concluding Observations).

76.According to the Standard Regulations on Orphanage, staff of boarding school ensures safety of pupils/wards and provides, if necessary, assistance to ensure access to nutritionally adequate and safe food.

77.The standards of physiological needs of the population of Ukraine in basic nutrients and energy were approved by the order № 1073 of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine of September 03, 2017.

Reply to paragraph 5 (c) of the list of issues

78.Since September 1, 2017, the enrollment of students in the preparatory and first grades of special schools for mentally retarded children was put on hold, while providing them with education in inclusive and special classes at the secondary schools of their place of residence. In 2018, psychological, medical and pedagogical consultations, based on a medical approach to child assessment, and education for children with disabilities based on 8 nosologies, were replaced by the inclusive resource centers created by local governments for 7000 children in rural areas and 12000 children in cities.

79.The operation of small group homes, including for children with disabilities, with the family-like conditions of upbringing has started; the service of foster care for children temporarily unable to live in their own families due to difficult life circumstances was introduced, the amount of financial support for foster parents in foster families and family-type orphanages is set at one subsistence level for able-bodied persons for each fostered child; the Program of preparation for independent living of graduates of institutions of institutional care and upbringing of children, persons from foster families and family-type orphanages as well as an exemplary comprehensive training program for reforming the system of institutional care and upbringing of children were approved; 43 regional trainers-consultants from among employees of services for children, centers of social services for families, children and youth, civil society institutions were trained to conduct educational activities on local deinstitutionalization in Ukraine.

80.The standard regulations on palliative care, five-day in-patient care, and transit stays that would enhance the provision of social services to children with disabilities in the existing network of social protection institutions were approved.

Reply to paragraph 5 (d) of the list of issues

81.In December 2016, work commenced on introducing the early response mechanism in four regions of Ukraine. The Ministry of Social Policy was designated the National Coordinator of the pilot project. The National Council on Early Response was established as an advisory body to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The first National Council’s meeting took place in July 2019.

82.The Ukrainian-French Twinning project “Support for the Ukrainian authorities in elaborating a legal and administrative framework to introduce a system of early intervention and rehabilitation for children with disability or children at risk of disability”.

83.In May 2019, the action plan to implement in 2019–2021 the pilot project “The creation of early intervention services system to ensure the child’s development and to maintain their health and life” was approved. According to the action plan above, the Ministry of Social Policy has coordinated and monitored the implementation of the pilot project in 10 regions of Ukraine, including Luhansk region (implemented on the base of three rehabilitation centers). In the pilot regions, regional methodological centers have been identified and regional advisory councils have been established to implement the pilot project. At the beginning of 2020, the early intervention service, funded by the local budget, NGOs and international assistance, was provided by 28 institutions (14 multidisciplinary teams consisting of 50 people) in 7 pilot regions (paragraph 49, Concluding Observations).

84.During 2019, the municipal rehabilitation institutions of Donetsk region (formed by Avdiivka, Dobropilska, Druzhkivska, Kostiantnivska, Kramatorsk, Lymanska, Myrnohradska, Pokrovska, Slovyanska, Mariupol city, Volnovakha district councils) have provided services to 920 children with disabilities, including 385 girls, and 6 children under the age of 4 at risk of disability; Luhansk region (formed by Luhansk region, Rubizhansk, Severodonetsk city, Kreminsk and Stanychno-Luhansk district councils, Popasna district state administration) ‒ 659 children with disabilities, including 267 girls, and 103 children under the age of 4 at risk of disability.

85.The Ministry of Social Policy with participation of experts has developed a Roadmap (Navigator) for the development of a system of services to persons (children) with disabilities and/or children under the age of 4 at risk of disability. The Roadmap was transmitted to the heads of united territorial communities (UTC) and specialists of executive bodies of villages, towns and city councils.

Reply to paragraphs 6 (a) and (b) of the list of issues

86.Since October 2015, local free legal aid centres conducted regular legal awareness trainings, in particular, “The right to a fair trial of persons with disabilities”, “Improving the level of persons with disabilities’ legal awareness about judicial protection of their rights”, “The right to work of persons with disabilities”, “Procedure for providing rehabilitative and assistive technologies for children with disabilities”, “Peculiarities of pension provision for persons with disabilities”, “Guarantees in the employment of persons with disabilities” (paragraph 10, Concluding Observations).

87.Information on the court staff trainings is provided in response to question 1, paragraph c).

88.At the municipality level, NGOs of persons with disabilities, using the state budget resources, have been taking actions, with the involvement of professionals working with persons with disabilities, representatives of media and educational institutions, to raise awareness of persons with disabilities and their families of the provisions of the Convention. During 2015–2019, more than 10000 people attended the events, 80% of them persons with disabilities.

89.Local centers for free legal aid with the involvement of representatives of civil society organizations operating in the field of protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, periodically hold a legal awareness-raising events, including: workshops, trainings, open lessons, lectures, street actions related to issues of legal protection of persons with disabilities, namely: “Registration of the status of a person with disabilities”, “Rights and responsibilities of persons with disabilities”. Information booklets “Creation an individual rehabilitation program for persons with disabilities”, “Realization of the right to work of a person with a disability”, “Establishment of a ramp for a person with a disability” are distributed.

90.Educational plans/curricula for primary and general secondary education students include topics on humanity and compassion, humane treatment of persons with disabilities. The discipline “Fundamentals of Inclusive Education” is included in the curricula of higher educational institutions. In 2016, correction- and development-programs have been elaborated for children with special educational needs (according to nosology). The Ministry of Social Policy is implementing the Council of Europe project “Development of Social Human Rights as a Key Factor of Sustainable Democracy in Ukraine”, aimed, inter alia, at enhancing awareness of social human rights in order to improve the implementation and protection of social rights of the targeted groups (including lawyers, social workers, public official, students of law and social science faculties) (paragraph 16, Concluding Observations).

91.Since December 2019, a telephone hotline 1539 to advise and consult people with disabilities has been launched.

Reply to paragraph 7 (a) of the list of issues

92.The Law of Ukraine “On Road Traffic” has been amended in order to regulate the road traffic arrangements for wheelchair users.

93.On September 27, 2018, the Law № 2262-VIII “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Reforming the Sphere of Vehicle Parking”, that supplemented the Administrative Offenses Code with Article 2654 and granted parking inspectors the right to temporary seizure of vehicles in case of parking on places for persons with disabilities entered into force.

94.The Procedure for approving the design of vehicles, their parts and equipment has been adopted. The Procedure introduces technical requirements for vehicles, imported to Ukraine and manufactured in Ukraine, to transport people with disabilities and other limited mobility groups. There are also requirements for vehicles for the transportation of passengers in cities regarding their accessibility for persons with limited mobility in accordance with UNECE Regulation № 107, as well as requirements for the construction of buses to transport persons with disabilities were taken into account.

95.An additional requirement has been introduced for carriers-applicants for urban and suburban intra-regional public bus routes for the transportation of persons with disabilities and other low-mobility groups.

96.In order to renew the public transport fleet, the European Investment Bank disbursed a loan of EUR 200 million to implement the project “Urban Public Transport of Ukraine” that would make it possible to increase, by approximately 10 per cent, the number of public transport vehicles accessible to persons with disabilities. Ukrzaliznytsia Joint-Stock Company (hereinafter – Ukrzaliznytsia) set up 875 places of rest, 27 break rooms, 103 lounges, 80 ticket offices, 122 toilets, 35 hygiene rooms, 173 storage rooms, 153 attendant call buttons, 22 elevators, 272 ramps, 173 parking places and provided 24 mobile settings for boarding/disembarking persons with disabilities, 139 wheelchairs for transportation of persons with disabilities at railway stations, 146 wheelchairs for transporting persons with disabilities in trains; 15 passenger trains accessible to persons with disabilities. There are 108 disability assistance groups at 109 stations. The Plan to equip railway stations with lifting platforms (mechanisms) for boarding/disembarking in/from the train of wheelchairs users and other limited mobility groups for 2020–2023 amounting to UAH 74,2 million has been developed; since January 2019, persons with disabilities are able to book online the electronic preferential travel documents on the website of “Ukrzaliznytsia” (16,664 preferential travel documents were issued in 2019). The service of booking tickets for specially equipped railway wagons through the WEB-service entered into pilot operation in September 2019 (45 online orders were received).

97.The website of each airport contains information on services available to persons with disabilities and availability of identification marks to inform persons with disabilities; sound guides at the exit / entrance to / from terminals for visually impaired persons.

98.The “Ukrposhta” conducted an accessibility audit of 824 post office premises in the regions of Ukraine (except in the city of Donetsk and the city of Luhansk) for people with disabilities and other limited mobility groups. 158 ongoing repairs of post offices were carried out, during which navigation signs were installed taking into account the requirements for visually impaired persons. The design of the “Ukrposhta” corporate website has been changed in order to provide access to information for persons with disabilities.

