NGEC participates in UNDESA forum on disability and development

The National Gender and Equality Commission’s Vice Chairperson Simon Ndubai  was among the participants at the UNDESA/DSPO forum on disability and development held between 28th to 30th October, 2015 at  UN Convention Centre, Nairobi, Kenya

The disability inclusion and accessible urban development  forum brought together more than 70 urban planning and disability experts from Governments, UN Agencies, Civil Society, Academia and Private Sector to discuss policies and solutions to make urban development inclusive of and accessible to the world’s one billion person with disabilities, many of whom live in cities.

The forum was the result of DESA-UN Habitat Co-operation with the support from the African Union Commission, Academia Institutions, Civil Society and participants from around the world, including International Development Partners.

The forum presented a set of key findings, conclusions and recommendations to further advance accessible and inclusive urban development as its outcome and contribution to the ongoing process towards HABITAT III and the New Urban Agenda.

The forum proposed:

•  Accessibility and universal design in all built environments, both physical and virtual, should be seen as a public good that benefits all, rather than a defined benefit for a specific group of people, and shall be a central part of good urban policy to achieve inclusive and sustainable urban development.
• The New Urban Agenda should be inclusive of persons with disabilities and advance accessibility in all aspects of urban development designs, policies, programmes and construction.
•  Accessible urban development which includes inclusive and disability responsive urban policy frameworks,  appropriate regulatory structures and standards, “design for all” approaches in planning and design, and predictable reliable resource allocations, can be realized everywhere if there is strong political commitment.
•   Inclusive urban development requires full consultation and engagement of persons with disabilities as agents and beneficiaries of development.