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This report is the result of a programme conducted by International Charitable Organization Roma Women’s Fund Chiricli (hereafter, Chiricli). The programme included research into the many challenges facing Roma with disabilities in Ukraine. Chiricli implemented the first phase of this project from 22 April 2022 to 20 May 2022, by which time Ukraine was already at war with the Russian Federation.
Publication of this report has unfortunately been delayed due to the present circumstances. Chiricli and Minority Rights Group (MRG) nevertheless believe that the data it contains reflects the many issues currently facing Roma with disabilities in wartime. In truth, the situation has undoubtedly worsened since the research was carried out.
While implementing project activities focussing on the documentation of human rights violations and discrimination against Roma with disabilities in Ukraine,
Roma mediators interviewed Roma people with disabilities in communities in the following regions:
Lugansk (in the town of Kreminna), Kirovogradskiy (in the city of Kropivniskiy), Odessa (in the city of Odessa),
Zakarpattya (in the city of Uzhgorod) and Zaporizhskiy (in the city of Zaporizhya).
In 2022, the mediators interviewed 72 Roma with disabilities from the regions listed. The replies indicated that there was explicit discrimination towards Roma with disabilities, with responses underlining a lack of access to state social services. For example, 44.4% of those interviewed (32 persons) did not have a pension card to access welfare benefits. To the question, ‘Are you registered with a disability identity card in Ukraine?’, 44.6 % (40 persons) answered ‘No’. These cards are necessary for accessing social services in Ukraine. This lack of registration reflects the multiple discrimination faced by Roma with disabilities, based on their origin and disability. Moreover, the interviewees attested to this discrimination explicitly when they were interviewed in their communities, in settings where they were able to talk about the issues they face.
To the question, ‘What other important difficulties do you have today?’, the interviewees answered: ‘financial reasons’; ‘unemployment and financial difficulties’; ‘treatment and registration of disability’; ‘safety for myself and my family’; ‘medicines and food’; and ‘problems with renting a house’.
In relation to discrimination against Roma people, mediators identified that 52.4% of the Roma people interviewed face discrimination based on their ethnicity.
As the interviewees explained, they face discrimination at every level of their lives. Some of them said that it was very hard to achieve their aims in life, because non-Roma did not understand the challenges Roma face.
At the time of the interviews, Chiricli was working with local regional administrations to protect the rights of Roma with disabilities. The Chiricli team passed on information regarding the needs of Roma with disabilities to these administrations. These needs included: medical assistance; help with employment, accessing healthcare and medicine; help with registration for disability benefit; help in obtaining adult nappies, treatment, rehabilitation, food and medicines; and financial assistance. The local authorities have stated that they can only help Roma with disabilities with what is left over from the general pool of humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
During the winter of 2023, Chiricli received calls from the Odessa region saying that Roma with disabilities were experiencing discrimination in the distribution of humanitarian aid. Odessa is the largest region in Ukraine in terms of size, and most Ukrainian Roma live there, so it can be inferred that such discrimination is representative. The general economic situation of Roma was very marginalized, and social services for Roma with disabilities were nonexistent. This situation led Chiricli to continue their human rights activities in the Odessa region, monitoring