99.The List of construction works that do not require documents to perform such activity, and after which the object could not be put into service (arrangement of unimpeded access) has been adopted; the Regulations on the national institution of Ukraine (requirements for accessibility and accompany), the Order of commissioning of completed buildings (commissioning of apartment buildings), Procedure for developing project documentation for the construction of buildings (inclusion of a separate section in compliance with accessibility requirements) and the Procedure for repair and maintenance of landscaping facilities of human settlement (strengthening the requirements for repair and maintenance of facilities) (paragraph 17 of the Concluding Observation).

100.The roadmap on ensuring free-barrier access for persons with disabilities and other limited mobility groups of population to housing and communal services is available at the website of Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories. Databases on the accessibility of residential and public facilities are available from the websites of state administrations.

101.The Ukrainain Parliament adopted in first reading the draft Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Strengthening the Requirements of Laws of Ukraine Aimed at Creating Free-Barier Access for Persons with Disabilities to Buildings and Structures” (registration number № 0961 of August 29, 2019) (paragraph 18, d), Concluding Observations).

102.The State Service for Urban Development of Ukraine has been established to implement the state policy on state architectural and construction control and supervision in terms of granting (receipt, registration), refusal to issue or annulment (cancellation) documents authorizing the preparatory and construction works as well as to organize and conduct advanced training, training and retraining of specialists for the implementation of state architectural and construction control, inspection and other functions (paragraph 18, points a),b), Concluding Observations).

103.From January 1, 2021, in order to obtain a license to carry out economic activities in medical practice, a healthcare institution or an individual entrepreneur willing to conclude an agreement on providing medical services to the public is obliged to include unrestricted access for persons with disabilities and established standards for area and location of premises of a healthcare institution in accordance with DBN V.2.2-10-2001 “Buildings and structures. Health care institutions”.

104.The requirements of SBN B.2.2-3: 2018 “Buildings and structures. Educational institutions” and SBN B.2.2-4: 2018 “Buildings and structures. Preschool education institutions” are applied to the design of new and reconstruction of existing educational institutions.

105.In order to exercise the right to access to electronic services and information on administrative and other public services, the Ministry of Digital Transformation has created the Unified State Web Portal of Electronic Services “Diya”. The service was created taking into account the requirements for access to information by official executive bodies websites’ users with hearing and visual impairment, musculoskeletal and intellectual disorders.

106.Ministries and other central executive bodies with support of the Ministry of Social Policy and NGOs of persons with disabilities have approved evaluation methods of their work to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities.

Reply to paragraph 7 (b) of the list of issues

107.In 2016–2020, the Ministry of Infrastructure held a number of meetings with the participation of the Presidential Commissioner for Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Ukraine, representatives of the executive, transport and postal services, and NGOs organizations of persons with disabilities. During the meetings issues on the accessibility of public transport and road infrastructure, postal services and provision of services for persons with disabilities were discussed.

108.A permanent Working Group on Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, Transport, Road Infrastructure and Postal Facilities, which includes representatives of NGOs dealing with issues of persons with disabilities, was established in 2017.

109.In 2018, during the meeting with airport managers, problems and issues of improving the service for people with disabilities at Ukrainian airports were discussed. The training “Methods of productive and safe support of passengers with disabilities on air transport” was held for employees of “Aerohandling LLC” company at the Boryspil International Airport in October 2019.

110.In cooperation with representatives of NGOs dealing with the issues of persons with disabilities, the official website of “Ukrzaliznytsia” was adapted to the needs of visually impaired users. Monitoring, inspections of railway stations on the availability and condition of lifting platforms (mobile installations) for boarding/disembarking in/out of the wagons of persons with disabilities on wheelchairs and other accessibility elements, including audio indicators, and on their compliance with state building norms, standards and rules (3 meetings with the participation of representatives of the Presidential Commissioner for Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Ukraine and NGOs of persons with disabilities were held in 2018-2019).

111.In 2017-2018, in the framework of the EU Twinning technical assistance project “Support to the Ministry of Infrastructure in implementing the conditions for the application of the European model of the railway services market in Ukraine” workshops on accessibility of rail transport for passengers with disabilities in accordance with the EU Regulation № 1371/2007/EU were organized with the participation of international experts.

112.Representatives of the Presidential Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Ukraine and NGOs participate in the elaboration of new state building norms, participate in accessibility committees of central and local executive bodies, conduct accessibility audits, train specialists, prepare methodological materials (point 18, paragraph c), Concluding Observations).

Reply to paragraph 7 (c) of the list of issues

113.In 2019, requirements for the executive bodies websites have been established. 63.9% of central and 84% of local executive bodies have fully complied with the requirements for ensuring the availability of information for users with visual and hearing impairments. 8.2% of central executive bodies partially adapted websites to the needs of people with visual and hearing impairments. For people with hearing impairments, the videos of most websites are not presented in text format, which causes impediments to watching video conferences, meetings and news.

114.The National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine supported the proposal of the Government and the Presidential Commissioner for Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Ukraine to inform persons with hearing impairments about the epidemiological emergency in the country and recommended that national, regional and local broadcasters provide subtitles and/or sign language interpreter of news and official speeches of the government officials on issues related to the spread of coronavirus COVID-19, as well as response measures taken in Ukraine.

115.Airports are marked in Braille and accompanied by certified staff. Placement of navigation (sound pointers, beacons) and orientation (tactile tiles, contrast warning lines, information pointers, boards, movement diagrams, icons, including Braille) are provided for persons with disabilities at train stations. The main post office is equipped with navigation plates with duplication of information in Braille. There is a sound beacon for people with hearing impairments at the entrance of the Central post office.

116.Information on access to infrastructure for persons with disabilities is provided in response to question 7, paragraph a).

Reply to paragraph 8 (a) of the list of issues

117.IDPs, including persons with disabilities, are not restricted in their right to move within Ukraine. IDPs are entitled to receive monthly targeted assistance to cover living expenses, including housing and communal services, in the prescribed manner. Prolonged absence (more than 60 days, if IDPs have valid reasons, the period of absence may be extended up to 90 days) at the place of residence after registration as IDPs is the basis for the decision to cancel the IDPs registration certificate and to stop the targeted assistance payment to cover living cost, because it gives reasonable grounds to believe that the person has returned to the abandoned place of residence. This is due to the need to regulate the feasibility of providing and targeted use of financial assistance to such persons.

118.The procedure for obtaining monthly targeted assistance to IDPs to cover living expenses, including housing and communal services for the quarantine period, has been simplified. If the end of the current six-month period of payment occurred during the period of quarantine or restrictive measures related to the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), and within 30 days from the date of its cancellation, the appointment of payment for the next six months is made without submitting the relevant application and documents, which were provided earlier, in the same amount in which it is paid within the current six-month period. For the specified period it is forbidden to make a decision on revocation of the IDP certificate, certain terms are not included in the period of stay in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol.

Reply to paragraph 8 (b) of the list of issues

119.Ukraine is not responsible for the illegal actions of the Russian Federation or occupation administration in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions or for their illegal decisions.

120.The Procedure for entry of persons, movement to temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and departure of persons, movement of goods from such territories has been approved, persons with disabilities accompanied by no more than two persons, as well as vehicles on which they move are granted priority in entering the entry/exit checkpoint.

121.The Ministry of Social Policy has developed a draft Law “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Strengthening Social Guarantees of Persons with Disabilities and Children with Disabilities”, which provides for the prioritized movement of persons with disabilities (first group of disability), children with disabilities, persons with disabilities who go for treatment (with supporting documents) and persons accompanying persons with disabilities or children with disabilities (no more than two persons accompanying a person with disabilities or a child with disabilities), in particular through entry/exit checkpoint not more often than once a week in one direction, on condition that there are no other people in the vehicles in which they move.

122.The “Maryinka”, “Novotroitske”, “Gnutove” and “Mayorske” entry/exit checkpoints on the contact line in the Donetsk region are addoped to the needs of persons with disabilities. In particular, there are rooms for parents with children, toilets accessible to wheelchair users. In the Luhansk region there is a single checkpoint “Lugansk - Stanitsa Luganska – Novoaidar”, which functions solely as a pedestrian, due to damage to a bridge across the Siversky Donets river.

123.Information about pension payments in territories not controlled by Ukrainian authorities is provided in response to question 2, paragraph b).

Reply to paragraph 8 (c) of the list of issues

124.Ukraine takes all possible measures provided for by the Constitution and Laws of Ukraine, international treaties, by which the Verkhovna Rada agreed to be bound, to prevent forced internal displacement, to protect and observe the IDPs’ rights and freedoms, to create conditions for voluntary return of such persons to their places of residence or integration in a new place of residence in Ukraine.

125.The conditions for creating, maintaining and accessing information at the Unified Information Database on IDPs for central executive bodies, units for social protection, IDPs or their legal representatives, NGOs, volunteers, charitable organizations that provide targeted assistance to IDPs have been identified, which will facilitate procedures for accounting for IDPs and full identification of their needs.

126.For registered IDPs, rights to employment, pensions, compulsory state social insurance in case of unemployment, due to temporary disability, from an accident at work and an occupational disease that caused loss of ability to work, as well as to social services are realised in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine.

