“Liderka”: A School of Political Participation for Girls and Women with Disabilities
The Political Participation School for Girls and Women with Disabilities, “LIDERKA,” was created to teach girls and women with disabilities how to advocate for their rights and beliefs, use political participation tools, and become actively involved in the country’s political and civic life.
Graduates of the School have the opportunity to complete internships with government institutions or major companies aligned with their experience and professional background.
Activity timeline
In July 2025, the first International Political Participation School for Girls and Women with Disabilities, “LEADERKA,” took place in Brussels, at the heart of European decision-making.
From July 14 to 18, thirteen young women with disabilities from European Union candidate countries participated in an intensive five-day program focused on political participation, leadership, advocacy, and the rights of persons with disabilities at both the national and European levels.
The School’s speakers included leading European and Ukrainian women leaders, human rights defenders, politicians, and human rights experts:
Katrin Langensiepen, a German Member of the European Parliament and the first person with a visible disability elected to the European Parliament;
Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Ukrainian human rights defender, Head of the Center for Civil Liberties, and a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate;
Olha Aivazovska, a civil society leader and Chair of the Board of the Civil Network OPORA;
Yuliia Sachuk, a human rights defender, founder of Fight For Right, and a leader of the women with disabilities movement in Ukraine;
Stéphanie Lange, a Belgian lawyer and politician and the first woman with a disability elected to the Belgian Parliament;
Irene Ceccanti, a human rights expert at the European Commission;
Sofia Grünwald, a Policy Officer with the European Commission’s Ukraine Service;
Antonella Candiago, a policy expert at the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL);
Jana Degrott, a Luxembourgish politician and activist who inspired participants to advocate boldly for the rights of persons with disabilities.
The School’s program combined theoretical learning with practical experience. Participants learned about the EU’s institutional system and mechanisms for influencing political decisions and took part in group…
On November 3, 2023, Fight For Right launched a two-year educational program in Lviv for girls with disabilities ages 13 to 15 as part of the “LIDERKA Teen” Political Participation School.
Twenty-three participants from across Ukraine came together to learn how to advocate for their rights and achieve their goals. Prominent and influential Ukrainian women shared their experiences and demonstrated through their own examples that disability is not a barrier to gaining recognition in a chosen field, holding senior leadership positions, fulfilling one’s potential in politics, or pursuing other ambitions. They also emphasized that the School’s participants have every opportunity to become strong leaders in the future.
The project is implemented with the support of the Finnish Fund for Local Cooperation.
In 2023, Fight For Right held its Political Participation School for Girls and Women with Disabilities, “LIDERKA,” abroad in Prague. This was the third time the School had taken place.
Over four days, from July 9 to 12, 2023, girls and women with disabilities attended lectures by leading speakers from Europe and around the world on how to advocate for their rights.
Five of the most active LIDERKA participants were offered internship opportunities at Ukrainian and European institutions.
We thank our partners at IFES Ukraine for supporting the implementation of the third LIDERKA School.
Shortly before russia’s full-scale invasion, we opened applications for the first online “LIDERKA” course and received 103 applications from girls and women across Ukraine.
We planned to announce the selection results on February 25, 2022. Instead, Russia launched its full-scale war against our country. We had to abandon our original plans and rapidly redirect the team’s efforts.
At the same time, we had an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate our leadership and stand up for our families and our country. Women with disabilities volunteer, save lives, serve in the military, support Ukraine on the information front, participate in rallies, and represent our country internationally.
We are grateful to our partners at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) for their understanding and flexibility when we had to redirect our efforts toward evacuating persons with disabilities.
The Political Participation School for Girls and Women with Disabilities, “LIDERKA,” took place from May 16 to 19, 2021.
That year, the School brought together 15 girls and women ages 17 to 40 from across Ukraine.
The School was opened by Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the European Union. Other speakers and guests included Iryna Fedorovych, Director of the Social Action Center; Mariia Nasiedkina, a management consultant in the civil society sector and ISAR Ednannia’s Best Trainer of 2020; Nataliia Okhotnikova, a human rights attorney ranked eighth among Ukrainian lawyers practicing before the European Court of Human Rights; Inna Pidluska, Executive Director of the International Renaissance Foundation; and others.
The second LIDERKA School was facilitated by Yana Salakhova, an independent expert on nondiscrimination, hate crimes, and hate speech, a Theatre of the Oppressed practitioner, and Head of the Theater for Change civil society organization.
As part of the School, participants visited the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, where they met with Minister Maryna Lazebna and presented the results of their work.
In 2021, the project was implemented with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine.
From November 19 to 21, 2019, Ukraine’s first Political Participation School for Girls and Women with Disabilities, “LIDERKA,” took place in Kyiv. Over three days, twenty participants from across the country learned about the fundamentals of political participation in Ukraine, leadership in politics, mechanisms for influencing decision-making, and the role of women in nation-building.
