This paper mainly discusses how to incorporate universal design into Bank operations in order to promote the accessible built environment and products for as many people as possible. While each sector has different elements of universal design, they all show that by focusing on the most vulnerable population as users, the whole built environment and products will be usable by everyone, taking into account safety and comfort.
While the scope of universal design is primarily limited to physical design of infrastructure and products, it is important to reaffirm that universal design is not only an architectural solution to a problem; it is an overall attitude to humanitarian and development aid --- a part of an effort to promote inclusive development.
The International Conference on Universal Design adopted the Rio Charter in December 2004 (see Annex 2), which articulated the importance of universal design for inclusive development:
“…inclusive development…attempts to expand the vision of development, recognizes diversity as a fundamental aspect in the process of socioeconomic and human development, claims a contribution by each human being to the development process, and rather than implementing isolated policies and actions, promotes an integrated strategy benefiting persons and society as a whole. Inclusive development is an effective tool for overcoming the world’s prevailing social exclusion and thus for achieving progress in eradicating poverty.”
Universal design is a cost-effective approach to support this agenda, and in fact, not incorporating universal design may strengthen exclusion in development.
At the same time, universal design is certainly not sufficient for genuine inclusion. In addition to physical barriers, there are a number of other barriers including programmatic barriers, attitudinal barriers and cultural barriers. While this paper focuses on physical aspects of universal design, projects need to address these non-physical aspects of universal design as well.
Awareness and understanding of the universal design concept and process are still lacking among societies, governments, the private sector, and donor communities. Many do not even have the comprehension of basic standards, building codes, and regulations. Often, accessibility issues are not addressed in the project not because of lack of funds, but because of a lack of awareness.
Yet, efforts have been made among the donor communities to accommodate universal design into their funded projects. In the area of transportation, for example, the European Conference of Ministers of Transport articulated its commitment to universal design of transportation systems as a requirement for financing (from Western Europe) for projects in Eastern and Central Europe. The Inter-American Development Bank has also made good progress in this area through publications, roundtables, seminars, and a movement toward practical implementation of universal design in its transport projects in Latin America. Furthermore, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) facilitated the development of the Biwako Millennium Framework (BMF), which addresses the concept of universal design for all citizens in the development of infrastructure and services especially in the areas of rural and urban development, housing, transport and ICTs.
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