127.The Ministry of Social Policy continues to work on improving the Unified Information Database on IDPs in order to be able to formulate the IDPs’ needs in accordance with their type (social, material, housing, medical, educational and other needs of IDPs) and on the basis of their addressing. As of August 31, 2020, 1,454,275 IDPs (1,178,177 families), 51436 of which persons with disabilities, were registered.

128.In 2018, the Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy for the integration of IDPs and the implementation of long-term decisions on internal displacement for the period up to 2020 was approved.

129.The Cabinet of Ministers Resolution № 280 of April 18, 2018 approved the Procedure and Conditions for granting a subvention from the state budget to local budgets for the payment of monetary compensation of IDPs housing, who protected the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

130.Local state administrations, within the limits of their powers, ensure the following: provision for temporary use of housing or social housing suitable for living, on condition that those persons pay the cost of housing and communal services; free meals for the period until such persons receive the status of unemployed or get employed, but not exceeding one month; provision of medical and psychological assistance to IDPs, if necessary.

131.The amount of monthly targeted assistance to IDPs to cover living expenses, including housing and communal services (hereinafter – cash benefits) is 130% of the subsistence minimum for persons who have lost their ability to work for persons with disabilities (disability group I) and children with disabilities; 115% – for persons with disabilities of group II; 100% – for persons with disabilities of group III (paragraph 25, Concluding Observations).

132.In order to strengthen the social protection of vulnerable categories of IDPs, the amount of cash benefits for children and persons receiving pensions (from UAH 884 to UAH 1000) and the maximum amount of total cash benefits paid to families (from UAH 2400 to UAH 3000 and for large families up to UAH 5000) have been raised, according to the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution № 15 of 17.01.2018.

133.The Cabinet of Ministers Resolution № 754 of 14.08.2019 regulates the issue of payment of cash benefits with the delivery to IDPs of disability group I and persons who, according to the conclusion of the medical commission, are not able to self-care and need assistance; the limits for the total amount of cash benefits paid to a family consisting of two or more persons (children) with disabilities has been lifted.

134.According to the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution № 329 of 27.04.2018, the mechanism for providing IDPs with a housing subsidy to reimburse the costs of housing and communal services, purchase of liquefied gas, solid and liquid household fuel has been simplified.

135.Social protection of low-income IDP families, including large families, is provided in accordance with the Law of Ukraine № 1768-III “On State Social Assistance to Low-Income Families” of 01.06.2000, taking into account the total income and property status of the family.

136.Appointment, renewal and continuation of IDP pensions are carried out by the territorial bodies of the Pension Fund of Ukraine on the basis of information at the Unified Information Database on IDPs. To identify and ensure the pension payments, payment cards are issued, which are also pension certificates. Pensions are paid only on the territory of localities, where public authorities exercise their full powers.

137.Registered IDPs have the right to be provided with assistive technologies and rehabilitation, to receive rehabilitation services in accordance with the legislation. Medical care for IDPs is provided in accordance with the Law of Ukraine № 2801-XII “Fundamentals of the Legislation of Ukraine on Health Care” of 19.11.1992.

138.Day services established by local social services centers, according to the Law of Ukraine № 2671-VIII “On social servicies” of 17.01.2019, provide social and psychological support to IDPs.

139.During 2019, 373 IDPs, including 37 women and 108 girls with disabilities, received rehabilitation services in complex social protection rehabilitation centers; psychological rehabilitation services were provided to 19694 people with disabilities, including 1019 women with disabilities and 6333 girls with disabilities.

140.Territorial centers of social services (hereinafter – territorial centers) in the regions of Ukraine provide IDPs with psychological support, humanitarian assistance and housing. At territorial centers there are day care centers that provide social adaptation services.

141.In 2019, units for social protection of local executive bodies held 8 retreats for specialists of territorial centers and centers for social services in Luhansk region and together with partners made more than 15 trips to united territorial community of Luhansk region.

Reply to paragraph 9 of the list of issues

142.The Government has approved the Procedure for identifying persons with disabilities and other low-mobility groups living in the zone of emergency or possible damage, and for organizing support to them (paragraph 14, Concluding Observations).

143.Information on the location of protective structures, as well as other structures intended for shelter during emergencies, including those equipped for the stay of persons with disabilities, is posted on the websites of local state administrations in the form of interactive maps. Providing persons with disabilities with the opportunity to use protective structures is foreseen during accumulating of the pool of protective structures, primarily during their construction.

144.Evacuation measures for people with disabilities are reflected in a separate section in the plans for evacuation of the population, the development of which is entrusted to local state administrations and local self-government bodies. Social protection communal institutions periodically organize operational trainings for the employees of these institutions on assistance to persons with disabilities in case of emergencies (paragraph 23, Concluding Observations).

145.The plan of evacuation of the population, material and cultural values in case of emergency or a threat thereof in the Luhansk region, provides for the prioritized evacuation of persons with disabilities, including those in the institutions of penitentiary system, health care, education and social protection. It foresees involvement of 149 specialized vehicles and 74 ambulances. Local evacuation commissions are supplemented by groups tasked with the identification of persons with disabilities and other low-mobility groups. Activities have been carried out on the ground to make an inventory of all facilities for the shelter of low-mobility groups and the state of their readiness for evacuation.

146.In 2018–2019, the Ministry of Social Policy was taking decisions on recognition as humanitarian aid of cargoes, which mainly included medicines and medical equipment, for distribution in the temporarily occupied territories, in particular for the International Committee of the Red Cross, UNICEF, WHO Office in Ukraine etc.

147.Representatives of NGOs of persons with disabilities are included in the commissions on humanitarian aid at regional state administrations and are involved in determining priorities in the distribution of humanitarian aid for the needs of persons with disabilities (paragraph 23, Concluding Observations).

148.In order to facilitate provision of humanitarian assistance to persons in the temporarily occupied territories who are unable to move to the territory controlled by Ukraine, the Procedure for moving goods to or from the area of the anti-terrorist operation was approved.

149.The Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Order № 51 of July 14, 2019 establishes an algorithm for moving humanitarian goods by international humanitarian organizations to the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and defines the mechanism for including international humanitarian organizations to the list of humanitarian organizations, for which the simplified procedure of crossing of the contact line is applied.

150.The fact of internal displacement is confirmed by IDP registration certificate, which certifies the IDP’s place of residence. The address of the actual IDP’s residence may be the address of the relevant place of IDP settlement (the address of a built-up modules settlement, dormitory, health camp, rest home, sanatorium, boarding house, hotel, etc.) (paragraph 25, Concluding Observations).

Reply to paragraph 10 (a) of the list of issues

151.The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law № 2147-VIII “On Amendments to the Commercial Procedural Code of Ukraine, the Civil Procedure Code of Ukraine, the Code of Administrative Procedure of Ukraine and other legislative acts” of October 3, 2017. As a result, the procedure for recognition a person as having no legal capacity and for restoring his/her civil capacity has been changed. The duration of the validity of the decision on recognition of a person as having no legal capacity is determined by the court but may not exceed two years.

152.A person with no legal capacity has the right to appeal to the court to restore his/her legal capacity, in case of recovery or significant improvement of his/her mental health. Persons, in respect of whom the court considers the case of restriction of their civil capacity, recognition of their incapacity or restoration of civil capacity, are entitled to free legal aid during the court proceedings, which includes legal services to represent the interests of persons in courts, other local bodies, preparation of procedural documents. The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine is working to ensure the right of such individuals to apply for legal assistance and to resolve the issue of mandatory participation of a lawyer in the relevant category of cases (Paragraph 26, Concluding Observations).

153.In accordance with the Constitutional Court decision № 8-r/2018 of October 11, 2018, part 2 of Article 8 of the Law “On Appeals of Citizens”, envisaging that “appeals by persons declared by the court as having no legal capacity” shall not be considered, was found contravening the Constitution of Ukraine.

Reply to paragraph 10 (b) of the list of issues

154.Article 78 of the Civil Code of Ukraine stipulates the institution of an assistant. A legally capable person, who, due to his/her health condition, is unable to exercise his/her rights and responsibilities, has the right to choose his/her own assistant. The mechanism of appointment of such an assistant is simplified as much as possible, constituting registration by the guardianship authority of the name of the assistant at the request of the person in need of assistance. The assistant has the right to receive pension, alimony, salary, postal correspondence belonging to a person in need of assistance, to make small household transactions in the interests of the person in need of assistance. The assistant represents the person in authorities and the organizations; on the basis of a specific power of attorney the assistant may represent an individual in court (paragraph 27, Concluding Observations).

155.Work is underway to develop and standardize social services for individuals/families in difficult life circumstances. More than 20 standards have been approved, including the State Standard of Social Services of Interests Representation and the State Standard of Social Services on accommodation support services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities.

156.In order to ensure the provision of social services aimed at preventing difficult life circumstances, overcoming or minimizing their negative consequences, the following professional standards in the social sphere have been approved for persons/families who are in difficult life circumstances and can not overcome them independently: “Social officer”, “Social worker”, “Social worker (support staff)”, “Social work specialist”, “Home social care specialist”, “A person accompanying persons with disabilities”.

