Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, I want to speak about the people whose right to a dignified life requires special attention and protection. International Day of Persons with Disabilities is a reminder that our society must be just and inclusive for everyone, with no exceptions.
There are over 560,000 people with disabilities living in Belarus, yet their problems often remain invisible. Barriers exist not only on the streets – they are embedded in our laws, education, healthcare, and labor market.
People with spinal muscular atrophy have waited for over two years for an automatic lift to be installed in their building. Parents caring for an adult son with a disability have had their pension revoked because he couldn’t sign documents proving his inability to work. There are barely any state rehabilitation programs for those over 18. And it is especially painful when people with disabilities become victims of repression. Convicts are denied adequate medical assistance. The lack of basic conditions led to the tragic deaths of Ihar Lednik and Mikalai Klimovich. This is the result of a system that places no value on human life – as shown by the closure of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, an NGO that helped the people the state ignored. Today’s ‘authorities’ do not see these people as equal citizens.
But I believe that Belarus can be changed for the better. We strive for a future where every person has the right and opportunity to study, work, participate in public life, and receive quality support. The past few years have shown that we are not the kind of people who turn a blind eye to the needs of others. We are the ones who open doors, help carry heavy bags, offer seats on public transport, create support networks, and teach empathy and action. Together, we are already building a Belarus where no one will be forgotten. A country’s true value lies in its people – all people, with no exceptions”.
The Humanitarian Ambulance Service has launched a fundraising campaign for International Day for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to support political prisoners with disabilities and families of political prisoners that have children with disabilities.
