PWD accessibility: banks fail test Education Sunday, 23 February 2014 17:37 Written by Yudaya Nangonzi 0 Comments E-mailPrintPDF Diasbled men in a wheel chairs inside a building. Many banks in Kampala do not care to ensure that they are disability-friendly In part seven of our series on disability, supported by Nudipu, Yudaya Nangonzi examines the accessibility of buildings in Uganda for PWDs. She carries out a random survey of buildings housing banking institutions in Kampala. Her findings prove that there still a lot to be done in that area. Holding his briefcase tightly, this seemingly-troubled man hobbles towards the entrance of Tropical bank along Kampala road. For a few minutes, he stands – as if to take a breather. After mustering some strength, he slowly starts up the stairs to the bank’s security checkpoint. Holding on to the rails, his artificial limb is exposed and there is a sense of difficulty for him going up the six steps. While he struggles to prevent any damages to his limb, he also has to mind the briefcase in his other hand plus the many people going up and down the stairs. He evidently wears a remorseful face when some people rudely ask him to speed up – without thinking of his disability. After some struggle, the man, breathlessly, makes it to the bank’s entrance for the security check. Had this bank provided for ramps, this man would not have struggled to access its premises. At least this man could move with his legs, but what about those with wheelchairs? This predicament compelled The Observer to carry out an independent random survey on the accessibility of banks along the Kampala and Jinja roads in Kampala city for persons with disabilities (PWDs). This has revealed startling results. At KCB bank, there were three long steps to its entrance with no ramp for those who have to use wheelchairs or crawl. There is, however, a small ramp at the extreme left end of the KCB building. Still, without rails but with a slippery ceramic veranda, the building looks dangerous for PWDs. Just across the road, Global Trust bank has a small raised ramp, but also without rails. The single entrance is practically too small for wheelchairs. Orient bank’s main branch was another worrying stop. The entrance has a long stretched step – challenging, even for the able-bodied. Inside, there’s a revolving door without a guide. This proved uncomfortable for those crawling, in wheelchairs and the blind. At the ATM point outside, the height to the entrance is unfriendly for PWDs. Those crawling and in wheelchairs would still not access them because the ATM panel was too raised. The same happens at Diamond Trust bank, main branch. At other banks such as Housing finance, Bank of Baroda, Crane bank and even Bank of Uganda, they all had unfriendly steps for accessing. It is only at Centenary and Post banks where the situation was a little perfect. There are both steps and ramps where PWDs can pass, including those with wheelchairs. The ATM points at Centenary bank are of moderate height and the security guards are on hand to offer some help. This assessment comes at a time when Uganda has not even set out to design accessibility standards that could be used by players in the construction industry while planning and erecting buildings. However, not all may be in vain. In 2010 the Uganda National Action on Physical Disability (UNAPD), a civil society organization, in collaboration with the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, formulated accessibility standards in order to create a barrier-free environment. Other institutions that were consulted include the ministry of Health (Disability section), ministry of Works and Transport and ministry of Education and Sports, and other stakeholders. UNAPD spokesman, Hamad Lubwama, said the standards were designed as government was taking too long, yet Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of PWDs (2008), which was ratified by Uganda, mandates states to develop the standards. “We had to hire architects, Rie Ollendorf from Denmark and Phyllis Kwesiga from Uganda, who did a great job and although the project was expensive, it has exposed UNAPD elsewhere,” he said. Lubwama added that the Shs 150m project has enabled UNAPD sensitize PWDs and players in the construction industry on the significance of the standards, which some people have adhered to. The standards, which The Observer has seen, specify practical guidelines that can be used for providing for accessible ramps, stairs, parking space, toilets, pit latrines, pathways and public operated machines, among others. George W Kiyingi, the UNAPD executive director, said though Uganda has not yet recognized these standards, they have been accepted internationally. Kiyingi said last year different organizations were requested by the Zero Project, which was formed with the mission of supporting the rights of PWDs globally, to forward any innovative policies and practices that address the issue of accessibility for PWDs. “Many organizations from different countries submitted, but our accessibility standards for PWDs formulated in 2010 were voted the best innovative practice for 2013,” he said. Kiyingi added that after this success, UNAPD is set to give a presentation of their standards at the United Nations office in Vienna, Austria from February 27 to 28, 2014, where different PWD organizations will participate. He urged government to realize efforts made by UNAPD, and other stakeholders, to formulate the standards and use the Building Control Act as an opportunity to implement the standards expeditiously. Hope Meanwhile, the state minister for Elderly and Disability Affairs, Sulaiman Kyebakoze Madada, was optimistic that once the real regulations of the Building Control Act are made, PWDs’ rights will never be violated on the subject of accessibility. “Government agreed to consider the accessibility standards we formulated. We only need regulations and penalties to all those who will be non-complaint to be dealt with seriously,” he said. Madada was concerned that the issue of accessibility was still a global challenge, yet all countries have PWDs and are not helping them fight for their rights. “Having something resembling accessibility is one, but fulfilling the rightful standards is another problem where the construction industry is too naïve,” Madada said. The minister promised that his ministry would start off by sensitizing all the players in the construction industry about the appropriate standards, since part of the Building Control Act provides for PWDs’ full representation at all stages of construction. [email protected] This Observer feature was supported by the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (Nudipu)
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 18:31:44 +0000
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