Despite some improvements, most public sectors are far behind fulfilling commitments to help people with disability (PwD) enjoy physical accessibility, say Executive Board Members of Ethiopian National Association of the Physically Handicapped (ENAPH).
Coupled with lack of commitment, failure to align infrastructural facilities and public services with the basic demands of PwD is barring this important section of the community from involving in all aspects of life, says Tessema Sebsebe, ENAPH President.
“For instance, most newly constructed roads have wider walkways with integrated pathway in the middle to make walking easier for people with visual impairment (PVI). But, the pathways are not safe to the PVI. You can see dust-bins, tall trees, utility poles and the like installed near or at the pathways,” he adds.
“Due to this, people like me [Tesema uses crutches], PVIs and people who uses wheelchairs opts for using the highways and byways at our own risk,” he adds.
Hailu Tilahun is member of ENAPH executive board. He walks with a support of crutches. Roads, public and private buildings as well as the transportation facilities keep PwD issues at bay, he indicates. “Recently, my friends and I went to a nearby bank to submit sample signature and run the Association’s transaction. To the surprise of all, one of my friends cannot get into the bank using his wheelchair. It was due to absence of standard ramp. Thus, he entered the bank with the help of people.”
Inadequate coordination among utility service providers also makes mobility more complex, he adds. Unfriendly roads and walkways with full of potholes, manholes left uncovered and the like will not only put mobility barricade to the community under discussion, such poor infrastructure exposes most to multiple disabilities, he notes.
He is unequivocal in commenting that the poorly handled roads as well are enough recipes to sustain permanent injuries on able-bodied persons, he stresses.
The country has attractive laws, and guidelines that ensure PwD to live independently and participate in all aspects of life. However, government and private bodies that carry out the designing and construction of roads and buildings seem to lack awareness on the issue, he argues.
Tesfaye Tekle is a foreman in a road construction project underway around Lion’s zoo in Addis Ababa. He argues that road constructions in most places are up to standards. “The sidewalk we’re building now is nine meters wide, and integrated a 90 cm pathway for PVIs and many ramps for wheelchair users. But, I doubt that it will serve the community for long time. Utility providers, greenery workers or others may raze the structures and install poles, trees, traffic signs and even bus stations.”
However, issues relating to road construction are provided with the necessary laws and guidelines. The constraints in this regard are of two kinds. The first one is failure to properly enforce the laws. And the second is loose coordination among the various utility service providers, he adds.
For Tessema, challenges relating to physical accessibility are also manifest in the transport service provision. To make matters worse, PwD friendly public transportation service provision has fallen through the cracks. “There is no regulation, standard or code of practice enforceable to benefit PwD from the country’s [road] transportation service. A few public buses are accessible to us, but most of them aren’t.”
Federal Transport Authority (FTA) Communication Director Yigzaw Dagnew admitted the absence of both laws and standards pertaining to PwD friendly transportation service. “We will look into the matter in-depth and set guidelines and standards,” he vows.
Hailu indicates that the way out of the menace is proper representation of PwDs in decision making process. “We have to involve in matters that affects our lives directly. We have to create more platforms so that our voices could be heard loud.”
Pertinent government and non-government bodies as well await a lot of task ahead of them in leveling the playfield so that more PwD can come to the decision making table.
ENAPH and other similar non-for profit associations as well as the media have the responsibility in making sure that laws provided to ensure the rights and benefits of PwDs are properly in effect, stresses Mamo Tesema ENAPH Chief Executive Officer. “Public and private institutions that go against the laws should be held accountable.”
On top of this, FTA needs to commit itself to the rights of PwDs by setting standard and guideline that help better regulate PwD friendly transport service provision, he urges.
Ethiopia has adopted the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Article nine of the convention requires state parties to do everything at their disposal to ensure the physical accessibility of all kinds of services to PwDs. Moreover, the GTP II as well as other important laws has entertained the issues of this segment of the society. Thus, if all public sectors strive for the implementation of the laws, people with disability will lead an independent and secure life–which means they can contribute their share in the country’s ever speeding economic growth.