EU for Trisomy 21 statement on Ukraine conflict

26 February 2022

Brussels, 26.February 2022 – EU for Trisomy 21 stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, with the grief, sadness, and devastation of every victim of this conflict. In any humanitarian crisis and armed conflict, people with Trisomy 21 or other disabilities face greater risks of violence, of being left behind on the run, of dying. According to the Disability Rights International’s 2015 “No Way Home” report over 2.7 Million people with disabilities are registered in Ukraine and over 82 thousand children live in institutions, segregated from society. Many of them are children with Trisomy 21.

The devastation of many of the major cities and the chaos resulting from this senseless conflict will have an immediate effect on the management and care provided in those facilities, with rumors flying that some of them are already being abandoned. 

We urge the European community and all countries dedicated to peace, solidarity and the respect of international law to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people and to use every means at their disposal to quickly end this aggression and restore peace.

We join the effort spearheaded by like minded organizations such as EDSA, the European Disability Forum and Down Syndrome international in their open letter to the Head of the European Institutions, European, Russian and Ukrainian Heads of State and NATO from 24 February 2022 which can be read in full here.

We particularly want to highlight the demands towards the political leadership and all humanitarian actors dealing with this crisis to ensure that persons with Trisomy 21 and disabilities:

  • have full access to all humanitarian aid;
  • are protected from violence, abuse and ill treatment;
  • are provided with accessible information about safety and assistance protocols, evacuation procedures and support;
  • have full access to basic services including water and sanitation, food, social support, education, healthcare, transport and information;
  • are accounted for and not abandoned;
  • are not left behind in institutions, are not forced to remain in institutions or are not moved into institutions on the basis of their disability and
  • are meaningfully involved in all inclusive humanitarian action, through their representative organizations.

Along with persons with Trisomy 21, particular attention must be paid to those who are most at risk – including (but not limited to) persons with intellectual disabilities, women, older persons, children, blind and deafblind persons, persons with psychosocial disabilities, persons with high support needs and persons internally displaced before recent incidents.

Other news

WDSD 2024 – DEAR DOCTOR CAMPAIGN

In December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared 21 March World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD).  On this day, people with Down syndrome and those who live and work with...

Time for More Equal Treatment

"The Future is Ours" Project: Empowering Change and Inclusion 7.th July 2023— The EU for Trisomy 21 Network is delighted to announce the successful conclusion of its fourth event in...

Time for More Health

The Future Is Ours: A Resounding Success in Brussels Brussels, May 12, 2023 You can find the official report here. The Future is Ours project has achieved resounding success with...

World Down Syndrome 2023 – Time For More Visibility

Brussels, 21st March – Today on World Down Syndrome Day, EU for Trisomy 21, in collaboration with our partners and self-advocates at CAP Events, commemorated this significant day at the...

The Future is Ours – Time for More Autonomy

YouTube Link: Magyar (Hungarian), Român (Romanian), Français (French), Deutsch (German), Polski (Polski), ελληνικά (Greek) You can take a look at our official report here. On the 7th of December 2022...

EU for Trisomy 21 reacts to ECHR verdict on the “Dear Future Mom” Video

In March 2014, the “Dear Future Mom” campaign video, supported by seven European associations, was broadcast all over the world for World Down Syndrome Day. Dear...