UGANDA‘S ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS Speaker: Apollo Mukasa Organization: Uganda National Action on Physical Disability (UNAPD) Country: Uganda

The Vice President of Uganda HE Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi & Minister of state for disability and elderly affairs launching the national accessibility standards

Brief to the development of standards  Uganda has disability-friendly legal framework but there is limited implementation of these good laws.  With the ratification of the UN CRPD in 2008, the state was required to domesticate the convention including article 9(Accessibility), however less has been done so far  This concern ignited UNAPD to lead disability movement, Gov’t and other stakeholders to develop the accessibility standards to operationalise this legal provisions.  The standards were launched in 2010 by Government of Uganda

Direct & Indirect Impacts of the accessibility standards. The standards have been widely used by government line ministries and departments, DPOs, CSOs, private contractors in the creation of accessible environment

Direct impacts include:- a)The establishment & commissioning of the National Accessibility Audit Committee to assess and monitor accessibility to facilities in the community. a)Increased recognition of accessibility rights for PWDs which has led to modification of both public and private structures and facilities. a)Adopted on the Building Control Act(2013) which was assented by the President in December 2013, this will guide the construction fraternity in creating accessible environment for all,

Direct impacts continued d)The construction unit of the Ministry of Education and Sports has adopted the standards in construction of national level school projects d)The standards were nominated as 2014’s innovative policy globally for presentation in the World Zero Project Conference This international publicity and recognition will not only change the lives of Ugandan but globally. d)The standards have been replicated in other countries in Africa as a good practices from Uganda.

Indirect impact:-  Changed of attitudes/perceptions of policy makers and implementers towards towards to accessibility needs of PWDs.  PWDs have also become self advocates for their rights.  Increased access to services like education, health, employment by PWDs which has improved their dignity and respect.  UNAPD is currently recognised as the leading accessibility audit and resource organisation in Uganda.

The policy tackles the following problems among others:-  Inequality in participation in all aspects of life, therefore the standards contribute to improved equal access for PWDs to services for equal participation and independent living.  Denial of rights to access services enjoyed by others which contributes to high unemployment, injustice, discrimination and exclusion among PWDs.  Domestication of article 9 of the UN-Convention on the rights of PWDs.

Key partners include among others:-  Government of Uganda  Line ministries and departments  International and local development partners  International and local civil society organisations  The construction fraternity  Disabled Peoples Organisations  People with Disabilities  The general public

Learning from our experience in Uganda, DPOs can contribute to advance accessibility and Development by:-  Take a lead in advocating or development of similar Accessibility Standards in their countries to enable the domestication of article 9 of UN-CRPD legal provisions on Accessibility to ensure development of PWDs.  Advocacy for development and implementation of national policies or laws on accessibility such as Building Control Act to guide the construction fraternity in ensuring ‘disability-accessibility- development’ compliance.  Lobbying development partners for funding to enable this advocacy campaign reach all relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries.  Engage thorough joint positive collaboration by all stakeholders for the creation of accessible environment for all by considering the accessibility for PWDs as a right but not a favour.

Accessibility models Advocacy for accessibility

Trainings Accessibility audits

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