UNDP launches the Universal Design School to support the inclusive recovery of Ukraine

Kyiv, October 10, 2024 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is launching the Universal Design School (UD School) – an innovative and much-needed initiative that will promote the inclusive recovery of Ukraine, focusing on reconstruction that takes the principles of accessibility into account.

In addition to practical work on projects, the UD School offers an educational program that includes workshops, lectures and case studies delivered by experts in accessibility and inclusion. Each group of participants will be accompanied by a mentor who will help develop practical solutions in line with international universal design standards, focusing on improving key sectors such as health care, education, public services and culture. 

As part of the school's program, participants – architects, designers, urban planners and engineers – will work in interdisciplinary teams, solving real problems so that public spaces, buildings and services are accessible to everyone, in particular to people with disabilities.

As part of the training, 70 participants from across Ukraine, selected from more than 300 applicants, were chosen to work on real projects in 13 Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Rivne, Slavutych, Lviv and Poltava. The selected projects cover a wide range of public spaces – medical facilities, schools, cultural heritage sites and state institutions, which will be designed to be accessible to everyone, in particular to people with disabilities.

The UD School is an important response to the needs of Ukraine's post-war reconstruction, where thousands of people, including those who became disabled as a result of the war, now live in an environment that requires inclusive and resilient recovery. The school's aim is to give participants the practical skills and theoretical knowledge needed to integrate the principles of universal design into recovery processes, which will ensure that new and reconstructed structures are barrier-free.

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine Christoforos Politis emphasized the decisive role of the school in the recovery of Ukraine: “The launch of the Universal Design School could not have come at a more important time,” said Christoforos Politis. “As Ukraine embarks on the difficult path of rebuilding war-ravaged cities and communities, we have a unique opportunity to ensure that inclusivity is at the heart of these efforts. Universal design is not just technical guidelines; it is a philosophy that puts people's needs first in planning and development. Whether it is a hospital, a school or a cultural facility, our goal is to create spaces where everyone can live and thrive with dignity.”

Tetiana Lomakina, Adviser — Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for barrier-free accessibility, emphasized the significant impact of universal design in present-day conditions: “Every space has one purpose – to make it possible to live, work, study, rest and buy groceries – basic actions available to everyone without exception. Universal design takes into account the diversity of people and their basic needs, offering solutions that make a space not only inclusive but also fair,” said Tetiana Lomakina. “We must understand that universal design, like barrier-free accessibility, is not a whim or an additional feature but a requirement for the developer. It is about social responsibility in communities, about a strategic approach to the development of Ukraine, about the consistent transformation of spaces and society.”

The UD School will run until December 2024, concluding with a presentation of the final projects. These projects are expected to leave a significant mark on Ukraine's recovery process, offering real, accessible solutions that will improve the quality of life of all citizens, regardless of their physical abilities.

During this initiative, Artem Honcharenko gave a presentation, representing the veteran space of the Institute for Reintegration, Rehabilitation and Professional Development of Veterans “Architecture of Resilience” of the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture. In his presentation he shared his experience of working with veterans, of integrating them into inclusive projects, and the importance of architectural solutions that, within the school, can be developed by participants and implemented in the veteran space, aimed at ensuring accessibility and adaptation of urban space for all citizens, including veterans.

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The Universal Design School is organized within the UNDP project “Mine Action in Ukraine” with financial support from the Government of Sweden.

For media inquiries: Yuliia Samus, head of communications at UNDP in Ukraine, yuliia.samus@undp.org