3 December 2025
On December 3, 2025, the Forum of Pilot Initiatives on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), dedicated to the International Day of People with Disabilities, was held in Minsk.
The Forum was organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Republic of Belarus. It was attended by representatives of government agencies, public organizations, and the Embassy of the Russian Federation.
The Forum was opened by Armen Martirosyan, Deputy Resident Representative of the UNDP in the Republic of Belarus. In his speech, he underscored that inclusion and equal opportunities are our shared responsibility that requires solidarity, respect for human rights and joint action.
“Equal opportunities are not a privilege, but a right of everyone. Worldwide, more than a billion people continue to face barriers in education, healthcare, employment, transportation, the digital environment, and public life. These barriers do not arise because of disability per se, but because of systems and installations that do not consider the dignity and potential of a person. The task of the UNDP is to help countries eliminate these barriers,” Armen Martirosyan said.
Irina Velichko, Head of the Main Department of Multilateral Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, delivered a welcoming speech on behalf of the Secretariat of the National Coordinator for Achieving the SDGs. She highlighted the contribution of the Forum and the pilot initiatives on the SDGs implemented within the framework of the international technical assistance project “Support to the Efforts of the Republic of Belarus in Nationalization and Localization of SDGs” funded by the Russian Federation to the ongoing state policy on the protection of the rights of people with disabilities. She also noted this work as a good example of international partnership aimed at creating additional opportunities for government support for this category of citizens.
“It is encouraging that among the areas of the Contest of pilot initiatives on the SDGs there are initiatives aimed at creating a barrier—free environment, integrating people with disabilities into society and their participation in the country’s economy,” Irina Velichko noted.
In his welcoming speech, Peter Frolov, Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Belarus, noted the work done and the results achieved with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation within the framework of the international technical assistance project “Support to the Efforts of the Republic of Belarus in Nationalization and Localization of SDGs”, and confirmed the intention for further fruitful cooperation of the Russian Federation with government agencies and the UN country team.
“Within the framework of the Project, the Communication Strategy on the SDGs was developed, Methodological foundations for assessing legislation for compliance with the SDGs, 21 pilot initiatives on the SDGs were launched, and the National Multidimensional Poverty Index was calculated,” said Petr Frolov. “The Russian Federation intends to continue to assist Belarus in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Svetlana Nechai, Deputy Minister and Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Republic of Belarus, emphasized the importance of the International Day of People with Disabilities as a reminder of everyone’s responsibility to create a society of equal opportunities.She noted Belarus’ efforts to ensure equal access of citizens to medical care, disease prevention, rehabilitation and modern technologies, regardless of physical abilities and income level.
“The disability rate in Belarus is about 6%, which is noticeably lower than the global average of 15%,” the Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of Belarus informed. “The Ministry of Health, together with other government agencies, is actively working to form an inclusive society that aims to empower people with disabilities. These efforts are an important contribution to improving the quality of life of citizens and strengthening the principles of social justice in our country.”
In her welcoming speech, Eva Zubkovskaya, Deputy Head of the Department for Disabled People of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus, highlighted that special attention is paid to people with disabilities in the country: government programs and measures are being implemented aimed at improving their quality of life, social rehabilitation, leisure activities, and creating an accessible environment. She also expressed confidence that the pilot initiatives on the SDGs presented at the Forum will find their place in further practical implementation for the benefit of people.
Valery Pavlyukevich, Chairperson of the Luninets district organization of the Belarusian Society of the Disabled public association, noted in his welcoming speech that, thanks to an integrated approach and effective government policy, Belarus is making significant progress in realizing the rights of people with disabilities, outstripping many countries that joined the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities much earlier.
The Chairperson of the Luninets district organization of the Belarusian Society of the Disabled public association stressed the importance for people with disabilities and public associations of such programs as the Contest of Pilot Initiatives on the SDGs, which provide an opportunity to implement inclusive projects.
“The international technical assistance project “Support to the Efforts of the Republic of Belarus in Nationalization and Localization of SDGs”, funded by the Government of the Russian Federation, has shown us that strong commitment will necessarily lead to success. I sincerely hope that in the future we will have an opportunity to implement many good and, most importantly, necessary SDG initiatives and help achieve the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals at the local level,” said Valery Pavlyukevich.
A special feature of the Forum was the presentation of the adaptive collection of clothes for people with disabilities in wheelchairs, created in partnership with UNDP and Bellegprom Concern.
“The goal of this initiative is to create a collection of adaptive clothing for people in wheelchairs, which combines several principles: thoughtful cut and construction, modern design. These are clothes that allow you to feel free in any environment,” said Alexandrina Orlova, Director of the Fashion Center. “The starting point was not an abstract idea, but a specific need and request.”
An important stage in the creation of the collection was the direct participation of future consumers in identifying current problems, developing prototypes and correcting patterns. This participation was provided by the UNDP together with public organizations representing the interests of people with disabilities. This approach allowed us to consider the real needs and expectations of the target audience. As a result, each model presented in the collection is aimed at solving specific user tasks, organically combining the functionality of adaptive elements and modern design.
The adaptive collection is presented in the presentation.
The Forum also presented the results of pilot initiatives on the SDGs, which were successfully implemented in 2025 in all regions of Belarus with the support of the UNDP within the framework of the international technical assistance project “Support to the Efforts of the Republic of Belarus in Nationalization and Localization of SDGs”, funded by the Russian Federation. These initiatives have become an important step towards building a society where equal opportunities and sustainable development are valued.
Each initiative has its own unique focus: the development of new competencies and educational practices, the creation of modern production facilities and innovative solutions, the formation of a barrier-free environment, socialization and the involvement of local communities in development processes. The scale of citizen participation is of particular importance: 4,903 people (71% women) participated in the implementation of pilot initiatives on the SDGs, including 693 people with disabilities.
Thanks to the implemented pilot initiatives on the SDGs:
More information about the results of each SDG pilot initiative can be found in the presentation, video and brochure.
During the Forum, representatives of pilot SDG initiatives discussed best practices, lessons learned, challenges and barriers, as well as promising areas and project ideas on sustainable development.
The Forum of pilot initiatives on the SDGs was organized and conducted by UNDP in the Republic of Belarus as part of the international technical assistance project “Support to the Efforts of the Republic of Belarus in Nationalization and Localization of SDGs” with financial support from the Russian Federation.
Video of the Forum
Full photo gallery of the Forum
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