Ukrainian educator and psychologist Iryna Markevych has warned that mental barriers and social stigma pose a greater threat to people with disabilities in Ukraine than physical obstacles. Writing in an opinion column published on August 12 on the independent media outlet LIGA.net, Markevych stated that rapid increases in war-related injuries make societal acceptance an urgent test of national maturity.
More than three million people in Ukraine currently live with disabilities, a figure that is rising rapidly. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian military personnel and civilians have suffered amputations caused by the war.
Markevych has worked directly with injured citizens in hospitals and on the ground during the 2014 Maidan protests in Kyiv, also known as the Revolution of Dignity. She stated that mutual adaptation between society and individuals with disabilities is no longer a narrow topic reserved for specialists, affected families, or disabled people themselves.
Infrastructure progress and developer failures
Ukrainian institutions and businesses have implemented physical accessibility measures in recent years, including inclusive school classrooms, public elevators, Braille lettering on product packaging, and subtitles in movie theatres. Markevych compared these achievements to basic skills acquired in childhood, maintaining that physical infrastructure alone is no longer sufficient.
She questioned why an individual would choose to leave home if society remains unprepared to accept them without fear, discomfort, stigma, or rejection. She also highlighted cases where real estate developers build ramps that lead nowhere merely to meet mandatory state construction codes without considering practical utility.
Xenophobia and social visibility
Markevych observed that xenophobia sustains itself by creating a lack of visibility for disabled people in public spaces. When social discomfort keeps injured individuals indoors, public unfamiliarity reinforces prejudice.
To address the crisis, Markevych urged Ukraine to establish psychological inclusion alongside physical accessibility. She stressed that true integration requires changing societal attitudes so that veterans and disabled civilians can navigate public life without facing exclusion.
