Latest news with #disabilityfriendly
Zawya
3 days ago
- General
- Zawya
Sharjah: A global standard for inclusion and a model of social integration and sustainable development
Sharjah: Hosting the World Congress 2025 'We Are Inclusion" in the Emirate of Sharjah is a culmination of a longstanding humanitarian and developmental journey that has solidified its position as a global model for comprehensive social inclusion. This path led to Sharjah being named a "Disability-Friendly City" in 2018 by the World Disability Union, following the emirate's extensive efforts to develop its infrastructure to ensure full and safe accessibility to all public facilities and services. An inclusive educational environment Sharjah's commitment to comprehensive inclusion is seen across several key sectors essential to the health and well-being of individuals in the community. In the field of education, the emirate has played a significant role in inclusive education and pedagogical rehabilitation. Since its establishment, the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) has actively worked to integrate individuals with disabilities into schools and the broader community, while advocating for an accessible built environment that allows for easy and safe mobility. These significant efforts have enabled the integration of many students with disabilities into schools within an educational environment rooted in equality and specialised educational support. Sharjah has also provided early intervention services, family care, and individualised rehabilitation for children. In parallel, economic initiatives like Takween were launched with the goal of producing goods handcrafted by persons with disabilities, serving as a model for the shift from care to empowerment, and showcasing their ability to create independent artistic and craftwork that supports economic inclusion. Furthermore, the University of Sharjah established the Disability Resource Center to provide academic and technical support to students with disabilities, ensuring their full participation on campus from admission through graduation and achieving an inclusive and comprehensive educational experience. On the social and psychological front, several institutions in Sharjah organise seasonal programs that include a range of activities for persons with disabilities, such as art workshops, sports events, and psychological support. These initiatives are part of a broader community strategy aimed at improving quality of life and fostering a sense of inclusion and acceptance. Alignment with national policies At the legislative and legal level, Sharjah's efforts are fully aligned with federal laws and policies notably Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 concerning the rights of persons with disabilities. The emirate has continuously worked to connect health, education, economic, and social sectors to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to inclusion. The significance of these efforts is underlined by data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which reveals that excluding persons with disabilities from the labor market can result in losses ranging from 1% to 7% in the GDP of some countries. This highlights the profound economic and innovative impact of inclusive and integrative policies. Inclusion International's World Congress 2025, 'We are Inclusion', taking place in Sharjah this year, reinforces the significance of inclusive policies in achieving sustainable development. Aligning with the UN 2030 Goal Agenda, particularly Goal 10, which aims to 'reduce inequality' and emphasises that 'social and economic inclusion of all, regardless of age, gender, or disability,' is essential to building sustainable societies. Sharjah: A Global Call for Inclusion and Diversity Through this World Congress, Sharjah is calling out to the global community that building communities cannot be complete without everyone's contribution. Inclusion is not only a humanitarian principle but also a developmental, economic, and cultural policy, and a fundamental human right that must not be compromised.
BBC News
16-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Portsmouth council votes to make play parks more accessible
Play parks in Portsmouth could become more disability-friendly after city councillors voted to draw up plans and find funding for accessibility comes after months of campaigning by mum Sophie, whose daughter Millie is a wheelchair user. Sophie said changes were "desperately needed" and accessibility in Portsmouth parks was currently "basically non-existent". The city council said in a statement: "We are absolutely committed to continuing to explore every opportunity to ensure that our play parks are as accessible and inclusive as possible. Many of the council's 124 parks contain at least one piece of inclusive equipment, such as adapted swing sets, trampolines and wheelchair-friendly roundabouts, the council said. But Sophie said despite new equipment being added, children like her daughter still were not able to physically access it because of the woodchip flooring. "Pretty much all of the Portsmouth parks are on woodchip," she said. "So, for wheelchair users, or those that use walkers - they can't get to that equipment."Woodchip is not wheelchair friendly due the loose, uneven surface, and government guidance states that it should not be used for accessible surfaces."They've spent a lot of money, but haven't done a particularly good job," she said. "Portsmouth City Council need to start holding their own public consultations before they spend money on making mistakes." Labour councillor Charlotte Gerada tabled the motion after meeting with Sophie. She said she had heard from many other families facing the same barriers and wanted the council to push up its standards. But she said replacing the woodchip could be "very costly", and they were not expecting every single park in the city to be made accessible due to a lack of council resources. "We understand it's expensive to put a playpark in and equipment isn't cheap, when new equipment is being rolled out or new parks are being put in, inclusive design should be at the heart of it," she said. At the council meeting, Ms Gerada said the council had consulted play experts - specialist council officers - about the parks' equipment. "But the play experts are children," she said. "Other nearby towns like Fareham and Havant do have much more accessible playparks."There's still very little, minimal, equipment in Portsmouth."A city council spokesperson said: "Over the past two decades, Portsmouth's play spaces have been transformed, with more diverse and inclusive equipment, despite no central government funding being made available for the past 16 years." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
