Disability Conference UNHABITAT

8/2/2019 Disability Conference UNHABITAT

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UNECA-Leonard Cheshire Conference Addis Ababa 20-22 May 2008

UNECA-Leonard Cheshire Disability ConferenceUN Convention on the Rights and Dignity of Persons with

Disabilities: A call For Action on Poverty and Discrimination andlack of Access

Access to Water and Sanitation for the Disabled or the Differently Abled

Presented by

Andre DzikusChief,Water, Sanitation and Infrastructure Branch,Section II

AndDebashish Bhattacharjee, Human Settlements Officer,Water, Sanitation and

Infrastructure Branch,Section II


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It takes an hour to crawl to the wada and back. It is extremelyhumiliating to be seen crawling. Often I Go alone and cannot carryany water with me; I clean myself only when I return home. It feels

like hell: there is a sense of anger and helplessness. I get angry withmy condition. My whole life has became a fight for survival

One, I am a woman, and then, I am handicappedbecause of myleg, I cannot get up and sit repeatedly each time a man passes by.

They (men) complain to my husband. I am only 18 and have already

given up hope for a better life

-A disabled girl, in Gujarat, India-name unknown


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Disability: How large is the problem

Approximately 10% of the worlds population ( morethan 650 million) are persons with disabilities

The majority ( 80%)of disabled people live in

developing countries

Estimates vary from 4-10 percent of population

Nepal: 10%; Bangladesh 14%

Amongst the poorest in low-income countries 1 in 5 are

disabled-every family is affected


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UN-HABITAT and Disability

Habitat Agendaendorsed by the worlds governmentsProminently addresses the issue of persons with disabilities- over 100

References;

Commits governments to promoting attaining the goals of universal

and equal access to quality education, the highest attainable standardof physical, mental and environmental health, and the equal access toall to primary health care, making particular efforts to rectifyinequalities relating to social and economic conditions, includinghousing, without distinction as to race, national origin, gender, ordisability, respecting and promoting our common and particular

cultures


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UN-HABITAT and Disability (contd)

Commits Governments to:

Promoting access for all people to safe drinking water, sanitation andother basic services, facilities and amenities, especially for peopleliving in poverty, women and those belonging to vulnerable anddisadvantaged groups

Eradicating and ensuring legal protection from discrimination to shelterand basic services on the grounds of disability and age;

To promote disability-sensitive planning and management of humanSettlements; Recommends that Government and local authorities should:

Promote adoption of laws, by laws standards and norms and developplanning guidelines and programmes that consider specific needs ofpersons with disabilities, including the chronically ill;


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UN-HABITAT and Disability (contd)

Encourage the adoption of laws and policies ensuring persons withdisabilities full access to all new public buildings and facilities;

Promote representative structures, while ensuring full and equalparticipation of persons with disabilities;

Eliminate communication barriers to reduce social and physical

isolation; Promote equal access to all levels of education and skills

Recognize that people with disabilities can provide expertise in theirown housing and community requirements and they should bedecision makers;

Enhance community awareness of health care issues

Provide persons with disabilities affordable and quality health care

Develop policies and guidelines and provide services that enablepersons with disabilities to be housed in community based settings


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UN-Convention on the Rights of

Persons with Disabilities

Adopted by UN General Assembly on 13December 2006 andentered into Force on 3 May 2008

Purpose: To Promote, protect and ensure the full and equalenjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all

persons with disabilities and to promote respect for theirinherent dignity

A development and a human rights instrument; cross sectoral;cross-disability and legally binding



UN-Convention on the Rights of

Persons with Disabilities (contd)

Persons with disabilities not viewed as objects of charity, medicaltreatment or social protection but as subjects with rights who arecapable of claiming those rights and making decisions for their livesbased on free and informed consent as well as being active membersof society

Gives universal recognition to the dignity of persons with disabilities

International Cooperation, including international developmentprogrammes should be inclusive of and accessible to persons withdisabilities

Millennium Development Goals will not be achieved if persons with

disabilities are not included

Article 28: Adequate Standard of Living and Social Protection:Recognizes the right of persons with disabilities to access clean waterservices



