First Meeting of the Barrier-Free Council: Kharkiv Regional Military Administration

On May 7, 2026, Kateryna Melnykova, Deputy Director of the Charitable Foundation “Source of Revival” (CFSR), and Viktor Zhuk, Head of the NGO “KHARKIV COMMUNITY,” took part in the first meeting of the Regional Barrier-Free Council, held on the instruction of the Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov.

The meeting was opened by Deputy Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Ihor Turchenko and Director of the Department of Urban Planning and Architecture of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Hennadii Chechkinov. Heads of departments and structural units of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, representatives of communities and districts of the region, as well as representatives of volunteer and humanitarian organizations joined the meeting.

During the meeting, participants discussed key issues related to creating a barrier-free environment in Kharkiv region, including:

• implementation of the National Strategy for creating a barrier-free environment in communities;
• preparation and implementation of the National Barrier-Free Week, which will take place from May 25 to 31;
• the role of the humanitarian sector in developing an accessible and inclusive environment.

Special attention should be given to the speech by Olha Bakulina, Inclusion Advisor at the Humanitarian Coordination Center, who emphasized the urgency of barrier-free accessibility and highlighted that the charitable sector is already carrying out a significant share of work aimed at creating an inclusive environment.

Barrier-free accessibility is not only about infrastructure. It is about dignity, equal access to services, and opportunities for every person.

Participants also discussed the role of civil society institutions and international partners in implementing barrier-free accessibility policies.

Ihor Turchenko emphasized that work in this direction continues in close coordination with the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Office of the President of Ukraine, профиль ministries, and international partners.

“We are convinced that only through cooperation between authorities, civil society, and humanitarian organizations can real results be achieved. Today, this is no longer simply a need or a demand of the times — it is our shared responsibility to create conditions in which every person has equal access, respect, and opportunities,” said CFSR representative Kateryna Melnykova.