First Lady suggests creating Council for Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine

"I have a proposal. In order for the Strategy implementation not to remain only on paper, I suggest creating the Council for Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine," Zelenska said at a meeting dedicated to the National Strategy for the Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to her, for all the proposals to eliminate barriers to be fulfilled, an effective body is needed to monitor and control the progress of implementation of the Strategy.

According to Olena Zelenska, the Council should include the authors of the Strategy, as well as experts and representatives of civil society.

"Our mission is to make the barrier-free environment a new social norm, a permanent norm that will operate constantly, and to provide people with equal opportunities in all spheres of life at the state level," the First Lady said.

In turn, Minister of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Oleksiy Chernyshov supported the proposal to establish the Council for Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at the meeting that living standards and equal conditions for every citizen are the foundation on which a civilized society should be built.

As reported, Ukraine received the official status of a member of the Biarritz Partnership – an international initiative promoting equal rights and opportunities – in September 2020. Ukraine’s accession to the Partnership was initiated by the First Lady of Ukraine in December 2019.

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