Ukraine resumes unscheduled inspections of buildings for accessibility: LAOI position
10.11.2025
News
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved changes that allow state architectural and construction control authorities to resume unscheduled inspections of facilities for compliance with accessibility standards.
After the start of the full-scale war, these inspections were effectively suspended in order to reduce the burden on businesses and communities. However, for people with disabilities, parents with young children, older people and other groups with limited mobility, this meant not a simplification, but an increase in barriers in everyday life.
What is changing now
The government has simplified the control mechanism:
unscheduled inspections can now be carried out without the approval of the relevant ministry.
This makes it possible to respond more quickly to violations and increase the responsibility of developers and contractors who commission facilities without complying with accessibility standards.
This is not just about ‘convenience’ or technical details.
It is about the right of every person to move freely, to enter shops, hospitals, administrative buildings and use services without hindrance.
Where the challenges remain
Despite the positive decision, there are a number of risks:
- Training of specialists. Inspections are only effective when they are carried out by people who are familiar with DBN standards and universal design principles.
- Resources of regulatory authorities. Without a sufficient number of inspectors, transport and technical means, control may remain a formality.
- Territorial restrictions. Inspections are only permitted in safe regions. Therefore, frontline communities, where accessibility is critically important, will continue to remain without state control.
Why this decision is important
Accessibility is not a privilege or a comfort.
It is the right to participate in community life, the right to freedom of movement, the right to be independent.
The introduction of unscheduled inspections can significantly improve the quality of new construction, reconstruction and management decisions. However, the real effect will only be felt when control becomes systematic and professional.
LAOI's position
At the Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, we see every day how barriers in the environment affect people's lives — from the ability to get to the hospital to the simple act of leaving the house.
We welcome the Government's decision and look forward to the first results of the inspections.
LAOOD is ready to cooperate with communities, authorities and experts to improve Ukrainian accessibility practices and make the environment truly barrier-free.
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