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Around the 2024 Donbas Media Forum (DMF) held in Kyiv on 18 and 19 October 2024, senior editors, media regulators, and managers engaged in a dedicated training and panel discussion led by UNESCO. These events focused on developing inclusive editorial policies, creating accessible content for individuals using assistive devices, and ensuring equitable opportunities within media organizations. Participants also examined how such transformative changes are crucial to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction process.

The war’s toll on Ukraine’s media landscape is profound. Many outlets - newspapers, radio stations, and news websites – have ceased operations, depriving citizens of reliable and life-saving information. 

This disruption particularly impacts people with disabilities, a social group already facing barriers to accessing information, media content and services. According to Ukraine's Ministry of Social Policy, over 3 million Ukrainians have one or more disabilities, and this number is expected to increase by 17,000 each month, largely due to the ongoing war. 

To address such challenges, UNESCO launched the  of its Practical Manual on Disability Equality in the Media during a training course organized for 17 senior media professionals from central and rural areas, including those working from front lines. The manual provides actional guidance on how to include persons with disabilities as part of the media audience and workforce. It also encourages media outlets to adapt their content and practices to support accessibility, a key step as Ukraine transitions to a more digital and inclusive media environment.

To underline the importance of the subject in our society, UNESCO brought together key figures from the media sector in Ukraine for a wide-ranging debate on disability equality in the media. 

Moderated by Ms Uliana Pcholkina, TV host and member of the Expert Council on Barrier-Free Communication at the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, the session was convened with the participation of Ms Natalia Harach, Member of the Supervisory Board of Suspilne (the National Public Broadcaster in Ukraine) in the Field of Protection of the Rights of Persons with Special Needs, Ms Sofia Skyba, Executive Director of the Pershyj Kryvirizkyj newsroom, Mr Maksym Zabielia, Journalist at the newspaper Ridne Misto, and Ms Olha Herasymiuk, Head of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine.

Mr Oleksandr Budko (Teren), a war veteran, media personality, and disability rights activist, took part in the panel. Mr Budko recently participated in a popular reality show in Ukraine. When asked if the show would bring about changes in TV production and the media in general, Budko responded: 

The mainstreaming of disability equality in media programming and coverage is also a fundamental step for the media sector to ensure its sustainability and relevance to the audience. By including around 3 million Ukrainians with disabilities as part of their audiences and consumers of media services, the sector can profit greatly from the creation of new revenue streams and ensure that media professionals with disabilities have equal opportunities in the workplace. 

Both the training and the panel session during the Donbas Media Forum 2024 also addressed how diversity, equality and inclusion are an essential part of Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction process. Enhancing media diversity in the country is a safe path to ensure social justice and equal participation for all citizens, especially for veterans, media professionals with disabilities and those affected by war.