Kenya to get help from UN-Habitat in developing inclusive transport sector

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme has recently announced that it would help Kenya to develop an inclusive transport sector with an objective to promote economic development, an official recently said.

Debashish Bhattacharjee, who leads the urban mobility unit of UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), said that a transport forum in Kenya’s capital Nairobi that transport is an enabler for economic growth.

"A more inclusive transport sector will ensure that vulnerable groups such as women and the disabled are able to perform economic activities that will contribute to expanding the country's gross domestic product," Debashish Bhattacharjee opined at the launch of the Accessibility and Mobility Project.

Bhattacharjee further cited that an accessible public transport system will also enable Kenya to implement the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disability. He added that a significant proportion of Kenyans in major urban centres walk to the working place. According to him, this calls for the right policy mix to ensure there are sufficient footpaths and cycling lanes to support non-motorized transportation modes, as reported by Xinhua.

According to the UN official, with an objective to make the transport sector more equitable, the players in the industry also have to possess the right attitude so that the disabled do not feel discriminated against. Accessibility is not only about the vehicles but also about the ability to ensure individuals can reach their destinations. Bhattacharjee also said that a safe and reliable transport system will also help promote social justice within society.

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