Reply to paragraph 10 (c) of the list of issues

157.As of January 1, 2019, 40 445 incapacitated persons and 1 305 persons with limited civil capacity were registered with the guardianship authorities. 32 177 and 1108 of them, respectively, are under the guardianship/trusteeship of individuals. As of January 1, 2020, there are 40 327 incapacitated persons and 1 357 persons with limited civil capacity. 32 285 and 1 142 of them, respectively, are under the guardianship/trusteeship of individuals (Annex 11).

Reply to paragraph 11 (a) of the list of issues

158.On December 4, 2018 the Law № 2633-VIII “On Amendments to Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine “On Court Fees” was adopted on ensuring the accessibility of the court premises for persons with disabilities and other low mobility groups. The Law expands the areas of allocation of funds from the payment of court fees, in particular to ensure the architectural accessibility of courts as well accessibility of the information in the courts for persons with disabilities and other low-mobility groups.

159.Persons with hearing and speech impairments may send an e-mail to the hotline of the National Police of Ukraine, in case offenses are committed against them.

160.From July 1, 2015, local centers of free secondary legal aid (hereinafter – local centers) provide the following types of legal services: defence, preparation of procedural documents, representation of interests in courts, other state authorities, local self-government bodies, to other persons. Such services are provided, in particular, to persons with disabilities who receive a pension or allowance in case the pension does not exceed 2 subsistence minimums for persons with disabilities.

161.From July 1, 2015 to July 31, 2020, local centers took 47 170 decisions on the provision of free secondary legal aid to persons with disabilities. Over the period of 2016–2019 and January–July 2020, mobile local centers conducted 42 000 visits to single persons, the elderly, persons with disabilities, in order to provide targeted legal aid.

162.Nearly 30 000 copies of information booklets on the right of persons with disabilities to free legal aid were prepared and printed in Braille.

Reply to paragraph 11 (b) of the list of issues

163.The participation of an interpreter who has the technique of communicating with deaf, mute or deaf-mute persons is mandatory when considering a case, one of the participants of which is a person with a hearing impairment. In the preparatory hearing, the court decides, in particular, on the involvement of an interpreter, who may be a person who has the technique of communicating with persons with hearing impairments. The participation of an interpreter is also provided by the Administrative Procedure Code and the Commercial Procedure Code.

164.The Cabinet of Ministers Resolution № 401 “Some issues of involvement of interpreters (sign language interpreters) to ensure the provision of free secondary legal aid” was adopted of June 24, 2016. Court information accessibility for persons with disabilities is ensured by providing, in accordance with certain requirements and standards, information plates and stands, information navigation schemes and indicators, information equipment, including information terminals, as well as posting relevant information on the official web portal “Judiciary Of Ukraine” and on the websites of all courts.

165.The total number of courts in which the names of the main buildings were duplicated in Braille in 2019 increased from 17% to 43%. In court buildings, printed information is placed in an enlarged font (navigation information boards, stands with information for visitors, hearings schedule of cases intended for consideration). From October 2019, a pilot project on providing sign language translation services via Skype will be implemented on the basis of one of the local centers.

Reply to paragraph 12 (a) of the list of issues

166.The Criminal Code does not contain provisions on imprisonment on the grounds of disability (paragraph 31, Concluding Observations). A person who, while serving a sentence, falls ill with a mental illness that deprives him/her of the opportunity to be aware of his/her actions (inaction) or to control them, is released from punishment. Compulsory medical measures may be applied to such a person.

167.According to Art. 96 of the Criminal Code, compulsory treatment may be applied by a court, regardless of the sentence imposed, to persons who have committed crimes and have a disease that poses a danger to the health of others. In case of imprisonment or restriction of liberty, compulsory treatment is carried out at the place of serving the sentence. In case of other types of punishment, compulsory treatment is carried out in special medical institutions.

168.The Ministry of Health approved new Rules for the application of compulsory medical measures in a specialised institution for psychiatric care, which provide for the development of individual plans for social and psychological rehabilitation, to which compulsory medical measures are applied.

Reply to paragraph 12 (b) of the list of issues

169.The Government Order № 684-r of September 13, 2017, established the State Institution “Health Center of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine”, to provide, in particular, medical services to convicts and detainees in accordance with the law. Provision of convicted persons with disabilities with rehabilitative and assistive technologies is carried out in accordance with the Procedure for providing technical and other means of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, children with disabilities and other specific categories of population and payment of monetary compensation for self-acquired technical and other means of rehabilitation, lists of such means and Procedure for providing persons with disabilities and children with disabilities with technical and other means. Registration of persons with disabilities, children with disabilities who are in custody or in places of imprisonment, is carried out at the request of the head of the institution sent to the social protection authorities/to the territorial health authorities (paragraph 31, Concluding Observations).

170.Convicted persons with disabilities (disability groups I and II) and in need of constant medical supervision, rehabilitation and outside care serve their sentences in a state institution “Sofia Correctional Colony (№ 45)”, equipped in accordance with the requirements of SBN B.2.2-40:2018 “Buildings and structures. Inclusiveness of buildings and structures. Basic provisions”. Convicted persons with disabilities (disability groups I and II) are provided with food, clothing, footwear, linen and utilities free of charge.

171.Convicts with disabilities have the right to the state disability pension on general grounds.

172.The rules of procedure of penitentiary institutions, approved by the Ministry of Justice Order № 2823/5 of August 28, 2018, provide for the creation by the administration of penitentiary institutions, in which persons with disabilities are kept, conditions to meet their special needs. If necessary, the buildings and premises of penitentiary institutions are equipped with appropriate structural elements.

Reply to paragraph 12 (c) of the list of issues

173.The Ministry of Health has developed a draft Law “On Ratification of the Convention for the protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine: Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine of 1997”.

Reply to paragraph 13 (a) of the list of issues

174.Standard Regulations on orphanage, psychoneurological institution, institution for the elderly people and persons with disabilities, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers Resolutions № 978 and № 957 of December 14, 2016, № 772 of September 2, 2020 provided for establishment of public councils in such facilities. The public councils activities will contribute to ensuring the rights and interests of wards, compliance with the legislation on social protection requirements, the public control on social services quality.

175.The Ministry of Health Order № 517 of July 23, 2014 (as amended by the Ministry of Health Order № 1773 of 01.10.2018) approved the Model Regulations on the board of trustees at a health care institution. One of the main tasks of the board of trustees is to represent the interests and protect the rights of patients in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation.

176.In accordance with the Law of Ukraine № 3352-XII “On Pre-trial Detention” of June 30, 1993 and the Criminal Executive Code of Ukraine № 1129-IV of July 11, 2003, the use of measures of physical force, special means and firearms against persons with disabilities is prohibited. Persons with disabilities (I disability group) are not placed in a disciplinary isolator, a dungeon, a cell-type room (single cell) (paragraph 33, Concluding Observation).

177.Departmental and public control, prosecutorial supervision, preventive measures (use of portable video recorders and video systems) are carried out in places of deprivation of liberty.

Reply to paragraph 13 (b) of the list of issues

178.After their transfer to the Government-controlled territory, persons who served their sentences in the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions are subject to the current legislation of Ukraine, since these persons were convicted or brought to criminal liability in the manner prescribed by Ukrainian legislation. There is no selective approach to the procedure for transferring convicts from the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions to the Government-controlled territory. Persons who are transferred to the Government-controlled territory for further serving their sentences are placed in pre-trial detention centers close to exchange points, their personal files are subject to study and determination of the legal status of such persons.

Reply to paragraph 13 (c) of the list of issues

179.In order to improve the quality of the provision of social services in social protection and health care institutions, monitoring of compliance with the requirements of the legislation on the social protection of wards is carried out by the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, other specially authorized bodies, including with the involvement of the public (paragraph 21, Concluding Observations).

180.Public and trustee councils in social protection and health care institutions include representatives of NGOs of persons with disabilities.

181.During 2019–2020, 1730 visits to the places of detention and pre-trial detention centers of the State Penitentiary Service were made by representatives of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, prosecutors, public and international organizations to check the detention conditions of convicts and detainees.

Reply to paragraph 14 (a) of the list of issues

182.There are two juvenile convicts with disabilities registered at the Kremenchug City medical unit of the branch of the State Institution “Health Center of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine” in Poltava region. Individual rehabilitation programs, regular medical checkup and medical supervision are arranged for the convicted children with disabilities.

Reply to paragraph 14 (b) of the list of issues

183.In December 2017, the Laws “On Prevention and Combating Domestic Violence” and “On Amendments to the Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes of Ukraine to implement the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence” were adopted.

184.During 2018–2019, the list of entities implementing measures to prevent and combat domestic violence and gender-based violence and their powers has been expanded; broad involvement of the public in this process has been envisaged; bodies of health care, education and justice have been added to the responsible entities; the role of law enforcement bodies and social services bodies has been strengthened.

