Mainstreaming the needs of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in urban development policies and projects (GEKHN0002)

Commitment ID

GEKHN0002

Commitment Title

To ensure mainstreaming the needs of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in urban development policies/projects/decisions through institutionalized practice of engagement of Municipal Council on Persons with Disabilities.

Problem

In Khoni Municipality, the engagement of marginalized populations in the policy planning and implementation process is very limited, especially for people with disabilities (PWDs). Although Municipality has taken particular steps towards increasing the participation and engagement of PWDs,  such as establishing a Municipal Council on PWDs in 2020, the Council’s role in urban development initiatives still needs to be strengthened and institutionalized.

The Councils’ involvement in local urban planning is especially important considering the fact that urban infrastructure in Khoni municipality is not adapted to the needs of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). This means that public spaces and services are not inclusive and accessible for PWDs. This drastically limits opportunities for PWDs to take even a simple commute when external help is available, however, the issue becomes more acute, when it comes to independently commuting, receiving municipal services, getting engaged in local affairs, or just being a part of ongoing social, economic, and political life locally.

Status quo

6% percent of the municipal population – PWDs - are drastically limited in possibilities to enjoy an active everyday life, be able to independently receive municipal services, engage in local policy-making, or participate in economic activities majorly due to the nonexistence of urban infrastructure and public spaces adopted to the PWDs needs.

Action

The commitment is twofold:

Firstly, it envisages institutionalization of the practice for engagement of Persons with Disabilities through strengthening the role of the Municipal Council on PwDs to ensure mainstreaming the needs of PwDs in major urban development policies/projects/decisions and adaptation of major future infrastructural works to the PWDs needs. To do this, Municipality will prepare and adopt a legislative act mandating the engagement of the Municipal Council on PWDs in all the future urban space development projects and related infrastructural works that are adapted to the PWDs' needs.

Along with the aforementioned, in support of the long-term goals of this initiative, Khoni will kick-start the urban space adaptation process by analyzing infrastructural needs for Khoni Central Park and developing ToR for its infrastructure rehabilitation. In the short run, the commitment will result in improved accessibility to the administrative center, while in the long run, this will greatly contribute to creating opportunities for PWDs inclusion in the social, economic, and political life locally.

How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem described above?

With active collaboration with Municipal Council on PWDs, the Municipality will prepare and approve the legislative act that will institutionalize considerations of PWDs needs for any future infrastructural projects across the Municipality. In the long run, this will increase accessibility to municipal services and inclusion in social and political life.

The Municipality will also start implementing the new adapted construction of the municipal center area, which will deliver immediate benefits in terms of the accessibility to the administrative center and inclusion of PWDs.

What long-term goal as identified in your Open Government Strategy does this commitment relate to?

Create new opportunities for People with disabilities in terms of accessibility to municipal services as well as engagement in social and political life.

Primary Policy Area

Civic Space, Inclusion

Primary Sector

Infrastructure & Transport, Legislature

What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?