Tetiana Barantsova

Tetiana Barantsova
Born
Luhansk, Ukraine
Occupation
  • Disability rights advocate

Tetiana Barantsova (Ukrainian: Тетяна Баранцова; born 1973) is a Ukrainian disability rights activist and the founder of Ami-Skhid organisation. 2020 appointed Ukrainian Government Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She was the 2020 European winner of the Nansen Refugee Award.

Early life and education

Barantsova was born in 1973 in Luhansk.[1][2] She broke her spine at the age of ten years while doing school gymnastics.[1] Graduated from Kyiv National University of Arts and Culture in 2002, and University of Education Management in 2018.[2]

Adult life

Barantsova is a disability rights activist and in 2002 she set up Ami-Skhid non-governmental organisation that helps Ukrainian women, families, and youth with disabilities.[1][3] The organisation undertakes advocacy and provides counselling and support services to people with disabilities.[1]

In 2014, Barantsova, her husband, and her son were displaced by the Russo-Ukrainian War.[1] Once she reached safety, she set up a phone line to provide advice to people with disabilities who were trapped in the conflict zone, and provided advice, cash, and both legal and psychological support to 5,000 people.[1] Barantsova also set up an online school for internally displaced children, providing education to 1,000 pupils.[1]

From 2008 to 2020 she worked in Luhansk Oblast Centre for the Sociocultural Adaptation of Youth with Physical Disabilities[2] In 2020, she was the European winner of the Nansen Refugee Award.[1][4]

As of 2022, she was an advisor to the government of Ukraine.[5] She was appointed Government Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and was working to organize the evacuation abroad of people with disabilities and mobility impaired people from various regions of Ukraine.[6]

Personal life

Barantsova was aged 46 in September 2020.[1] Married to Oleksiy Soroka, with one son.

Awards

On December 4, 2011 awarded Order of Princess Olha, 3rd Class.

In 2020, she was the European winner of the Nansen Refugee Award.[1][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Activist champions rights of people with disabilities in Ukraine". UNHCR. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
  2. ^ a b c "Biography of Tetiana Barantsova on the Government of Ukraine Portal". GoU (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  3. ^ Agudo, Alejandra (2020-09-30). ""En los momentos tristes pienso que, sin nuestro trabajo, muchas de las niñas estarían muertas"". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
  4. ^ "Tetiana Barantsova". The Independent. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
  5. ^ Stewart, Ashleigh (7 March 2022). "Escape from Ukraine: 4-time Paralympian's 1,000-kilometre journey with disabled son - National | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
  6. ^ Tetiana Barantsova: The organization of assistance for the most vulnerable categories of people is the overriding priority for our team/Ukrainian Government Portal, 07 April 2022
  7. ^ "Tetiana Barantsova". The Independent. Retrieved 2022-08-19.