“Our team, together with local authorities and international partners, is working actively to ensure that more and more Diia.Centres are established across the country. These centres provide a place where every citizen can receive the support and assistance they need when accessing hundreds of essential public services. It is particularly important that Diia.Centres are increasingly being designed as barrier-free spaces, making them more accessible to everyone. I would like to thank the team for their willingness to lead positive change and for their commitment to delivering complex yet highly important projects.”
Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Valeriia Koval.
A barrier-free and energy-independent Diia.Centre was opened in Samar, Dnipropetrovsk region, with the support of EGAP Program
A modern, barrier-free and energy-independent Diia.Centre has opened in the city of Samar, Dnipropetrovsk region, with the support of EGAP Program. It is the 93rd centre of its kind in Ukraine, designed around a people-centred approach to interactions between citizens and the state.
Residents of the community can access 317 administrative services here, ranging from residence registration and passport issuance to the “I am a Veteran” and “eMaliatko” service packages.
The Diia.Centre features an electronic queue management system and an online appointment booking service. It also includes a self-service area where visitors can independently, or with the assistance of an administrator, access the Diia portal and other government digital services.
“Barrier-free access is the new norm — not an added benefit, but a fundamental standard for the state. The Ministry of Digital Transformation is removing barriers wherever people interact with public services. We are working to ensure that websites are accessible and user-friendly, while also adapting administrative service centres to meet the needs of people with disabilities and other groups with reduced mobility. We are building an inclusive digital future where high-quality services are accessible to everyone.”
Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Oleksandr Zakusylo.
The centre was designed with the needs of people with disabilities, veterans, parents with children, and older visitors in mind. It features a compliant access ramp, an accessible entrance area, clear navigation, a children's corner, an “I am a Veteran” service area, and inclusive parking facilities, including bicycle parking.
Prior to the opening, an accessibility audit was conducted in Samar with the support of EGAP Program. Experts assessed the surrounding area, internal premises, and the visitor journey, while the community received recommendations on how to remove existing barriers. The centre was subsequently equipped and organised based on these recommendations.
"At East Europe Foundation, through EGAP Program supported by Switzerland, we help communities establish Diia.Centers where services are accessible to everyone—including people with disabilities, veterans, parents with children, older adults, and other groups with limited mobility. This includes not only physical accessibility, but also user-friendly services, digital tools, and a comfortable interaction between citizens and the state."
President of East Europe Foundation, Viktor Liakh
As part of the project, the Diia.Center was equipped with furniture, computer and office equipment, an inclusive electronic queue management terminal, two workstations for issuing biometric documents, exterior signage elements, navigation signs with Braille, and a mobile service kit for providing outreach services to people with limited mobility.
A 30 kW solar power system was installed on the building’s roof. This enables the center to continue operating during power outages and provide administrative services without interruption.
The “Barrier-Free Administrative Service Center” project is being implemented as part of Ukraine’s National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment, initiated by First Lady Olena Zelenska. The accessibility assessment was conducted with the support of EGAP Program, implemented by East Europe Foundation with the support of Switzerland.