'Accessibility enables everyone' :

It's an essential need at all public buildings

Dr. Ajith C. S. Perera

Approval: Regulations enabling access by the 'Disabled Persons' to public buildings, places and services were gazetted on October 17, 2006 (Reference: 1467/15) under section 25 of the ACT No. 28 of 1996.

On March 20, 2007, these will get presented at our parliament to receive approval, after discussions and debates perhaps. But what is crucial now, is their right implementation in environments where we live, which depends heavily on the active on-going support that all Ministers and all Ministries should unhesitatingly give to the Ministry of Social Services.

We believe it will happen well and truly in 2007, declared as 'Year of Accessibility for All.' Until and unless that happens fully, the wide range of benefits these regulations have the potential to bring to all people and the country, will remain an unattainable dream.

The Ministry of Social Services and Social Welfare, gazetted on October 17, last year, emended regulations for access to all public buildings, places and common services.

It is crucial at first to identify and remove some false beliefs and injurious perceptions that's very commonly held in society, even amongst our leaders and decision makers, which significantly retards the meaningful implementation of accessibility in society.

(i). As regulations here are cited as 'the Disabled Persons Accessibility Regulations' and the estimated figure of the 'Disabled' is 'said' to be around 10% everyone tends to believe it is only this small percentage of people who will benefit through the implementation of these regulations.

They perceive that the 'remaining' 90% of people, will not have any added benefit or value. Also they tend to believe accessibility is not for the blind and deaf.

(ii). As our electronic and some of the print media still continue to project the inability and haplessness of this sector in order to generate pity and sympathy, society at large is encouraged to trust that this 10% of our population are unproductive.

The Sinhala terminology 'Aabadhitha' used to identify the disabled people, also imparts the feeling that often these are sick or feeble people. These perceptions make some in society believe that to survive, 'disabled' people need sympathy and charity based support.

With this painted negative picture, 'disabled' people are often denied gainful employment opportunities, driving them towards poverty and dependency. Very many of them, then turn to begging or selling lottery tickets on streets in hot sun peddling tricycles, in order that they might survive that way.

Three immediate repercussions

(a). Endeavours made towards the implementation of these regulations are seen by organisations as 'Charity and Sympathy based' work that should come under their CSR budgets allocated for 'meritorious deeds.' Hence the business sector does not see any priority to bring in changes proposed by these regulations and thereby shows no sense of any urgency.

They also feel the time spend in attending any invited awareness programmes is of no real value to them and hence hardly participate. This drastically reduces chances of imparting proper knowledge.

(b). Television channels and radio stations deny us opportunities to take part as equal partners in any of the important regular discussion or current affairs programmes that the majority of the people, including the leaders and decision makers, often watch. This also prevents causing a healthy change in attitudes of people.

(c). Often, interviews and feature articles in the print media to impart proper knowledge, are seen as of no real purpose and hence are either denied of or given no prominent position that would win the eye of the readers and grab their attention straight away, which is a crucial need here.

Four hidden facts

(1). For different reasons, children, adults and seniors, males and females both, estimated at not less than 30% of our population, meaning more than one in every four people, are already experiencing difficulties in walking freely or climbing even a few steps. They may be residents, visitors, spectators, customers, employees or participants in conferences, performances and sports events.

(2). At present, most of them are forced silently to fight an uphill battle to gain access to services and facilities at almost all our public buildings and places, such as local government buildings, banks, supermarkets and shopping complexes, cinemas and theatres, restaurants, auditoriums and exhibition centres, even our internationally reputed cricket, athletic and other sports venues.

It is tragic that even most of the Colombo, Kandy and Galle based five-star Hotels have no disabled washing and toilet facilities for this very big sector, causing great embarrassments and inflicting safety threats to their clientele, especially to our increasing population of senior citizens and wheelchair users.

(3). We are a country where more than 20% of the population will soon be senior citizens. We also see more pregnant mothers and elders carrying small children.

Numerous debilitating medical conditions such as arthritis, back hip-knee-ankle problems and diminishing eye sight, most of which are invisible, are skyrocketing. Natural and man-made disasters like accidents on roads and at homes and victims of cruel terrorism, are all rapidly increasing.

No one, irrespective of their positions and possessions, can ever escape from these happenings. Sadly, they are inventible. Hence, chances are very high that each and every one of us is certain to spend some of our time, may be for a short time or long time or perhaps lifetime, experiencing a drop in ability to walk and climb even few steps.

Yet, very many of such people are still, able, productive, healthy and employable people. All that they require is some external assistance for their mobility, to continue with their daily living activities without becoming an added unwanted burden to society.

In fact the quality of living these people then enjoy, will greatly depend upon how accessible and accommodating and user-friendly the living environments around them happens to be.

(4). It must be realised that it is neither practical nor healthy to prolong charity and sympathy based social welfare work, beyond a minimum, which many a business organisation still does, under a false belief in corporate social responsibility. Such will only crate more unwanted dependants, adding more economic and social burdens onto society.

It is very clear that our immediate objective must be to ensure that 'nobody' is disadvantaged through man-made constructions.' Such tragic happenings cause loss of opportunities for gainful employment, recreation, shopping, communication, education and travel. It is a denial of their fundamental legitimate human rights and freedom.

None should be allowed to fight silently an uphill battle for access to any bank, supermarket, theatre, cinema, sports stadium or place of tourist attraction. Then only it could pave the way for everyone to enjoy equality of treatment as respected citizens, and achieve this vision in Mahinda Chinthanaya.

Conclusions

(1). A reduced ability to gain access to public buildings and places is a potential problem common equally to everyone.

Already over 30% of our population who are experiencing difficulties in walking are 'made disabled by the design of our environments' and thereby silently battle grave difficulties in gaining access to facilities and services at almost all public buildings and places here. Furthermore, they also experience much embarrassment in being forced to go on the shoulders of others, when still alive.

Right now it's this 30%, very soon much more and eventually everyone, will directly benefit from the implementation of the Access Regulations. This will overcome restrictions that prevent all people making full use of premises and their surroundings.

The sooner this is done, the sooner it will prevent further environmental-barriers being created to breed more unwanted dependents, many of whom as its result are driven towards poverty.

(2). Every environment built that is not barrier-free to access and use, wastes human potential and creates more unwanted dependants.

The sooner this trend is arrested, the less damage it will cause to the society and country. But, what must be remembered is that 'Designing or Inclusion of Everyone' is an art with a science that even moot of our professionals in building construction are yet to understand well enough. It is costly and time and energy wasting to make and break in appropriate construction.

(3). For the first time, a Sri Lankan standard for design guidelines in building construction, (SL/ISO/TR/9527:2006), was launched last week by SLSI. These must be made a vital integral part of the development process, at every stage of the building construction, from inception to completion.

Mahinda Chinthanaya upholds the principal: 'Accessibility to public buildings will enable everyone.' To make this vision a true and meaningful reality, 2007 has already been declared as 'Year of Accessibility.' We believe the SLSI Standard would also stimulate everyone's interest in the right direction, as a step towards achieving this goal of the Mahinda Chinthanaya.

(4). Architects, Engineers and Builders are the custodians of our living environments. Along with the property developers and investors of money, they have a moral duty to make the Mahinda Chinthanaya goal: 'Access facilities for all at public buildings and places', a reality. As true professionals, they should, at least now, take into serious account the inevitable drop in human ability, when planning all building constructions.