Intervention by the delegation of Ukraine

during 80th UNGA Third Committee interactive dialogue on the rights of persons with disabilities

23 October 2025

Thank you, Chair,

“Disability inclusion is not optional — it must be foundational.” These words of the Chair, Ms Miyeon Kim, truly resonate with me, and Ukraine which fully shares this conviction. Yet for us, this principle has become not a matter of choice, but a matter of survival.

Ukraine thanks the Special Rapporteur, Ms Heba Hagrass, for presenting her report.

Russia’s war of aggression has drastically changed the lives of millions. Since February 2022, the number of persons with disabilities in Ukraine has increased by more than 300,000 — now exceeding three million. Behind each figure is a person who once led a full life and now faces daily struggles simply to survive.

The consequences are especially severe in the temporarily occupied territories. Women and girls with disabilities face particularly disrupted medical care, lack of shelter, and a heightened risk of sexual and gender-based violence. Many children with disabilities have been forcibly taken from their families, forcibly transferred or deported to Russia, deprived of their Ukrainian identity, and subjected to systematic indoctrination — acts that cause lifelong trauma and aim to erase their sense of self.

Yet even under constant security threats, Ukraine is determined to create a country where no one is left behind. Our National Strategy for a Barrier-Free Environment until 2030 integrates inclusion into every stage of recovery: from infrastructure and employment to rehabilitation. More than 316 medical institutions now provide support, including psychological care for women who have survived CRSV (conflict-related sexual violence). A new law promotes labour-market inclusion, giving women with disabilities not only assistance but genuine opportunities to lead independent and dignified lives.

But inclusion cannot exist without justice. That is why Ukraine calls on all Member States and UN mechanisms to ensure accountability for Russia’s crimes, particularly those committed against persons with disabilities, and to support our efforts to build a just, peaceful, and inclusive future for all.

Madam Rapporteur, we would like to ask: What is the best way to ensure that persons with recently acquired disabilities feel genuinely integrated into society — especially in contexts where security concerns persist?

Thank you.