Disabled People and Water and Sanitation

Disabled people have the poorest access to water and sanitation

Poor + Disability = Double impact: Amongst the poorest; almost everyfamily is affected

Inclusive facilities benefits the entire community- Reduces burden of care-givers ( mainly women)

- water related infections affecting persons with disabilities puts familyand community at risk- Inclusive facilities are economically more efficient

( specially created facilities are expensive)

Access to water and sanitation is a human right

Disability, poor access to water and sanitation and poverty areinterrelated ( e.g diarrhoea, polio, fluoride and arsenic contamination)

Diarrhoea is responsible for 5% of health loss due to disability



Arsenic and Fluoride Contamination

in Water

Arsenic in water estimated to cause 200,000 -270,000 deaths from cancer inBangladesh; More than 2 million cases of skeletal fluorosis in China



Disabled People and Water and Sanitation

(contd.)

Disability, poor access to water andsanitation, poor health and poverty

are interrelated

Poor access to Water

And sanitation

Poor health, vulnerability and poverty

Disability



Barriers to access

Unseen and Unheard: Official statistics oftenunderestimate the proportion of persons with disabilities

Public water and sanitation facilities usually do notconsider the range of users trying to access services

Attitudinal barriers

Physical barriers

Lack of Rehabilitation and Equipment



Barriers to Water and Sanitation



Integrated Solutions

From WEDC Publication: Water and Sanitation For DisabledPeople and other vulnerable groups



Needs of the Differently Abled

Elderly and frail;

Chronically ill; people with HIV/AIDS

Menstruating girls: school absenteeism

due to lack of facilities to dispose ofsanitary napkins;



RainwaterHarvesting for Centre for Disabled : Harar



Overcoming the barriers

Participatory assessments ensuring that persons withdisabilities truly participate capacity building of communityfacilitators on disability and access to water and sanitation +awareness raising of policy makers and service providers

Attitudinal changes through HVBSHE; addressing socialexclusion and stigma; Promoting a new and inclusive ethic inthe community; protecting and promoting the dignity of personswith disabilities

Design of User friendly water and sanitation services

( Guiding principles from Water Aid Nepal)



Guiding Principles for Planning and

Design(WaterAid Nepal)

Accessibility:Water and sanitation facilities should be accessible toall people including those with disabilities, elderly, pregnant womenand children; consider limitations faced by the differently abled (discomfort, fear of falling )

Access: Persons with disabilities should be able to access withoutassistance and without undue difficulty; barriers in the naturalenvironment like slippery slopes and cultural practice of locatinglatrines far from the house should be considered

Usability : Everyone should be able to use facilities ( e.g height oftap, use of platforms )

Safety: facilities to be built in a way that does not endanger life orhealth- consider hand rails, rough surface finishing, alarms



Modest Adjustments Can Mean a Lot

( Illustrations from WEDC publication)

Two wooden posts to guide a blind

person to a to a toilet or a water

tap



Small Adjustments Can Mean a Lot

Raised Platformprovides better access

Concrete ramp from house totoilet and tap


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Small Adjustments Can Mean a Lot

Wooden Stoolhelps

child sit whiledefecating

Handrails and painted toiletblock; easy transfer from

w/chair and hygiene


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UN-HABITAT Water and Sanitation

ProgrammeFuture Directions

Collaborating with the Private sector : Developing adisability centre in Kibera, Nairobi for children withdisabilities; facilitating access to infrastructure andeducation for Tsunami affected persons in Indiancoastal cities of Nagipatnam and Prakasam

Developing policy guidelines for addressing theissue of children with disabilities in slum

Mainstreaming access to persons with disabilities inthe programme through policy dialogue anddemonstration initiatives


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UN-HABITAT Water and Sanitation

ProgrammeFuture Directions

Capacity building of engineers and service providerson disability related issues integrated in the waterand sanitation programme of UN-HABITAT

Promoting attitudinal change through HVBWSHE as

a part of Water and sanitation programmes Ensuring that participatory assessments includes the

voices of persons with disabilities;

Preparing field guides and check lists to ensure

water and sanitation initiatives address the needs ofpersons with disabilities


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UNECA L d Ch hi C f Addi Ab b 20 22 M 2008

Thank You

Documents

Disability Conference UNHABITAT