What kind of reconstruction does Ukraine need?

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Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine brought a lot of grief and trials. We face death every day, see homes mercilessly destroyed, and experience the total economic damage the country has suffered. However, despite the long war, we should already be thinking about rebuilding our state. And recovery must be comprehensive. It is not enough for us to rebuild cities and villages – we must reform Ukraine taking into account standards in the field of human rights in order to correct previous mistakes and prepare the country for a future life – comfortable and accessible for all Ukrainians. In order for every person to have a decent life in Ukraine, reconstruction must be based on respect for human rights and human diversity. Unfortunately, we inherited Soviet approaches to the system of social policy. They were based on the fact that people were considered only as useful material for the totalitarian system. That is, people – mainly from 20 to 60 years old – who did not have any violations were considered “necessary”. In the Soviet system, no attention was paid to the needs of people with disabilities, women, children, and especially those who temporarily or permanently needed more attention. So, through the prism of the Soviet government, society looked very uniform. However, we already know that society is different people, groups, an interdependent organism. There are no completely independent people. We have to build a democratic society where everyone can count on support from another person, from their small community and from the state in general. That is, it is necessary to start from the beginning: it is necessary to create an effective social policy that will be able to implement the best practices of a democratic and inclusive society. At the center should be a person and his rights. This will allow everyone to enjoy their rights to the maximum: to participate in political and community life, to work and get an education and, ultimately, to use the city’s infrastructure affordably. Unfortunately, the previous experience of the implementation of social policy during the independence of Ukraine cannot be called successful. We had and still have a very formal and often corrupt approach. The state does not take into account the real individual human needs. For example, assistance to elderly people in some mountain village will differ from what is needed by the same residents of cities. We do not take this into account. We do not conduct a needs assessment. And they spend a lot of money. The system is not effective, so if it is revised, reformed, and these needs are identified, then, in my opinion, a lot of resources can appear from which it would be possible to provide people with what they need in reality, and not just formally and in the short term solve problems. What were the previous problems in the reformation? Problems of the previous reforms, the solution of which must be worked on today: medicalization of people with disabilities, veterans and other groups, when the state of human health is considered exclusively as a medical problem; the practice of “residential care”, depriving people with disabilities of legal capacity and the opportunity to live in communities; spot reforms without a strategic vision (the practice of “putting out fires” and adding “a few more benefits for the next election”); non-involvement of people with disabilities, veterans and other social groups in the formation of state policy. A full-scale war only exacerbated these issues and showed how ineffective social policies for people with disabilities and veterans are in accordance with the lack of a strategic vision for reforms. What should be an inclusive response to war? People with various types of disabilities should be sure that in case of emergencies, the state has an inclusive mechanism for immediate response, including the availability of civil protection systems, information and training of the population – these are the lessons that we as the country has been lacking since 2014. Also considering the issue of inclusivity, it is worth reviewing the reform of social policy regarding veterans, in particular those who received disabilities as a result of the war. Since 1993, the system of benefits for veterans has been characterized by a considerable list of bureaucratic obstacles and risks, and the system itself is built in such a way that veterans cannot receive adequate and effective support – starting with receiving disability, psychological rehabilitation and returning to society. Often the state solves problems point by point. For example, a veteran or veterans may be offered a series of benefits and benefits, then leave the person without providing them with a strategy for returning to a fulfilling life. Actually, this problem became even more obvious with the beginning of Russia’s war against Ukraine in 2014, when the number of young veterans increased significantly. After a full-scale invasion, we saw that it was mainly able-bodied people who acquired this status. They need state support in order to return to society, go to work, and ensure the well-being of their families. Such a war has not happened before, and we do not yet know all the consequences, but I know for sure that it is necessary to intervene at this stage. We should not extinguish the problem, but we must build a full-fledged system of help and support. If Ukrainian society and the state will not protect and help our military – people who literally protect our land, then what democratic state, what values, humanity and humanity can we talk about? The problems of reforming the system of medical and social examination and recognition of disability for military personnel who were injured while serving are particularly relevant. As in general, it is a question of reforming this system in order to strengthen its transparency, comprehensibility and accessibility for all who need it. European integration processes and social policy regarding people with disabilities and veterans Ukraine aspires to become a full-fledged member state of the EU, which means creating a social policy based on the values ​​of human rights, as well as the inalienability and equality of these rights for all. The European integration of Ukraine first of all sets before the state the task of harmonizing Ukrainian legislation in accordance with EU law and, accordingly, implementing such reforms that would fully meet the values ​​and requirements of the EU and European human rights law. Instead of the established approach of our authorities of constantly expanding “vulnerable” groups and providing them with benefits that often do not correspond to real needs (such as the right to out-of-order installation of residential telephones on preferential terms or the right to out-of-order service in communal and other enterprises), today it is worth focusing on the creation of such social services that will really help people in need of support to realize their social, economic and cultural rights and freedoms on an equal basis with others. For example, it could be the right to take certain educational courses free of charge, to learn a foreign language for a full-fledged return to civilian life. Also, the state can simplify the provision of electronic services for people with disabilities and veterans by implementing an electronic cabinet, which would facilitate the interaction of various state bodies and data exchange. We also have to pay special attention to general accessibility at different levels. We all talk about digitization and have “Action”, but still similar things remain out of reach for many people, especially when it comes to disability. People then have to go around the circles of hell in hospitals, ask for certificates, carry them to another institution, etc. In addition, in Ukraine, the employment rate of people with disabilities does not reach 20%, while in other European countries it is more than 50%. I think that now a lot of people who left in search of asylum in European countries felt how convenient it is to use accessible transport, how convenient it is to lead an independent lifestyle. I understand that this is not a matter of one month, or even one year, but we have to work on it now. What reforms do we want? With victory approaching, Ukraine can now begin the process of reforming the system of social services and turn it into a system of social support, in the center of which will be a specific person. This is necessary, in particular, in order not to return to false narratives and “cosmetic repairs”, as in previous years. The formation of state policy should already be based on an intersectional approach, modern knowledge and EU standards. We must avoid stereotyping people with disabilities and veterans, involving all population groups in reform processes. Otherwise, we will return to Ukraine, where people with disabilities remain as invisible as possible, and veterans are perceived by society through the prism of “beneficiaries” who allegedly need only medical rehabilitation. Where to start within the reform process that the social sphere needs in 2023: harmonization of national legislation in accordance with EU requirements; launching the process of reforming the sphere of social services and creating a system of real individualized social support and services for people with disabilities and veterans; finally abandon the “medical” understanding of disability and move to a human rights model in which a person, his full life and dignity occupy a prominent place (as required by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ratified by Ukraine); involvement of the final recipients of benefits and services in the formation of state policy, i.e. mandatory consideration of the votes of those to whom the policy is directed; creation of a system of rehabilitation and reintegration of veterans and people with disabilities – instead of the entrenched perception that they need to be treated and “hidden” from society in boarding schools, sanatoriums and hospitals; ensure that the obligation to restore accessible and inclusive infrastructure is included in the plans for the reconstruction of Ukraine, as well as take into account other issues related to ensuring the opportunity to freely and equally enjoy their rights in Ukrainian society for all people – with or without disabilities. For me, these reforms are primarily about preserving the value of absolutely every person. Politics should be built on this. And it should not be just charity or compassion. Social policy is not about pity, but about a comprehensive approach, where people and their rights are in the center of attention. Yuliya Sachuk, human rights defender, expert on human rights of people with disabilities, head and co-founder of NGO “Fight For Right”, specially for UP. Life Publications in the “View” section are not editorial articles and reflect exclusively the author’s point of view.

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