185.The Procedure for conducting and documenting the results of medical examinations of victims of domestic violence or persons who may be victims of domestic violence as well as for providing them with medical care has been approved.

Reply to paragraph 14 (c) of the list of issues

186.Information about the cases opened on trafficking, sexual abuse and exploitation of, and domestic violence against women and girls with disabilities, including of those deprived of legal capacity, cases prosecuted and concluded, and remedies provided to victims is not disaggregated in the courts reporting.

Reply to paragraph 14 (d) of the list of issues

187.Since December 2016, shelters for domestic violence victims have been operating in Ukraine and providing assistance to more than 1200 women with children. New shelters are being created through local budget funds.

188.The development of crisis day centers for victims, emergency rooms, specialized consultation centers, a network of local consultants has been launched, which will increase access to services and referral systems for victims, regardless of place of residence, age, health condition, etc.

189.The procedure for processing appeals from victims has been determined. There is a single contact number – 1547 – of the National contact center for combating human trafficking and domestic violence prevention. As of August 1, 2020, 5755 appeals were received.

190.Information on IDPs’ access to social, medical and educational services, employment is provided in response to questions 8, paragraph c); 21, paragraph b); 24, paragraph a).

Reply to paragraph 15 of the list of issues

191.During 2019, the police received 127 374 reports of offenses and other events related to domestic violence, of which 1 680 were filed by children. Based on the results of the inspection of those appeals, 2 458 pre-trial investigations were initiated and 99025 administrative protocols were drawn up. National Police issued 16 460 official warnings and 10213 urgent restraining orders.

192.During the first quarter of 2020, 46 997 complaints about committing domestic violence were recorded, which is 48.1% more than in the same period in 2019. 40 200 of those complaints were received from women, which is 45.7% more than in the same period in 2019.

193.Since 2012, the Ministry of Social Policy has been maintaining a register of persons who have applied to local state administrations to establish a human trafficking victim status. During 2015–2020, the human trafficking victim status was established for 861 persons (210 persons suffered from sexual exploitation, 7 persons from organ removal, 3 persons were used in pornography), including 329 women and 72 children (28 boys and 46 girls).

194.During the first quarter of 2020, a human trafficking victim status was established for 19 Ukrainian citizens (7 women), including 7 victims of labor exploitation, 2 – of sexual exploitation, 1 person was involved in begging, 9 people were used in armed conflicts. The main countries of destination are Ukraine – 15 persons, Russia – 2 persons, Lebanese Republic – 1 person, Italy – 1 person. Number of established status according to regional distribution: Vinnytsia region – 2 persons; Luhansk region – 7 persons; Lviv region – 1 person; Odesa region – 5 persons; Ternopil region - 1 person; Chernihiv region – 1 person, Kyiv City – 2 persons.

Reply to paragraph 16 (a) of the list of issues

195.The Law № 2205-VIII “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Provision of Psychiatric Care” of November 14, 2017, excludes from part five of Article 281 of the Civil Code and part two of Article 49 of the Law № 2801-XII “Fundamentals of the legislation of Ukraine on health care” (paragraph 35, Concluding Observations) provisions on the possibility of forced sterilization on medical grounds of an incapacitated individual only with the consent of his/her guardian in compliance with the requirements established by law.

Reply to paragraph 16 (b) of the list of issues

196.According to the recommendations on sterilization of the Council of Europe and the UN Human Rights Committee, in May 2018 the Ministry of Health Order “On the application of sterilization methods of citizens”, which approved the list of medical indications for surgical sterilization of women (including mental disorders (without aggravation): transient psychotic conditions resulting from organic diseases, schizophrenia, paranoid conditions, other inorganic psychoses, neurotic disorders, personality disorders, mental retardation), was revoked.

Reply to paragraph 17 (a) of the list of issues

197.In January 2018, the Government approved the State Policy Strategy for Healthy and Active Longevity for the period up to 2022. The Strategy implementation includes the development of innovative social services to ensure the possibility for elderly citizens to live in the community and to prevent their premature and unwanted relocation to inpatient care facilities.

198.In accordance with the Law № 2671-VIII “On Social Services” of 17.09.2019, since the beginning of 2020 the system of social services and its stakeholders as well as stages of determining needs, planning, organization and financing of social services have been established, the distribution of powers of central and local bodies on the provision of social services has been changed (paragraph 37, Concluding Observations).

199.The list of basic social services is defined as follows: home care, day care, supported housing, social adaptation, social integration and reintegration, emergency (crisis) intervention, consultation, social support, representation of interests, mediation, social prevention, in-kind assistance, physical support for persons with disabilities who have locomotor disorders and move on wheelchairs, visual impairment, sign language translation, care and upbringing of children in conditions similar to family environment, support during inclusive education services, provision of information.

200.The professional standards “Instructor-Methodist for persons with hearing impairment” and “Sign Language Interpreter” have been approved.

201.In order to minimize and avoid institutional care for persons with disabilities, in particular for persons with mental disorders, inpatient care facilities started implementing a supported accommodation service (there are 3 departments in Zaporizhia, Luhansk and Sumy regions); work has begun on the establishment of palliative care departments in geriatric nursing homes (in Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv, Luhansk regions), supported accommodation (in Luhansk, Zaporizhia, Khmelnytsky regions and Kyiv City), day care (in Donetsk and Poltava regions).

202.Innovative services are being introduced, in particular: palliative care at the place of residence (129 persons receive it in Kyiv City and Cherkasy region); home care for persons with mental disorders (728 persons receive it in Kyiv City and Cherkasy region); a day care unit was opened for persons with disabilities and the elderly (more than 2100 elderly persons received such service); transport services (received by more than 62 000 persons).

203.Social service providers may represent public, municipal or non-state sectors. Social services (care) are also provided to unemployed individuals who receive the appropriate compensation payment (as of January 1, 2020, 74 900 persons received such payment). The requirements for training and compliance with state standards of social services do not apply to individuals who provide social care services for persons with disabilities of disability group I and children with disabilities (from among their family members who live together, have mutual rights and responsibilities).

Reply to paragraph 17 (b) of the list of issues

204.Certification of social workers is carried out in social service institutions in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of Social Policy Order № 612 of 01.10.2012.

205.Information on trainings for social workers and service providers is provided in response to question 1, paragraph c).

Reply to paragraph 17 (c) of the list of issues

206.In order to ensure the submission of primary documents from citizens to receive social assistance, housing subsidies, benefits, compensations, cash benefits and payment for services to certain categories of the population in united territorial communities at the place of residence software complex “Integrated Information System” Social Community” is being implemented, to which 184 officials in united territorial communities are already connected. The state budget for 2020 allocates UAH 10 million for partial compensation of the costs of the services provided by the executive bodies of village, settlement, town councils of the united territorial communities in connection with receiving from citizens documents for social support and transmission thereof in electronic form to social protection bodies (paragraph 37, Concluding Observations).

207.A new mobile application “Connect PRO” is being used at regional centers for administrative services “Transparent Office” to provide services to customers with hearing impairments. The application allows to have a dialogue with the client via video communication with a sign language interpreter online.

208.The Parliament Committees are working on the draft Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Concerning Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities” (registration number 3780 of 02.07.2020). Adoption of this Law will allow for establishing the procedure for providing persons with disabilities with housing adapted to their needs, in case of its non-compliance with the requirements of the conclusions of medical and social assessments and the impossibility of adaptation to the needs of a person with a disability, in particular by way of replacement of the occupied accommodation.

209.Individuals with disabilities resulting of the war are entitled to monetary compensation for housing available from the state budget in accordance with the Government Resolutions № 719 “Issues of providing housing for certain categories of persons defending independence, sovereignty and territorial Integrity of Ukraine, as well as members of their families” of October 19, 2016, № 214 “Issues of providing housing for certain categories of persons who participated in military operations on the territory of other states, as well as members of their families” of March 28, 2018 and № 206 “Issues of providing housing for certain categories of persons who took part in the Revolution of Dignity, as well as members of their families” of February 20, 2019.

210.In 2018, a new area of social protection of persons with disabilities was introduced to encourage local communities to create transportation services for people with disabilities. The procedure for using budget funds was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution № 189 “Some issues of using funds provided in the state budget for the purchase of specially equipped cars for the transportation of persons with disabilities and children with disabilities with locomotor disorders” of March 14, 2018 (paragraph 37, Concluding Observations). In 2018–2019, 74 special vehicles were purchased and handed over to provide transportation services for people with disabilities with locomotor disorders, 50 of them – for village/settlement councils of united territorial communities.

211.In order to socialize the elderly and persons with disabilities, an innovative social and pedagogical service “Universities of the Third Age” is being introduced at all territorial centers of social services (provision of services), including centers at village councils. 46 000 persons receive services at 381 “Universities of the Third Age”.

212.Entities providing social services conduct regular internal monitoring in accordance with the Guidelines, envisaging establishment of interagency working groups for analysis of the social services system. It is recommended that in addition to representatives of central and local executive bodies involved in the system of social services, such working groups include representatives of research institutes, social partners, NGOs, independent experts (paragraph 21, Concluding Observations).

