Finnish-Developed Accessibility Index Launches First Pilot Project in Ukraine

BROVARY, UKRAINE / FINLAND – Russia's invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally changed the operating environment of cities across the country. As communities adapt to new realities, accessibility has become increasingly important to ensure that public services remain available to all residents, including people with disabilities, older adults, and veterans injured during the war.

The City of Brovary was looking for a practical and cost-effective way to evaluate the accessibility of its public buildings, identify priority improvements, and make informed decisions about future investments. The solution was the Accessibility Index, a Finnish-developed framework that provides a structured approach to measuring and improving accessibility.

Following a cooperation agreement signed in the summer of 2026, five city-owned facilities were selected for the pilot project. Riesa has provided the methodology, assessment materials, and guidance needed to collect accessibility data.

In the next phase, city employees in Brovary will gather accessibility information from the selected sites as security conditions allow. Based on the collected data, Riesa will conduct accessibility analyses and prepare Accessibility Index reports for each facility.

The reports will identify both quickly achievable improvements and longer-term development priorities. The goal is to provide the city with concrete recommendations for improving accessibility and directing reconstruction investments where they can have the greatest impact.

A Partnership That Began With a Magazine Interview

The collaboration began with a chance discovery.

Anni Kyröläinen, co-owner of Riesa, was reading an interview in IT Magazine, a national publication of the Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities, featuring a representative of the City of Brovary discussing the city's accessibility and development efforts.

"When I read the interview, my immediate thought was that we should tell Brovary about the Accessibility Index developed in Finland and how accessibility can be improved systematically through data. I mentioned the idea to a colleague, and that conversation ultimately led to this collaboration," says Kyröläinen.

The initial outreach led to discussions with the city, and over time those conversations developed into a partnership that is now bringing the first Accessibility Index pilot project to Ukraine.

“During the war, accessibility has become a matter of safety, survival and basic dignity. Accessible shelters save lives, adapted housing enables wounded defenders to return home, and inclusive services allow people to remain active members of society. Cooperation with Riesa through the Accessibility Index is an important step towards a truly barrier-free Brovary community,” says Olena Korovina, Head of the Division of Investment and External Relations at the Executive Committee of Brovary City Council.

Supporting Communities Today and During Reconstruction

The pilot aims to create a clear understanding of the current accessibility conditions of key public facilities and identify practical improvement measures.

Accessibility Index reports will help Brovary prioritize both immediate improvements and longer-term investments. The information can also support future reconstruction planning and provide evidence for funding and investment needs.

Following the pilot phase, the city will have the opportunity to continue into a broader development program, where planning, implementation, and monitoring of accessibility improvements can be supported systematically.

Any future expansion plans by Riesa in Ukraine will be announced separately.

"Accessibility is much more than a technical issue related to buildings. It affects people's ability to access services, participate in society, and live independently. Good accessibility benefits all residents. Our goal is to help cities make better decisions based on reliable information," Riesa states.