3 December 2023 12:00PM

How accessible are public spaces in your city?

Public spaces are places which are accessible and enjoyable by all no matter the user’s age, disabilities and/or other identifying status. In order to comply with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) including CRPD Article 3, CRPD Article 9 and The New Urban Agenda public spaces need to be accessible and persons with disabilities need to be engaged in the development of public spaces.

Cities are great drivers of inclusive development and in creating accessible public spaces, unfortunately, the road to accessibility is still a long way to go for many cities around the world. 

While the topic is being recognized globally, many cities still lack the understanding and the capacity to deliver good accessible public spaces and the means to engage with persons with disability and older persons. 

The Global Public Space Team at UN-Habitat is working on a new publication that guides local actors, on how to increase low-cost accessible urban spaces in their cities. In order to comply with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) including CRPD Article 3, CRPD Article 9 and The New Urban Agenda public spaces need to be accessible and persons with disabilities need to be engaged in the development of public spaces.

On the occasion of International Day for Persons with Disabilities, we are launching a call for stories to support our cause for #Road2Accessibility

Sharing your experiences with us will help us to:

  • understand the extent of the challenges you face in using a public space
  • learn more about the contexts in which public spaces are inaccessible
  • understand the impacts of poorly designed public spaces on persons with disability and older persons, their families, support persons and our community
  • highlight good examples of accessible public spaces with low-cost design solutions that can be replicated by local governments in numerous contexts
  • gather information relevant to our new guide on public space accessibility for persons with disability and older persons

Share Your Story

Anyone can share their stories with us, especially persons who identify themselves as persons with disabilities and older persons.

Provided below are some practical details about how to share your story and a brief disclaimer.

Ways to share your experience

  • 📝Written: Submit a written story
  • 🎤Audio: Upload an mp3 file recording of you telling your story
  • 🎬Video: Submit a video. You do not have to be featured on screen

Stories can be submitted in your preferred language - including Indigenous and sign languages accompanied by a written text.Art submissions are welcomed (music, drawing, poems, etc)

Send an email to unhabitat-publicspace@un.org or use the Hashtag #Road2Accessibility on social media.

*Please choose the medium that is most comfortable for you, and allows you to tell your story at ease. Whatever medium you choose, please do not submit any material belonging to anyone other than yourself (including audio or video in which another person is seen or heard), unless you have their prior written permission to do so.

Disclaimer:

The stories collected have the potential to be used in a variety of ways and may be shared publicly by UN-Habitat Global Public Space Programme (campaign #Road2Accessibility), including but not limited to: literary material, and other media productions, media interviews, social media, website content, event speeches, talking points, reports and other potential media content as determined by UN-Habitat in its discretion. 

By submitting your story, you agree and consent to the use of your content by UN-Habitat.

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