"Governments, faith-based groups and churches, aid agencies and volunteer tourists, who donate cash and goods to orphanages or build and refurbish children's homes and other institutions, may be inadvertently funding human trafficking." - Laurie Ahern, DRI President
Apostrophe reports, "Disability Rights International (DRI) has published a report on how the rights of children living in special boarding schools are observed.
By Eric Rosenthal Chicago Tribune May 08, 2014 at 12:00 am
July 24, 2013--Kyiv, Ukraine-- Disability Rights International (DRI) is proud to announce the creation of its newest advocacy office in Kyiv, Ukraine. DRI also has regional offices in the Balkans, based in Serbia, and the Americas, based in Mexico City. DRI-Ukraine is affiliated with DRI but is locally-controlled by Ukrainian advocacy leaders.
Russia’s War Creates Orphanage Crisis In Ukraine. More than 11 million people have fled Ukraine as a result of Russia’s invasion. But many of most the vulnerable — mentally and physically disabled children — have been left behind.
In late April 2022, Disability Rights International (DRI) brought a team of people with disabilities and family activists, including medical and disability service experts, to visit Ukraine’s institutions for children with disabilities.
This is a video produced by DRI on the investigation.
Warning: Viewers may find some images in this report distressing.
BBC News has gained access to institutions in Ukraine where widespread abuse and mistreatment of disabled people has been uncovered. Around 100,000 children and young people live in these institutions, which pre-date the war with Russia. Human rights investigators say Ukraine should not join the European Union until it closes these institutions. The Ukrainian government has promised a series of reforms over the past few years, acknowledging that its system of institutionalisation needs to change.