213.Information on open employment opportunities and personal assistance is provided in response to questions 24, paragraphs a), b).

Reply to paragraph 17 (d) of the list of issues

214.Within the framework of the joint project with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development “Modernization of the social support system of Ukraine” the Ministry of Social Policy held 5 two-day interregional workshops “Modern approaches to administration in the field of social protection at the united territorial communities level”, attended by 600 people, in order to raise awareness of the leaders and specialists at the united territorial communities and ensure acquisition of practical experience as far as the new powers and functions in the field of social protection and protection of the rights of the child are concerned under conditions of decentralization in 2019.

Reply to paragraph 18 of the list of issues

215.As of January 1, 2020, 31 200 persons with disabilities (71.1% of the total number of wards, of which 46.5% were women, including 9.4% of women with disabilities aged 18 to 35 years, 29.4% – from 36 to 55 years, 43% – from 56 to 79 years, 18.2% – from 80 years and older) reside in boarding institutions of social protection.

216.During 2019, inpatient psychiatric care was provided to 84 300 persons with disabilities caused by mental and behavioral disorders. As of the end of 2019, 255 persons with disabilities received outpatient psychiatric care. 42.9% of them are women, 5.6% – children, 36.7% live in rural areas, 4.8% have I disability group, 69.4% – II disability group, 20.2% – III disability group.

Reply to paragraph 19 (a) of the list of issues

217.Since 2016, sign language teachers have been trained at the faculty of special and inclusive education of the Drahomanov National Pedagogical University. Annually 200 specialists receive the qualification of a sign language interpreter.

Reply to paragraph 19 (b) of the list of issues

218.In 2019, the Ministry of Culture in cooperation with the Ukrainian Society of the Deaf prepared a draft Law “On Ukrainian Sign Language”, which provides for determining of status, principles and procedure of use of Ukrainian sign language in Ukraine; creating the necessary conditions that allow sign language individuals to exercise all human and civil rights and basic freedoms in political, economic, social, cultural and other spheres (paragraph 39, Concluding Observations).

Reply to paragraph 19 (c) of the list of issues

219.Information on the financing of special literature and audio recordings is provided in response to question 1, paragraph b).

Reply to paragraph 20 (a) of the list of issues

220.A draft State Standard of Social Service of Temporary Recreation for parents or persons replacing them, who take care of the children with disabilities has been developed.

221.The Cabinet of Ministers Resolution “On the organization of social services” has been drafted, which determines algorithm of actions by the local authorities and local self-government bodies to provide social services to residents of local communities , as well as a list of categories who have the highest risk of getting into difficult life circumstances, including families with children with disabilities and families with children whose parents are persons with disabilities (paragraph 43, Concluding Observations).

222.Information on providing support to families with children with disabilities to prevent institutionalization of children with disabilities, guaranteeing the right of children with disabilities to family life is provided in response to questions 5, paragraph c), on early correction – question 5, paragraph d), on education – question 21, paragraph a), on ensuring an adequate standard of living – question 4, paragraph b) and question – 25, paragraph a); on provision of social services – question 17, paragraph a).

Reply to paragraph 20 (b) of the list of issues

223.The Cabinet of Ministers Order № 1018-r of December 27, 2017, approved the Concept for the development of mental health care in Ukraine for the period up to 2030. The concept is aimed at the gradual implementation of state guarantees for supported living, assisted employment of persons with mental and intellectual disabilities; ensuring access to education for children who may not be sent to educational institutions due to mental and intellectual disabilities.

224.Information on services provided in the community to persons with disabilities, including those with visual and hearing impairments, was provided in response to questions 17, paragraph a), on сreating a family environment for the child to live in the local community – question 5, paragraph c); on the availability of inclusive education – question 21, paragraph a).

Reply to paragraph 21 (a) of the list of issues

225.The Law № 2145-VIII “On Education” of September 5, 2017, establishes state guarantees for persons with special educational needs.

226.In 2018, amendments were made to the Laws “On General Secondary Education”, “On Extracurricular Education”, “On Vocational Education” for ensuring the right of persons with special educational needs to receive free educational, psychological, pedagogical, correctional and developmental services in educational institutions, which will promote the development and socialization for persons with special educational needs.

227.Regulations on individual forms of education in secondary schools, the Procedure for organizing the activities of inclusive groups in preschool institutions, Regulations on special schools and Regulation on training and rehabilitation center, Typical educational primary of training and rehabilitation center, Regulations on inclusive resource center, Typical primary education programs of special institutions of general secondary education for students of 1, 2, 3 classes with intellectual disabilities and special institutions of general secondary education of I, II, III degree for children with special educational needs, the Concept of inclusive art education have been approved; amendments to the Procedure for the organization of inclusive education in secondary schools were made; a position of a teacher’s assistant was introduced (in the 2018–2019 academic year, 6 761 teacher’s assistants worked in inclusive classes, in 2019-2020 – 11 145) (paragraph 45, Concluding Observations).

228.The Institute for Modernization of the Education Content and the Yarmachenko Institute of Special Pedagogy developed curricula and programs for correctional and developmental work for children with special educational needs, including children with disabilities.

229.13 497 inclusive classes were created at 5 331 general secondary education institutions, in which 18643 children with special educational needs are enrolled in 2019–2020 academic year (36.5% more than in 2018-2019 academic year).

230.At the end of 2019, there were 2617 inclusive groups in 1721 preschool institutions, in which 57 313 children studied, 55263 of them were aged 3 and older.

231.Twenty five regional resource centers to support inclusive education in the regions and 627 inclusive resourse centres have been created. They provide a comprehensive psychological and pedagogical assessment of the development of children aged from 2 to 18 and provide recommendations for their support in the educational process (they are created by local governments per 7 000 children in the rural territories and per 12 000 children in the urban territories).

232.In March 2019, the Ministry of Education and Science conducted “trainers for trainers” training on the use of methods for comprehensive assessment of special educational needs of children by the specialists of the inclusive education resourse centres. Upon the results of the training 37 trainers received certificates and afterwards trained specialists in all regions of Ukraine. Also the training of 869 psychologists of the inclusive education resourse centres was provided.

233.With the view to provide assistance to parents, educational institutions as well as heads of inclusive education resourse centres, the portal “Ukraine. Inclusion. The automation system of the inclusive education resource centers” has been launched.

234.The Ministry of Social Policy together with the Ministry of Education and Science has developed a draft State Standard for Support during Inclusive Education, which envisages provision of services of a child’s assistant (social worker, parent or legal representative of the child). Currently, the project is being tested in Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions.

235.Since 2017, a subvention from the state budget to local budgets for the provision of state support to persons with special educational needs has been introduced. Its total amount for the period 2017–2019 was UAH 1,836.5 million. Subvention funds are used, in particular, to pay for additional remedial learning support and the purchase of additional resources for teaching students in inclusive and special classes of institutions of general secondary education, since 2019 – for students of inclusive education groups of institutions of preschool education.

Reply to paragraph 21 (b) of the list of issues

236.Students of the institutions of general secondary education who have left the settlements not controlled by Ukrainian authorities may continue their studies at the place of their new residence or temporary stay.

237.If the child needs an additional support in the educational process, the child’s parents/legal representatives can contact the inclusive education resource center.

238.There are 10 schools in the Donetsk region, in which distance learning is organized for students.

239.Free online preparatory courses for External independent evaluation of Ukrainian language and literature, history of Ukraine and mathematics are available at the open online courses platform “Prometheus”.

240.If necessary, the following special conditions are created for participants of external independent evaluation who have hearing impairments: presence of a sign language interpreter in the class room; allocation of additional time (up to 30 minutes) and permission to perform the certification work at one of the first tables in the class room; provision of the text of the instructor’s speech before the start of the external evaluation; provision of an opportunity to use a hearing aid, implant; provision of written (printed) form of the voiced texts for certification tasks, aimed at checking the formation of the skills and abilities necessary for text perception (listening comprehension).

Reply to paragraph 21 (c) of the list of issues

241.In 2019-2020 academic year, 37 111 children with special educational needs studied in special schools: 5 976 in special classes, 18 643 in inclusive classes, and 11 943 individually (Annex 13).

242.During 2015-2019, 44 867 children with disabilities studied in preschool institutions, 344 005 children with disabilities studied in general secondary education institutions, 24 626 children with disabilities studied in vocational education institutions, 69 805 children with disabilities studied in higher education institutions (Annex 14). At the beginning of 2019–2020 academic year there were 12 959 students with disabilities in higher education institutions, 2970 of which were in colleges, technical schools and 9 989 – in universities, academies, and institutes. Information on students with disabilities in higher education institutions by age and region of residence is provided in the Annexes 15, 16.

Reply to paragraph 22 (a) of the list of issues

243.Since April 1, 2020, health care facilities are funded by the medical guarantees program. Within the medical guarantees program, the state guarantees for citizens full payment at the expense of the state budget of necessary medical services and medicines related to the provision of emergency, primary, secondary (specialized), highly specialized, palliative care; medical rehabilitation; medical care for children under 16; medical care in connection with pregnancy and childbirth. Uniform tariffs are set throughout Ukraine for the medical services payment provided to patients under the medical guarantees program.

