State Budget 2022 Provides for Funds to Create a Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine

The state budget for 2022 provides UAH 6.8 billion to create a comfortable barrier-free environment and social support for people with disabilities. The Ministry of Finance has analyzed the information provided by other government agencies on the implementation of the action plan for 2021-2022 to implement the National Strategy for a barrier-free environment in Ukraine until 2030.

Thus, the funds are aimed at:

• UAH 3.6 billion - updating of the rolling stock for passenger transportation (taking into account the needs of persons with disabilities and other immobile population groups) and the modernization of railway infrastructure;
• UAH 1.5 billion - to local budgets for the reform of school meals to ensure food barrier-free schools;
• UAH 500 million - implementation of measures to local budgets aimed at improving the availability of broadband Internet access in rural areas;
• UAH 273.5 million - ensuring the maximum approximation of comprehensive rehabilitation services to those in need, in particular, the rehabilitation of children with disabilities;
• UAH 191.8 million - to introduce comprehensive rehabilitation services aimed at improving the quality of life, activity, health of the participants in the Revolution of Dignity, participants of the anti-terrorist operation and their families;
• UAH 63.4 million - providing educational institutions with conditions and tools to adopt all the information materials for visually impaired, hearing impaired, and persons with intellectual disabilities;
• UAH 27.8 million - the creation of conditions for distance learning in all educational institutions as part of the project "All-Ukrainian School Online";
• UAH 15.2 million - the creation of conditions for free education of people from the temporarily occupied territories in preparatory courses with scholarship support in higher education institutions in the controlled territories of Ukraine;
• UAH 10.2 million - the development of sports among persons with disabilities and their physical and sports rehabilitation;
• UAH 4.3 million - the creation of a national network of 24 capable innovative business incubators according to European Business Centers Network standards;
• UAH 4.5 million - ensuring the possibility of calling the emergency services through special communication lines 101 and 102 available for persons with hearing impairments.

Also, the chief administrators of the central executive authorities and local administrations must adapt the main entrances to their buildings, service centers, and other services that are in their management for use by persons with disabilities. This is planned as part of the current expenditures of the relevant authorities.

In addition, the Ministry of Health has UAH 157.3 billion for the implementation of programs of state guarantees of medical care. These funds will be directed to ensure and improve the accessibility of the buildings by health care institutions to meet the needs of the disabled and other groups of people with limited mobility.

The state budget for 2022 allocates almost UAH 7 billion for the development of inclusive education to ensure that persons with special needs receive an accessible and quality education.

"Creating an unhindered environment will ensure equal opportunities and improve the quality of life of our citizens. Important steps in this direction were the initiatives of First Lady Olena Zelenska "No barriers" and the development of the National Strategy of creating a barrier-free environment in Ukraine, which deals with education, work, social and cultural life. After all, a barrier-free environment should take into account the interests of everyone," commented Deputy Minister of Finance Roman Yermolychev.