American experts will tell about the international experience of working with persons with disabilities

On June 14, at 9:30 am, a press conference will be held at the Ukrainian crisis media center at which Ukrainian and American experts will talk about international experience working with people with disabilities and modern technological solutions that help them to be independent in their daily lives. Experts will also focus on the amendments to the legislation that Ukraine must make to provide a decent life to people with disabilities.

The press conference will focus on the key differences between the Ukrainian and American approaches to the care of persons with disabilities. Who and how provide social services for persons with disabilities in the developed countries of the world? How does the West help persons with disabilities to socialize, including those who have problematic or even dangerous behavior?

Participation in the press conference will take:

  • Mykola Kuleba, Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children’s Rights;
  • Marianna Onufryk, Chief of Social Programs of the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER, NGO);
  • Christopher DiRosa, American consultant on the implementation of targeted solutions for persons with disabilities.

Today, there are more than 150 thousand children with disabilities in Ukraine. These are 2 % of the total child population of our country. Ukraine has undertaken international obligations to care for children with special needs, but in most cases, they are not met.

“In accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, such children should have access to all kinds of services at home, at their place of residence or on the basis of the local community. At the same time, the provision of social services should occur on a regular basis, that is, there must be special support from the state. Unfortunately, by a combination of subjective factors, these international obligations are not being fulfilled in Ukraine," – explains the Chief of Social Programs of ISER Marianna Onufryk.

The press conference is devoted to the international conference “US Experience in Providing Social Services for Families Raising Children with Disabilities”, which is organized by the Institute for Social and Economic Research in the American House in Kyiv on June 13-14.

The Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER, NGO) is a non-governmental think tank, founded by a group of independent experts with the aim of analyzing and developing better public policies. The Institute analyzes and improves state policy in key areas of socio-economic development, from the idea, its formulation, conceptualization to the introduction of specific solutions.

For more information, please contact Anton Drobovych: 093 138 40 70, drobovych@iser.org.ua