244.In order to improve the quality of medical obstetric and gynecological care for pregnant women, women in labor and parturient women, ensuring monitoring of healthy pregnant women was standardized with the view to include it into the primary family doctor practice.

245.Secondary and tertiary care is regulated by clinical protocols for care for pregnant women, childbirth and the postpartum period and as well as by the guidelines based on evidence-based medicine and international standards (paragraph 47, Concluding Observations).

246.In 2018, the Law “On the Use of Transplantation of Human Anatomical Materials” was adopted, which envisages the rights and social protection of a donor and his/her family members. With a view to develop the transplantation system in Ukraine, consultations of interested central executive bodies are held (paragraph 21, Concluding Observations).

247.Information on the provision of medical services in prison is provided in response to question 12b).

Reply to paragraph 22 (b) of the list of issues

248.The Ministry of Health has developed a draft order “On approval of the Concept of informatization of health care of Ukraine”, which provides for the creation of a number of key registers, including the register of orphan patients.

Reply to paragraph 22 (c) of the list of issues

249.In Donetsk region, 373 healthcare facilities are equipped with accessibility elements, 263 of them are provided with free-barrier access for people with disabilities who use wheelchairs; elevators are available in many healthcare facilities. As part of the project to improve the availability and quality of medical care in rural territories in Donetsk region, the construction of 27 facilities is planned.

250.In the period from April 2018 to October 2019, in the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions under the Government control, the World Bank with the support of the Ministry of the Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine implemented a pilot project “Psychosocial support to the population affected by the conflict”.

251.Information on the provision of health services for IDPs is provided in response to questions 8, paragraph c).

Reply to paragraph 23 of the list of issues

Rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities

252.In order to introduce in Ukraine the best world experience in the provision of rehabilitation (habilitation) services, the adoption of documents that create conditions for ensuring accessible and high-quality rehabilitation services for persons (children) with disabilities and young children at risk of getting a disability was ensured at the level of the Government and the Ministry (taking into account the opinion of representatives of the public, engaged in the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities).

253.The implemented model of complex rehabilitation (habilitation) allows multidisciplinary teams to individually and comprehensively determine the appropriate rehabilitation (habilitation) measures, which has a positive effect on the results after their implementation.

254.At the beginning of 2020, there were 146 rehabilitation institutions in the social protection system. In 2019 more than 25 000 persons received services in the rehabilitation institutions, including 18 500 children with disabilities and almost 1 500 children under the age of 4, who belong to the risk group for disability.

255.Also, from 2019, a mechanism for providing children with disabilities rehabilitation measures on the principle of “money follows the person” has been introduced at the Government level. In 2019, rehabilitation measures were carried out under this principle for almost 4 500 children.

256.During 2015–2019, expenditures to finance 211 activities aimed at physical culture and sports rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, at creating conditions for physical culture and sports by enterprises, NGOs of persons with disabilities (according to the National Committee for Sports for person with disabilities) amounted to UAH 26,7 million.

Assistive devices

257.Information on the provision of assistive technologies and devices is provided in response to question 1, paragraph b).

258.Since 2015, by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated October 1, 2014 No. 518 (as amended), prosthetics and orthoses were introduced with products of increased functionality according to manufacturing technologies unavailable in Ukraine for certain categories of citizens who participated in the anti-terrorist operation or in the implementation of measures to ensure national security and defense, deterring the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and/or ensuring implementation thereof and lost the functionality of a limb or limbs (since 2015, 78 participants received services).

259.Since 2019, it is envisaged to provide certain categories of citizens who participated in the anti-terrorist operation with special products for sports with increased strength, ability to withstand high static and dynamic loads and be used for one or more sports.

260.Since 2018, payments were introduced to persons with disabilities, children with disabilities and other certain categories of the population as monetary compensation for the cost of self-purchased assistive technologies and devices of rehabilitation, including for persons with hearing and vision impairments.

261.The list of workers occupations is supplemented by qualification characteristics: orthopedic technologist, orthotist prosthetist technician, doctor of physical and rehabilitation medicine, occupational therapist, physical therapist, occupational therapist assistant, physicist assistant. At the master’s level “Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy” specialization was introduced.

262.Information on the early intervention is provided in response to question 5, paragraph d).

Reply to paragraph 24 (a) of the list of issues

263.The government’s work is underway to introduce new approaches to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and develop an inclusive labor market.

264.Article 24 of the Law № 5067-VI “On Employment” of July 5, 2012 provides measures to promote the employment of unemployed IDPs, including persons with disabilities. In particular, compensation of the employer’s expenses for: payment for employed previously unemployed IDPs, persons with disabilities; retraining and advanced training of employed previously unemployed IDPs, including persons with disabilities. The implementation of measures is carried out in accordance with the Procedure for implementing measures to promote employment, reimburse funds aimed at financing measures in case of violation of employment guarantees for IDPs, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution № 696 of September 8, 2015.

265.From January 1, 2019, the unified social contribution for individual entrepreneurs who employ persons with disabilities is set at 8.41% of the accrual base for working persons with disabilities (paragraph 51, Concluding Observations).

266.The employer is paid monthly compensation for actual expenses in the amount of a single contribution to compulsory state social insurance, within one year from the date of employment of a person with a disability, provided that the employment is maintained for two years.

267.A small business entity that creates new jobs in the priority sectors of economy and employs the unemployed for two years can receive monthly compensation for actual expenses in the amount of a single contribution during one year.

268.Unemployed from among the insured persons who have expressed a desire to conduct business activities are paid a one-time unemployment benefit for the organization of such activities. During 2016–2019, 704 persons with disabilities started their own business.

269.Vocational training of unemployed persons with disabilities is organized based on recommendations of the commission of medical and social experts and is carried out in educational institutions, where appropriate conditions are created and training places are adapted.

270.In order to simplify the procedure for selecting educational institutions for vocational training of the unemployed and/or their residence during the period of study; expanding the possibilities of the registered unemployed to choose educational institutions for vocational training amendments were made to the Ministry of Social Policy Order № 269, of May 16, 2013 by the Ministry of Social Policy Order № 1553, of October 25, 2019.

271.In general, during 2019, vocational training covered 4.3 thousand persons with disabilities. After vocational training, 3.8 thousand persons with disabilities were employed.

272.During 2015-2019, at the expense of administrative and economic sanctions for non‑compliance with the standard of employment of persons with disabilities 248 jobs were created for employment of persons with disabilities; employment of 1 904 persons with disabilities was facilitated by creating jobs for persons with disabilities, 773 of them received financial assistance for vocational training and retraining, 881 – received vocational rehabilitation services in state rehabilitation institutions for comprehensive rehabilitation for persons with disabilities.

273.The Ministry of Social Policy has developed amendments to the Law “On Fundamentals of Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities in Ukraine” with a goal to create favorable conditions for employment of persons with disabilities, in particular, in respect to introduction of stimulation mechanisms for employers who are interested in job creation for persons with disabilities.

Reply to paragraph 24 (b) of the list of issues

274.The State standard of social service for social support at employment and at the workplace has been approved, which defines the content, scope, conditions and procedure for providing social service of social support at employment and at work, its quality indicators, including for persons with disabilities, taking into account the needs of persons with intellectual and mental disabilities.

275.In order to promote productive employment, the institution of a career adviser has been introduced, which allows to provide an individual approach to each client of the employment service, including persons with disabilities, high-quality career planning services, taking into account the needs of employers and opportunities of job seekers.

276.During 2016-2019 173 000 persons with disabilities received vocational guidance services of the State Employment Service.

277.The social services classification contains the basic social service “social adaptation”, which is provided, in particular, to persons with disabilities, and means assistance in establishing links with professionals, services, organizations, enterprises, bodies, establishments, institutions that provide social support at employment process.

Reply to paragraph 24 (c) of the list of issues

278.As of July 1, 2020, there were 776 000 employed persons with disabilities (73.9% between the age of 18 and 60), 48.5% of them are women; 21 817 persons with disabilities of I disability group, 220 871 – II disability group, 533 305 – III disability group.

279.During 2016–2019, 52 800 persons with disabilities were employed (46 800 had the status of unemployed, including 17 800 women, 9 600 persons under the age of 35), including: 167 persons of I disability group, 7 300 persons – group II, 39 200 persons - group III. 1 319 persons with disabilities were employed with compensation of expenses to the employer of the single contribution; 22 900 persons took part in public and other temporary works. 2 588 IDPs with disabilities had the status of unemployed, 660 IDPs with disabilities were employed by the State Employment Service, 2176 persons were covered by vocational guidance services, 248 persons took part in public and other temporary work (Annexes 19, 20).