The School’s speakers included prominent Ukrainian and international women leaders such as Bronwyn Cruden, Deputy Director of the International Development Division at the Embassy of Canada in Ukraine; Yarina Ferentsevych, Deputy Director for Eastern Europe at the U.S. Department of State; Eva Katinka Schmidt, Head of the Justice, Freedoms, and Civic Space Unit at the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine; Iryna Suslova, a Member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the eighth convocation; Olha Aivazovska, Coordinator of Election Programs at the Civil Network OPORA; and other distinguished women. The School was facilitated by Oksana Potapova, co-founder of the Theater for Dialogue initiative, who also moderated the personal development sessions.
As part of the School, participants met with representatives of the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. During the meeting, they had the opportunity to raise the most pressing issues related to the protection of the rights of women with disabilities across various areas of public life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can enroll in the school?
For the LIDERKA School, we select 15 girls and women with disabilities ages 16 to 30 from cities, towns, villages, and regions across Ukraine. Age is not a decisive selection criterion.
If you are truly committed to defending the rights of all girls and women, are ready to learn, and are willing to work hard, demonstrate your motivation in your application—and you may become the next leader. 😉
How do I get into the school?
To apply, you must complete the application form and record a short video of up to one minute on the topic, “What I Want to Change in My Country.”
Why a video? When we say we are looking for true leaders, we mean it. Our participants must be prepared to speak in public and give interviews.
When is the next recruitment round?
We announce applications for the School on our website’s homepage and across our social media channels. Follow our updates so you do not miss the opportunity to apply.
History of Internships
Committee on Social Policy
Nataliia Shysholik
Internship with the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and Veterans’ Rights in 2020
“Of course, I was not able to draft legislation or prepare documents for the Verkhovna Rada, but I was given work that helped me understand legislative documents, attend committee meetings, and see how amendments are introduced. Government institutions are often viewed as places open only to a select few. But once I entered Parliament, I realized that ordinary people work everywhere—from security staff to senior leadership.”
Central Election Commission
Leonida Ponomarova
Internship with the Legal Department in 2020
“During my internship, I once again reviewed the revised Electoral Code, taking a close look at the new legal provisions concerning the participation of persons with disabilities in voting.”
Tetiana Herasymova
Internship with the Information Systems Department in 2020
“Seeing the Central Election Commission’s information systems management from the inside was an invaluable experience. It helped me understand how government institutions operate and gain deeper insight into the principles of information oversight and access. An internship is not only about working at the Central Election Commission—it is also about working on yourself every day.”
Zinaida Lohvynchenko
Internship with the Advisory and Methodological Support Department in 2021
“The best outcome was the change I saw in myself and in my understanding of my own abilities. It felt as though the world had become even bigger. This internship gave me the opportunity to learn about the important work of the Central Election Commission, meet wonderful people, and gain invaluable life experience.”
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration
Viktoriia Kharchenko
Internship in 2020
“My internship at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration gave me the opportunity to develop an even deeper commitment to gender equality, see firsthand how government institutions operate, and gain confidence in my own abilities.”
Ukrainian Cultural Foundation
Yana Unychenko
Internship in 2020
“During my internship, my mornings began with coffee overlooking the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Across the street were the museum and the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, where I completed my internship.
I spent the first week searching for the information needed to prepare for an inclusion conference. We looked for volunteers, civil society organizations, venues, and other resources. I also became acquainted with the team and my new workplace.”
Office of the Human Rights Commissioner
Yuliia Myroniuk
Internship in 2020
“The LIDERKA School and internship gave me a significant boost. I became more confident in my abilities and knowledge because I understand the field I work in and am committed to achieving results. During this time, I contributed to Kyiv’s municipal accessibility reform, which has already been partially adopted. I was also offered a position on the city’s accessibility committee, and other opportunities emerged.”
Kateryna Tykha
Internship in 2020
“It was very rewarding to share my ideas about organizing international sign language education and other opportunities for the development of Deaf people. I reviewed documents related to labor rights and learned the difference between employment agreements and civil law contracts, as well as the consequences of undeclared work. I also learned how to prepare formal complaints regarding rights violations.”
Diana Bilous
Internship in 2021
“I learned about the work of the Secretariat, assisted with monitoring tasks, searched for materials online, and wrote press releases. It was exciting to try something new and challenge stereotypes that had previously suggested this work was impossible for me because of my hearing disability.”
Oleksandra Vovchenko
Internship in 2021
“The internship gave me greater confidence in myself and my abilities, which is one of the strongest drivers of personal growth. I was fully involved in preparing informational materials and studying the details of various topics. My colleagues also listened to my recommendations on how a ramp should be designed in accordance with Ukraine’s State Building Codes. That was especially meaningful to me.”
Office of the Advisor—Presidential Commissioner for Accessibility
Mariia Ponomarenko
Internship in 2021
“My internship at the Office of the Presidential Commissioner for Accessibility helped me understand that our country’s success is directly linked to its level of accessibility. The greater the progress toward removing barriers, the better the quality of life for everyone. I was deeply inspired by these three weeks of work and sincerely want to dedicate my life to protecting human rights.”
Ministry of Social Policy
Olena Oliinyk
Internship with the Directorate for the Social Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2021
“I felt both deeply honored and determined because I was given the opportunity to learn how a government executive body operates from the inside, contribute my own recommendations and those of other persons with disabilities on issues that directly affect us, and demonstrate that persons with disabilities can work on an equal basis with others and make a meaningful contribution to society.”
