Building accessible roads is a matter of justice and common sense: UN Experts

During the first-ever session to be held at the World Road Congress dedicated to disability-inclusive road transport, the experts unanimous that building accessible roads is a matter of justice and common sense as well as investing in the future. Inclusion is not only a legal obligation; it is also an economic and social imperative that we need to work together for.

In the first-ever session on disability-inclusive road transport in World Road Congress, the experts of various agencies of the United Nations unanimously highlighted the need for inclusive road transport for disabled persons.

"In road transport, universal design benefits everyone of all ages and all abilities," Daniela Bas, Director of the Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD) at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). While urging transport infrastructure planners and engineers to change their mindset to help achieve inclusivity, she added: “In this day and age, transportation is the lifeline to access education, employment, healthcare and even social and community engagements.”

[#PIARCWRC2019] Foresight session 9 #Disability-#inclusive Road Transport:"Universal design benefits everyone of all ages and all abilities", Daniela Bas, Director of @UN DESA’s Division For Inclusive Social Development, first keynote speaker. 👇 pic.twitter.com/OBQkeYQChm

— WorldRoadAssociation (@PIARC_Roads) October 8, 2019

Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, Global Disability Advisor of the World Bank Group, said: “It’s important to recognise that UN’s Sustainable Development Goal for sustainable cities and communities makes explicit reference to people of determination and the need to have accessible means of transport for people of determination.” 

Mary Crass, Head of Institutional Relations and Summit for the International Transport Forum, Pan Haixiao, Professor of Urban Planning in the Department of Planning at Tongji University in Shanghai, Saeed Mohamed, Global Senior Transport Specialist at Islamic Development Bank and Claire Smith, Head of Transport Accessibility Policy of Transport Scotland also took part in the panel discussions explaining the importance of having a road network that is easily accessible for the disabled.

(With inputs from the 26th WRC) 

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