Meet Ivanna Mykhailenko: The Young Woman On A Quest To Strengthen the Rights of Ukraine’s Deaf Community
Sixteen percent of the world’s population lives with a disability. For Ivanna Mykhailenko, her disability is the reason she gets out of bed every morning. As a deaf person and recent graduate of Kyiv University of Intellectual Property and Law of the National University “Odesa Law Academy,” Ivanna has dedicated her life’s work to protecting and promoting equal rights for deaf people in her home country of Ukraine and deaf people around the world. It’s not an easy endeavor–especially while Ukraine defends its land and sovereignty from Russia–but with her headstrong determination and a skillset she gained thanks to an internship with International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Ivanna is forging a path toward inclusion for others like her.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ivanna’s life as a student suddenly came to a halt. The invasion brought immense challenges for the entire country, but people with disabilities were left especially vulnerable. On the first day of the incursion, Ivanna was in Kyiv, feeling isolated and desperate due to the lack of accessible information about what was happening. She recalls, “I woke up around six in the morning to my phone's vibration. My mother, who lives in Vinnytsia Oblast, was calling me. Then I began checking Telegram channels and I started to understand what was going on. The internet connection was very poor, so I felt isolated from other students and people in general for a while. I didn’t know how to get home to my parents or how to find shelter.”
Even before the Russian invasion, Ivanna says the deaf community in Ukraine often faced obstacles at every turn, most notably, a shortage of available sign language interpreters. “Before the war began, deaf people, like all people with disabilities, were unprepared,” Ivanna says. “Many deaf people have gone abroad, with some facing difficulties finding employment and social security in Ukraine. I wish there were more sign language interpreters to help in difficult situations. When I was a first-year student, I couldn't find interpreters because there weren't enough of them. Many deaf people want to study in different fields and at different educational institutions, but they often don’t have a choice--they can only study where interpreters are available.”
Confronted by the onslaught of war, the need for Ukrainian sign language interpreters became even more palpable. As a sign language teacher, Ivanna knew she wanted to start an organization, but she needed some hands-on skills to legitimize her efforts. “I really wanted to do something useful for people who are deaf. I wanted them to feel equal with others and understand their rights.” To bring her dream to fruition and add some qualifications to her resume, Ivanna enrolled in a three-month internship at IFES, where she studied at the IFES-sponsored School of Political Participation for Girls and Women with Disabilities, “Fight for Right: LIDERKA” program in Kyiv.
Through this IFES program, Ivanna acquired experience with project design and networked with other young people studying electoral and human rights law. “I gained a lot of experience, skills, and knowledge when I was an intern at IFES,” she says. “I attended many conferences and studied legislation, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I started participating in different projects. Eventually, I believed I could create an NGO together with a group of like-minded people who are deaf. For me, knowledge is important, but the most important thing is inspiration and the desire to help people with disabilities.” Shortly thereafter, Ivanna founded her new NGO called World of Silence.
For Ivanna, her goal to empower deaf people and share her expertise is what drives her advocacy every day. Establishing a new human rights organization aimed at promoting the participation of deaf people in decision-making processes at all levels of society is how Ivanna is making a difference in her country. “People with disabilities should influence government decisions by creating their own initiatives and achieving their own goals,” she says confidently.
In the future, Ivanna envisions her organization serving as a source of support for other deaf people around the globe and as an educational resource for the deaf community in Ukraine. “I believe that through my projects, people who are deaf will be more educated, free, and able to protect their rights. The mission of my organization is to advocate for the rights of deaf people, to educate them, to ensure accessibility and barrier-free access, and to change legislation regarding their rights. An important part of my work is also popularizing Ukrainian sign language.”
Through sheer grit, dedication, and IFES training, Ivanna is driving change for Ukraine’s deaf community and setting a powerful example for others, encouraging them to be persistent and proactive in their pursuit, regardless of the obstacles and societal stereotypes standing in the way. So when your mission feels insurmountable, Ivanna proudly advises, “If you think you can't do something other people can do, you should follow my life motto – nothing is impossible.”