Convenient lifts and ramps: how Brovary solves barrier-free accessibility issues

The situation with barrier-free access in Ukrainian cities and towns is not a problem of today. Unfortunately, it has become more acute today because many of Ukraine's defenders are returning from the front with severe injuries. A simple trip to the grocery store, clinic, or public institution for people with disabilities often turns into a real challenge.

What measures should be taken to ensure that these people do not feel uncomfortable, which cities in Ukraine can be called leaders in barrier-free accessibility - UNN talked about this with Olena Akopian, an advisor to the mayor of Brovary, who knows this problem from the inside, as she has been using a wheelchair for many years.

Currently, the Brovary community is actively addressing the issue of individual lifting of people with disabilities in apartment buildings.

"Even before the full-scale invasion, we were thinking about this issue, studying the experience of other cities and now we are preparing a program. We have a lot of old buildings with stairs that cannot be equipped with ramps. Installing rails is also not an option, because wheelchairs have different widths. And even the front and rear wheels have different widths. So, if a person is a little fatter, the wheelchair becomes wider, and it can't fit on these rails.

We have decided to equip the entrances to our buildings with electric lifts. A person with a disability who cannot get out of and into the house on their own submits an application for social protection, a specialist gives an opinion on the possibility of installing a lift and its cost, and then the issue of allocating funds is decided.

One such lift, on average, costs 100 thousand hryvnias. And now it is important to put funds for these needs in the budget for next year. It is also necessary to resolve the issue of centralized maintenance of these lifts.

In addition, we unfortunately face cases when residents of buildings do not want to give permission to install lifts," says Olena Akopyan.

The woman sadly states that due to the full-scale Russian aggression, the number of people with disabilities is growing, and many veterans who have been seriously injured find it difficult to adapt to the new realities of life.

"We have a veterans' hub where psychologists work with them. I often come there myself, showing by my own example that it is worthwhile and necessary to live after a serious injury. The other day we talked to a wounded man who had both legs amputated. I showed him how to get into a car.

After such communication, people are inspired and look at it all with different eyes," says the advisor to the mayor of Brovary.

At the same time, she said, of course, we should not forget about children with musculoskeletal injuries and the elderly who cannot move independently due to various illnesses.

Olena Hakopian also notes that she has been to many cities in Ukraine, and she asserts that Brovary has made serious progress  in terms of barrier-free accessibility and gives specific examples.

"Six months ago, we raised the issue of accessibility of our migration service department for people with disabilities. And the other day I personally tested the ramp they had set up. In general, all our government agencies are accessible. Lyceum No. 4 has a nice lift from the bomb shelter. I also tested it. The children's rehabilitation center has a lift. During the reconstruction, our park was adapted for people with disabilities.

As for commercial establishments, all large shopping centers are equipped with ramps, elevators, and hygiene rooms for people with disabilities.  They have begun to equip parking spaces for people with disabilities in accordance with the standards. Another issue is that people without disabilities park in them. But to prevent such cases, we need to organize raids with the police.

Various commercial establishments and organizations have begun to turn to us more often for advice on how to properly equip or redesign entrances to make them accessible to people with disabilities.

Of course, there are shops, cafes, restaurants, and other establishments that either don't have ramps at all or are impossible to use. There are owners who openly say that they do not want people with disabilities to visit them. And here it is important to understand that not everything in this matter depends on the city authorities. It is necessary to involve the relevant services more actively, which can fine or close the facility until it becomes accessible to people with disabilities," adds Hakobyan.

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Elena Hakobyan is a 55-year-old swimming champion at the Athens Paralympic Games. She is a multiple Paralympic medalist in swimming, cross-country skiing and biathlon.

At the age of 15, while studying at a music school, she sustained a severe knife wound to her back during a robbery, which prevented her from moving independently without a wheelchair.

She graduated from the Dnipro State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports.

He is raising two children. He lives in Brovary.