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The importance of making cities accessible to people with disabilities
European cities are housing a growing number of people. According to the projections, the percentage of Europeans residing in urban centres will only continue to grow in the years to come. Because they are home to diverse groups of residents who all have different needs, cities must also ensure that they become more inclusive. In the cities of future, the needs of each and every group must be properly addressed, so that everyone is able to have a comfortable life.
People with disabilities are more likely to feel socially integrated if cities are planned with accessibility in mind, which must be an absolute priority for European cities. People with disabilities very often confront different obstacles when accessing different types of services in urban centres, which is a signal that there is a lot of space for local authorities to continue to combat this important issue.
According to World Health Organization Europe, 6 to 10 persons out of every 100 people in the WHO European Region live with a disability. Furthermore, a total of 135 million persons in this part of the world are considered to be living with some type of disability. This figure is expected to rise in the future as the population ages and the frequency of noncommunicable diseases, such as injuries, rises.
That means that respective local authorities must play their part in making cities more accessible and inclusive. The existing infrastructure in numerous cities, in case it is found to be inadequate, must be renewed and improved. Moreover, the future projects that are being carried out around the old continent must also be developed and built with accessibility in mind. That applies to public transportation systems, public institutions, cultural venues, and sports and recreation facilities, to name a few.
This remains an absolute imperative for cities in order to make sure that all categories are granted equal opportunities to lead a pleasant life. When cities are not accessible, an entire group of people can be excluded from society as a result. The access to education, healthcare or employment for people with disabilities is in that case severely restricted.
The list of potential negative consequences of unaccessible cities is, however, much longer. Think about polling stations during elections where citizens are given an opportunity to have a say in shaping the political life of their local areas. In case of inaccessible polling stations, people with disabilities may feel discouraged or excluded from voting and technically have their basic civil right denied. All of the above serves to prove that we can not speak of fair and inclusive cities as long all groups of residents are not able to fulfil their needs without obstacles.
Cities have enormous potential in this transformation as a lot of policies to improve the living conditions of people with disabilities can be made at a local level. Furthermore, cities are also responsible to spread awareness about the importance of this issue. Through a variety of campaigns, for instance, they can make other key parts of urban societies more sensitive to this topic and motivate fellow residents to join their efforts in making urban centres more accessible to people with disabilities. (photo credit: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay)
