Ukraine’s Forgotten Victims: The Plight of Roma with Disabilities in Wartime
As Ukraine endures the devastating impacts of the ongoing war with Russia, some of the country’s most vulnerable citizens — Roma with disabilities — have been left behind. A new report, Ukraine’s Forgotten Victims: Roma with Disabilities in Wartime, published by the International Charitable Organization Roma Women’s Fund Chiricli and Minority Rights Group International, exposes the dire circumstances facing this marginalized group and calls for urgent action.
Systematic Neglect and Discrimination
Roma communities in Ukraine have long faced discrimination and marginalization, but the war has deepened their vulnerability. For Roma with disabilities, the situation is even more critical. The report documents widespread exclusion from humanitarian aid, lack of access to healthcare, education, clean water, and basic social services. Many Roma families are forced to live without electricity, running water, or heating, in areas isolated from the cities.
State social services, which should guarantee support even during wartime, are largely absent in Roma settlements. Discrimination remains rampant: over 50% of Roma interviewed reported daily ethnic discrimination, and more than 40% lack the pension or disability identity cards required to access government benefits. Even humanitarian aid, when distributed, often bypasses Roma communities altogether.
Health and Economic Hardship
The majority (90%) of Roma with disabilities surveyed are in urgent need of medical assistance, but hospitals overwhelmed by war casualties have no space for them. Additionally, environmental contamination from ongoing military operations has poisoned water supplies, posing further health risks.
Unemployment among Roma with disabilities is nearly total, and even before the war, many struggled to obtain basic welfare support due to bureaucratic barriers and demands for expensive medical documentation they could not afford. With skyrocketing food and medicine prices, surviving daily life has become nearly impossible for many families.
Educational Barriers for Roma Girls
The war has forced many Ukrainian children to shift to online education. However, Roma children — especially girls with disabilities — are being left behind. Over half of the Roma families surveyed reported no internet access, violating local government standards that mandate online learning opportunities. Without urgent intervention, a generation of Roma girls risks being further excluded from education and economic opportunity.
Efforts by Roma Organizations
Amid this neglect, organizations like Chiricli have stepped in where the government has failed. Their mediators not only distribute essential supplies but also advocate at national and international levels for the rights of Roma with disabilities. Despite operating under the constant threat of rocket attacks, Chiricli continues to document rights violations and push for systemic changes.
Through conferences and direct dialogue with Ukrainian government agencies, Chiricli has advocated for the inclusion of Roma with disabilities in social programs, called for the allocation of budget funds from the Roma Strategy 2030, and demanded better infrastructure, healthcare, and educational access for Roma communities.
Recommendations for Change
The report outlines clear recommendations:
• Assign state social workers to monitor and support Roma with disabilities.
• Use government funds to ensure internet access, medical care, mobility equipment, and proper housing.
• Protect Roma from discrimination in healthcare and social services.
• Guarantee the payment of disability pensions without delays or illegal reductions.
• Establish educational support programs for Roma girls excluded from online schooling.
A Call for Urgent Action
Roma with disabilities in Ukraine have been rendered invisible in both wartime aid efforts and longer-term government programs. Without immediate, targeted action from Ukrainian authorities and international partners, their suffering will continue to deepen.
As the authors of the report warn, while the situation documented was already alarming in 2022–2023, it has likely worsened since then. Now more than ever, the voices and rights of Ukraine’s forgotten victims must be heard — and protected.