Today, December 3rd, we commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This serves as a reminder to the world that respect for human dignity is the foundation of a strong and just society.

The focus is on accessibility and equal opportunities for everyone: the right to free movement, access to quality services, education, and employment. The individual, their choices, and the ability to actively participate in community life must remain at the center of all decisions.

The ongoing war has made the issue of accessibility even more urgent. It is no longer just about individual initiatives but about a necessary transformation of management culture, design, and interaction — a new philosophy that will shape future urban spaces and digital services.

Thus, it is crucial to continue systematic efforts to ensure that accessibility becomes the norm across all sectors. This process has strong societal support. Over the past two years, more than 40 state building norms and standards concerning accessibility have been revised, and a draft law on the 'Fundamental Principles of State Policy for Creating an Accessible Environment in Ukraine' is under preparation. A large-scale accessibility monitoring across the country has been conducted, and an interactive Accessibility Map has been created with data on more than 70,000 facilities.

As part of the First Lady of Ukraine's initiative 'Without Barriers,' this year, the flagship project of the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development 'Movement Without Barriers' has started. It covers 15 pilot communities where comprehensive accessibility routes are being developed, with the potential for scaling the best solutions nationwide.

Our collective task is to ensure that accessibility becomes a norm and that inclusivity is a mandatory standard at the national, regional, and local levels.

Let us work together to build a country where individuals can live fully, realize their potential, and not be hindered by barriers.