The Right to Safety for All: Shelter Access for People with Visual Impairments

During an air raid alert, it is crucial to act quickly: gather your essentials, locate the nearest shelter, go underground, or take cover behind two walls. Many people rely on signs, information boards, or mobile app notifications to navigate. But what happens when this information is unavailable or access to shelters is limited? 

People with visual impairments often navigate using sound, rhythm, and the texture beneath their feet. In moments of danger, however, sounds can become disorienting: sirens, shouting, and explosions merge into chaos, making it nearly impossible to find direction. If there is no one nearby to help, a person may be left alone in panic – quite literally without a way to safety. 

This video highlights that access to shelters during wartime is a matter of life and death, and human rights should not depend on whether someone can see. The right to protection must be guaranteed for everyone and should not rely on chance, luck, or the presence of a passerby willing to help. 

Humanitarian safety and accessible shelters are not just logistical concerns – they are fundamental rights for every citizen. 

This video was produced by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine (NAPD) with the technical support of UN Women Ukraine and funding from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). The content and views expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect the official position or endorsement of the United Nations.