You need a minute to reflect on Accessibility-it concerns you!
A man in a wheelchair transporting himself home after a meeting at a local church at Ntumda in the Biakoye District of the Oti Region.
With increasing urban populations around the world, there is a great need for accessible infrastructure, especially in cities.
When the needs of persons with disabilities are considered in infrastructure planning, drawing on the principles of universal design, persons with disabilities have greater independence and access to employment, transport, health care, and other necessary services. An accessible infrastructure can take many forms: for example, ramp access to buildings, tactile strips marking safe paths for visually impaired persons, or adapted toilets with grab rails.
Ensuring access to the built environment is a crucial element in reducing the vulnerability and isolation of persons with disabilities, and in allowing them to enjoy every aspect of the life of their community, on an equal basis with others.
I can assure you that these measures benefit not only persons with disabilities but also every person in society. Infrastructure interventions can be planned as isolated efforts or as part of a larger urban development plan that involves policies and strategies that support inclusion through access to markets, services, education, and future development projects for every individual, particularly persons with disabilities.
It is important for local governments and municipalities and city planners to consult with persons with disabilities to understand how policy and built environment changes can reduce barriers to participation. In the context of emergency preparedness and resilience, accessibility means that there are plans in place to support persons with disabilities, and to ensure the protection of their basic rights in such situations.
In Ghana, accessibility in all its forms continues to be a big challenge for people with disabilities. Advocacy for the implementation of the Ghana Accessibility Standard for Built Environment has therefore become critical. There is a need for everyone to advocate for the implementation and monitoring of the Accessibility Standard developed by the Ghana Standards Authority in 2016 as well as to make efforts to influence the government to ensure all public buildings, including the new hospitals being constructed as part of the COVID-19 response, conform to the accessibility standards.
Reflect on accessibility daily and you will see that it concerns you! Be interested, and join the advocacy towards the processes of removing barriers to accessibility - do your part to ensure accessibility wherever you find yourself!
I supervised a filmmaker to produce an evidence-based documentary on the Ghana Accessibility Standard for Built Environment and the government Agenda 111 programme.
The Ghana Accessibility Standard for the Built Environment was adopted in 2016. The Standard sets up requirements for accessibility intended to ensure buildings and public places are more accessible to people with disabilities, pregnant women, and older people. The Standard is to be used to embed accessibility in the design of the built environment.
The Agenda 111 is the Government of Ghana’s initiative to build 111 hospitals and also to renovate the already existing hospitals.
The documentary features the testimonies of several members of the disability community, and it includes key accessibility features such as captioning and sign language interpretation as well as a voice-over. The documentary raises awareness on the Ghana Accessibility Standard for Built Environment, advocates for its implementation and calls on government and other stakeholders to ensure Agenda 111 on health facilities are accessible to all people with disabilities including people with mental health conditions.
You can watch the documentary and promote discussion on the accessibility situation in Ghana. If you need more directions, Ghana Somubi Dwumadie is developed this Accessibility Toolkit to help you in your accessibility journey.