IBSER expert conducted a webinar on integrating barrier-free principles into community development strategies

On May 5, 2026, Olga Terentieva, an expert at the Institute for Budgetary and Socio-Economic Research (IBSER), PhD in Public Administration, and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Public Service and Educational Institution Management of the State Institution “Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University,” conducted a webinar titled “Integrating Barrier-Free Principles into Territorial Community Development Strategies.”
The event brought together representatives of state authorities and local self-government bodies, educational institutions, civil society organizations, and the expert community from different regions of Ukraine.
The webinar was held as part of the educational events series of the nationwide campaign “State Without Barriers,” initiated by the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, as well as within the research project “Institutionalization of Cooperation Between Higher Education Institutions and Territorial Communities as a Factor in Restoring and Preserving Human Capital During Martial Law and Post-War Recovery.”
During the webinar, participants explored modern approaches to integrating barrier-free principles into community strategic development planning, the regulatory and legal framework for creating a barrier-free environment, and practical mechanisms for incorporating these approaches into local policies and development programs.
Particular attention was paid to the human-centered approach in strategic planning, the integration of barrier-free principles and gender equality, as well as the six key dimensions of barrier-free accessibility — physical, informational, digital, educational, economic, and civic.
The webinar also addressed common mistakes made by communities when integrating barrier-free principles into strategic documents and presented an implementation algorithm covering all stages — from barrier analysis and priority setting to the development of indicators and budgeting. A separate session focused on governance issues, cross-sectoral cooperation, and public engagement in creating barrier-free spaces.
Participants discussed practical examples of integrating barrier-free approaches into education, healthcare, social protection, and spatial planning, as well as opportunities for applying these tools in community recovery and sustainable development processes.
Such events contribute to the development of professional dialogue, strengthening interinstitutional cooperation, and building a shared vision for community recovery based on accessibility, inclusiveness, and a human-centered approach.