6.5.6 Accessibility

Global situation

Creating an accessible environment is a first step towards an inclusive society. Accessibility is a cross-cutting issue for the other main sectors such as health, professional integration, education, sport. Indeed, all health centres, schools, swimming pools, stadiums, must be accessible for all.

An accessible environment is defined as a space that allows free and safe movement, function and access for all, regardless of age, sex or condition, or a space or a set of services that can be accessed by all, without obstacles, with dignity and with as much independence as possible.    
Accessibility can be defined on three main levels:

1. Accessibility of the built environment, which includes housing and private buildings, as well as public spaces or buildings. 
2. “Geographic accessibility”, which looks at the ability to move about: everybody should be given the right, and the chance, to choose their means of transport, to go from one place to another according to their needs, abilities and budget.
3. Access to means of information and communication (information in public buildings for example, or access to a website).

Possible solution

The process of making the built environment accessible to all must not be limited to the mere construction of access ramps. A more global approach – that of the mobility chain – should be adopted. This should include reflections upon: the interior design, common areas in collective housing, the building’s entrances, equipment and services, public buildings and areas, means of transport, etc. One missing element is enough to cancel out all efforts and improvements conducted elsewhere, and can result in excluding disabled individuals by making the environment inaccessible to them. The “continuity” of the mobility chain therefore appears to be the key element for an environment accessible to all. It implies deep commitment from many, if not the involvement of all. On the other hand, better accessibility will benefit a large part of the population, including people with reduced mobility, but also elderly people and everyone facing a temporary disability, pregnant women, etc.

Finally, regarding the principle of “universal design” or “design for all”, we have to remember that a barrier-free environment benefits all actors, as it suits the needs of the majority of the population.

Accessibility must also be developed in urban or rural areas. Indeed, people with disabilities in rural countries encounter the same difficulties in their daily lives regarding the use of public or private facilities, for example water and sanitation services.

Because accessibility does not involve any extra cost if taken into account at the beginning of every conceptual phase, and because local and low-cost solutions could be created in each context, this field must be taken into account in PRSPs.

The following four main orientations could be integrated into PRSP measures:

1. Providing information, raising awareness at different types of audiences: associations and local NGOs, architects, engineers, technicians, public authorities, local councillors, the media, project managers, building owners, the general population, etc.
2. Offering professional training and exchanging good practices for public authorities in general with project managers, architects, city planners, building companies, etc.
3. Creating or improving the legislative framework, and enhancing effective law enforcement. Each state could support this with technical guidelines that explain simply and clearly the laws and standards and how they should be implemented.
4. Supporting and accompanying partners which are implementing accessibility-oriented actions at local level, which is a good point to start work on regarding accessibility implementation.

Local surveys must be conducted, as much as possible, in partnership with DPOs, local authorities and many other stakeholders, both private and public. They should be used to prioritise actions and to define an action plan in partnership with the disabled community and their representatives.

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