A/HRC/45/CRP.8 D. Impact of COVID-19 on persons with disabilities “Going to a shop now is a horror for persons with disabilities.” A woman working on the rights of people with disabilities. 103. Persons with disabilities living in the community faced increased barriers to access healthcare, rehabilitation services, food and education, and an insufficient supply of social services to meet their growing needs during the quarantine.86 Pre-pandemic, public infrastructure was largely inaccessible for persons with disabilities, creating barriers to social services. COVID-19 response measures exacerbated difficulties for persons with disabilities to access social services. Women with disabilities, single mothers who have children with disabilities, 87 families with several members with disabilities, internally displaced families with persons with disabilities, persons with disabilities living near the contact line and those living in homelessness were particularly vulnerable. 104. Distance learning was ineffective for children with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities due to their need for face-to-face contact with teachers, and the lack of guidance for teachers and parents. Many families also had no access to online learning because they lack the necessary technology and finances. 105. People with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities were already highly vulnerable and marginalised before the pandemic. Their situation is particularly worrisome due to the suspension of day care services and physical and psychosocial rehabilitation programmes as well as their imminent release from psychiatric facilities without proposed alternative forms of support following cuts in public funding. E. Impact of COVID-19 on people living in homelessness “Before they were grateful for our food-aid, but now I see that they can’t stop eating. I’ve never seen them so hungry before.” A woman supporting homeless people in Kyiv with meals and other food items. 106. Men and women living in homelessness face a higher risk of contracting COVID-19, and have been disproportionally affected by COVID-19 response measures. Homeless women are particularly vulnerable due to intersectional discrimination. The pandemic has further limited homeless men and women’s access to healthcare services.88 Often, their access to COVID-19 testing and treatment, face masks and sanitizers has been limited. Because of the quarantine, persons living in homelessness have lost their already limited access to shelter, food, water, hygiene, which will have a particularly negative impact on women and their menstrual needs. Sources of income have also diminished due to the closure of railway and bus stations, markets, waste recycling facilities and other places of business. 86 87 88 26 Based on 57 interviews with organizations uniting persons with disabilities or working with them conducted between 2 April and 31 July 2020 and an online questionnaire with 119 respondents. UN Women, Rapid gender assessment of the situation and needs of women in the context of COVID19 in Ukraine, May 2020, p. 59. See HRMMU Briefing Note on the Impact of COVID-19 and its prevention measures on homeless people in Ukraine, 16 June 2020, available at www.un.org.ua/images/documents/4970/Briefing_Note_Homeless_People_ENG.pdf.