Reply to paragraphs 25 (a) and (b) of the list of issues

280.The State Statistics Service of Ukraine does not keep separate data records on poverty indicators among persons with disabilities, including women with disabilities and girls with disabilities. It should be noted that according to the 2019 data, the absolute poverty level (expenditures below the actual subsistence level) was 41.3% against 43.2% in 2018, and absolute poverty level (income criteria) – 23.1% against 27.6% in 2018.

281.As of April 1, 2020, 1.46 million of persons receive a disability pension at the Pension Fund bodies, the average pension is UAH 2,663.8. Disability pension is calculated depending on the disability group and ranges from 50% to 100% of the old-age pension. Persons who have a disability are entitled to a disability pension if they have the following insurance experience at the time of disability or on the day of applying for a pension: for persons with I disability group – from 1 to 10 years, for persons with II and III disability group – from 1 to 14 years. The pension benefit for persons with disabilities cannot be less than the subsistence level for people who have lost their ability to work.

282.Persons with disabilities who are not entitled to a pension are paid state social assistance and care allowance in the amount of 15% to 100% of the subsistence minimum for persons who have lost their ability to work.

283.From April 1, 2020, a monthly compensation payment up to UAH 500 has been established for pensioners, including those with disabilities, over the age of 80, if the amount of the pension payment does not exceed UAH 9205 per month.

284.Since May 1, 2020, the indexation of pensions, including disability pensions, is carried out by increasing the average salary (income) in Ukraine by a factor of 1.11, from which insurance premiums were paid, and which is taken into account for calculating pensions.

285.The appointment conditions and the payment procedure of state social assistance to persons with disabilities from childhood and children with disabilities are determined by the Procedure for providing state social assistance to persons with disabilities from childhood and children with disabilities.

286.State social assistance to persons with disabilities from childhood and children with disabilities is set at a rate not less than the subsistence level for persons who have lost their ability to work and is granted to persons with disabilities from childhood of I disability group in the amount of 100% of the subsistence level for persons who have lost their ability to work; of II disability group – 80%; of III disability group – 60%; for children with disabilities under the age of 18 – 70% of the subsistence level for people who have lost their ability to work.

287.The state social assistance amount increases during the year in accordance with the increase in the subsistence minimum (paragraph 53, Concluding Observations).

288.Care allowance may be assigned to state social assistance, in particular, a care allowance is assigned to a single mother or father regardless of the fact of work, study or service.

289.The care allowance for a child with a disability amounts to 50% of the subsistence level for children of the appropriate age, for children with a disability of subgroup A – 100% of the subsistence level. From July 1, 2020, the amount of state social assistance, including care allowance, ranges from UAH 1712 to UAH 4115.6. 23 000 persons receive a care allowance for a child with a disability under the age of 6, and 92 900 persons – for a child with a disability aged from 6 to 18 years.

290.On September 2, 2019, Ukrainian Parlament adopted the Law № 2031”On Amendments to Article 3 of the Law of Ukraine “On State Social Assistance to Persons with Disabilities from Childhood and Children with Disabilities” on increasing the care allowance for persons with disabilities from childhood. In particular, the Law provides for the increase of the care allowance:

•From January 1, 2021 to persons with disabilities from childhood of subgroups A and B of disability group – by a factor of 2; to single persons with disabilities from childhood of disability groups II and III, who need additional care – by a factor of 3; for a child with a disability of subgroup A – by a factor of 1,5;

•From January 1, 2022 to persons with disabilities from childhood of subgroup A of I disability group almost for 2.7 times, for a child with disability of subgroup A – by a factor of 2.

291.From July 1, 2020, the principles of providing child benefits to single mothers and low-income families have been unified. State social assistance has been introduced for the care of single persons who have reached the age of 80 and who need constant external care. Social guarantees for children with disabilities who are under guardianship or custody were increased from 2 to 3.5 subsistence minimums for a child of the corresponding age.

292.A person living with a person with a disability of disability group I or II caused by a mental disorder and who needs additional care according to the medical commission, is provided with the care payment.

Reply to paragraph 25 (c) of the list of issues

293.Information is provided in response to questions 2, paragraph b).

Reply to paragraphs 26 (a) and (b) of the list of issues

294.On December 19, 2019, the Electoral Code of Ukraine was adopted, which improved the legislation on participation of persons with disabilities in the election process. In particular, requirements are set for procedures, buildings and materials to ensure barrier-free access for persons with disabilities to the realization of the right to vote. In order to simplify the election procedures for all stakeholders and their unification to ensure compliance with international standards for elections, the Law of Ukraine № 805-IX “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine to Improve Electoral Legislation” was adopted of July 16, 2020 (paragraph 55, Concluding Observations).

295.Information on ensuring of the IDPs voting rights was provided in response to question 3, paragraph a).

296.During 2016, the Ministry of Social Policy together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Election Commission and the Ministry of Justice analyzed international experience on ensuring the right to vote of incapable citizens (persons), taking into account the specifics of incapacity and legal regulation in Ukraine. As a result, the agreed proposals were submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to leave unchanged the provisions of national legislation on the right to vote of citizens who have been declared incapable by a court (paragraph 55, Concluding Observations).

Reply to paragraph 26 (c) of the list of issues

297.Information on the participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life is provided in response to question 2, paragraph a).

Reply to paragraph 27 of the list of issues

298.The activities on accession to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled are under way (paragraph 57, Concluding Observations).

Reply to paragraph 28 of the list of issues

299.Statistical digests “Social protection” (includes indicators on persons with disabilities by disability group, nosology, place of residence), “Preschool education in Ukraine” (includes indicators on the number of children with disabilities by place of residence and sex, number of inclusive groups in preschool institutions), “Higher education in Ukraine” (includes indicators on the total number of students with disabilities by age) are available on the website of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine.

300.The Ministry of Health uses administrative data with the following indicators: on children with disabilities by reason of disability, age, sex, nosology, rural and urban areas; on persons with disabilities with mental and behavioral disorders by forms of treatment (outpatient, inpatient), disability groups, age, sex, place of residence, name of disorders.

301.In 2018, the Ministry of Social Policy approved the reporting forms on the provision of persons with disabilities, children with disabilities and other certain categories of the population with rehabilitative and assistive technologies and on the payment of monetary compensation for gasoline, car repair services, which include gender aspect.

302.The State Social Program for Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men for the period up to 2021 provides for the expansion of statistical indicators list in 12 reporting forms (including age, place of residence, disability, socio-economic status, etc.) (paragraph 59, Concluding Observations).

303.The State Statistics Service of Ukraine has developed a draft order of the Cabinet of Ministers “Issues of data collection for monitoring gender equality”, which will approve indicators for collecting data for monitoring gender equality, including with respect to persons with disabilities.

Reply to paragraph 29 (a) of the list of issues

304.Information on legislative regulation on social protection, including persons with disabilities, as well as on the powers of executive and local bodies and the Council for Persons with Disabilities is provided in the First report of Ukraine on the implementation of the Convention.

305.The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) exercises parliamentary control over observance of human rights and freedoms.

306.On August 26, 2020, the Government decided to establish the National Social Service of Ukraine, which will ensure the implementation of the state policy on social protection and protection of the rights of the child, as well as state control over compliance with legislation in these areas.

Reply to paragraph 29 (b) of the list of issues

307.Since 2001, financial support in the amount of over UAH 873 million was provided from the state budget for NGOs of persons with disabilities (with the status of all-Ukrainian), 68.8% of this amount – for the maintenance of the Ukrainian Society of the Blind and the Ukrainian Society of the Deaf. The number of NGOs receiving support during this period increased from 3 to 25.

308.Information on the provision of financial support to NGOs of persons with disabilities during 2015–2019 is provided in the answer to question 1, paragraph b).

309.A new approaches to providing financial support to NGOs of persons with disabilities were introduced in 2020.

310.The state budget funds are allocated for financial support of NGOs based on the results of the competition, for the realization (implementation) of national programs (projects, events) (hereinafter – Projects) on implementation of the provisions of the Convention in accordance with the priority tasks set by the Ministry of Social Policy based on the proposals of public associations.

311.During the competitive selection of Projects, NGOs present their Projects and evaluation according to certain criteria, which apply to all NGOs in Ukraine that receive funding from state and local budgets on a competitive basis.

312.During implementation of a Project the NGO may allocate up to 55% of the total amount of the funds provided for the Project to the institutional support, organizational development, employees training.

313.In order to support activities of the NGOs of persons with disabilities in 2020 in connection with introduction of quarantine and restrictive measures related to the spread of COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, financial assistance was provided in the amount of UAH 51,8 million for institutional support of 22 NGOs for the implementation of their activities, preservation of offices, social facilities and jobs.

314.During 2016–2019, at the expense of local budgets, financial support was provided to 534 NGOs of persons with disabilities at the local level in the amount of UAH 172,9 million (58.7% for statutory activities), including 32 NGOs, activities of which are aimed at protection of the rights of persons with hearing impairment (3.3% of the total support amount), 51 – with visual impairment (6.7%), 30 – with mental disorders and intellectual disabilities (8.5%), 63 –women and children with disabilities (10.3%), 51 – with disorders of the locomotor system (32.9%).