Universal Design in Developing Countries

by Lindsay Perry

Lindsay Perry is the director of Lindsay Perry Access and has over 20 years experience as an access consultant both within Australia and at the international level. Having worked on projects for the United Nations in both Ethiopia and Kenya, she has developed a keen interest in accessibility in developing countries. She is currently undertaking a PhD candidature at the University of Newcastle on this subject.

The United Nations (UN) Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (The Agenda) was adopted in 2015 (UNDESA, 2015). It identifies global targets aimed at stimulating action over fifteen years in the area of sustainable development advocating that equitable and universal access play a key role in reaching these visions in relation to the built environment (UNDESA, 2015).

The Agenda provides seventeen sustainable development goals with one-hundred and sixty-nine targets to be attained by 2030 by all member countries (United Nations, 2015).

At the conceptual level, sustainable development is the link between environmental problems and socio-economic issues from a human centered perspective (Hopwood, 2005). There are three main areas in which sustainable development can be defined in the context of UN Policies being environmental; economic; and social (Kadir & Jamludin, 2013). Social sustainability can be considered as the way in which sustainable development affects the quality of life for individuals that offers inclusion, extending to the provision of a built environment that promotes participation.

Traditionally, themes of social sustainability have focused on poverty and unemployment but there is currently a shift to themes of sense of place; participation; and happiness (Kadir & Jamludin, 2013). As a result, social sustainability is being measured by factors like well-being; safety; and access to facilities and services.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) has stated there is a widespread lack of accessibility to the built environment – including roads, housing, public buildings and urban spaces – within developing countries (UNDESA, n.d,). This in turn affects access to basic services such as sanitation, clean water, education, transport and disaster relief measures.

The Agenda recognizes that accessibility aims, which include building resilient infrastructure with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all, are challenging in the least developed countries. Particularly African countries, land-locked countries, small island developing states, and countries in conflict (UNDESA, 2015). It does not however offer strategies to tackle this issue. Marginalization of people with disabilities through inaccessible environments contradicts UN policy and The Agenda which are aimed at inclusion.

Disability legislation at the international has evolved from The Declaration on the Rights of People with Disabilities 1975 (DRPD), and the more recently The Convention on the rights of People with Disabilities 2006 (CRPD). There is little consistency in the way these policies are being realized at the international level (AAATE,2015). The situation is more difficult in developing countries that may not have overriding disability discrimination legislative measures (AAATE, 2015). Additionally accessibility in developing countries, especially regional areas, varies greatly due to the lack of accessibility legislation or lack of poorly enforced accessibility legislation (Achamkulangare, 2018).

These factors affect the realization of The Agendas’ Sustainable Development Goals that aim to improve situations for all people, including vulnerable people such as people with disabilities (Madams, Loeb, Edwards, Hair, Cheang, Pearson and Coelho 2018).

THE 2030 AGENDA AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The Agenda pledges that no-one will be left behind. In the provision of the sustainable development goals, three dimensions of sustainable development are covered being economic; social; and environmental. The social dimension includes the needs of people with disabilities promoting inclusion and participation in all countries.

The sustainable development goals are a global policy-making process that were formed through a globally inclusive process commencing in 2012 with the establishment of a UN International Taskforce and being declared at the UN General Assembly on 25 September 2015 in New York (Deacon, 2016b).

Specific to universal design and accessibility are Goal 9 (Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation); Goal 10 (Reduce inequality within and among countries); and Goal 11 (Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable) (United Nations, 2015). Inclusion and accessibility are also mentioned within other sustainable development goals through acknowledging that equitable access to products and services is dependent on the accessibility of the built environment. While disability is not a specific theme of the sustainable development goals, there was involvement by international disability advocates during forums and discussions leading to the adoption of The Agenda (Brolan, 2016). A direct reference to disability is made within Goal 10, Target 10.2 that promotes social inclusion of people with disabilities and Target 10.3 that advocates a reduction in discriminatory laws.

Since the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) was made in 2006, there is a growing global focus on the promotion of disability rights (Brolin, 2016). Like the CRPD, the sustainable development goals rely on government endorsement. Countries are not legally obligated to implement the sustainable development goals within domestic legislative policies similar to CRPD, the sustainable development goals are adopted voluntarily by each country and are not a binding treaty (Pogge and Sengupta, 2016).

People with disabilities have been identified globally as a marginalized and vulnerable group. Up to eighty percent of people with disabilities globally live in developing countries where poverty is a major influence on their quality of life (Brolan, 2016). The vision of the sustainable development goals is to create an equitable, socially inclusive world where the needs of the most vulnerable people are met (United Nations, 2015) identifying developing countries as the most vulnerable countries. Within the framework of the sustainable development goals, the plight of people with disabilities in developing countries is compounded, being a vulnerable group within the most vulnerable environments. Therefore, realization of the sustainable development goals relating to universal design and accessibility in developing countries is challenging.

A geographical framework is essential when considering people with disabilities as it provides a basis for social, economic and political constraints (Imrie, 2001). For developing countries, a geographical framework would include issues of poverty and other environmental constraints within the built environment that influence the lives of people with disabilities.

Geographical boundaries affect quality of life. Where there is a lack of physical access to services and facilities, especially within developing countries where accessible infrastructure is lacking, participation in society becomes limited (Brolan, 2016). Challenges of poverty and health within developing countries impacts implementation of the sustainable development goals which are not necessarily achievable within developing countries (Shore, 2017b). There are marked differences in how the sustainable development goals can be achieved in countries at different stages of development (Decon, 2016b).

The lack of physical access to basic services such as sanitation and water contribute to the marginalization of people with disabilities and the realization of the sustainable development goals (UNDESA, 2015). It is unlikely that the sustainable development goals will achieve human rights for all as they are aspirational, rather than definitive and do not translate to the national level being an international vision of how the world could be rather than providing practical strategies for implementation (Pogge and Sengupta, 2016).

The success in achieving the sustainable development goals of The Agenda, with respect to universal design and accessibility for people with disabilities, relies on the UN member countries addressing the needs of people with disabilities within their legislative policies and guidelines (Madams, Loeb & Eide, 2017). In the context of physical access to the built environment, this assumes that member countries have in place appropriate accessibility / disability discrimination legislation and building codes / standards for implementation in new building work.

DISABILITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The incidence of disability is generally greater in developing countries (Balarin, 2001). While in developed countries disability is generally referred to in a physical context, in many developing countries it is referred to in the broader context of social constructs that include oppression, poverty and illiteracy.

The following statistics are of interest:

• 45 countries in the world have anti-discrimination and other disability-specific laws

• 15% of the world’s population have a disability (WHO)

• 80% of these people live in developing countries

• 40-50% have a sensory disability (vision, hearing, speech)

• 20-50% have a physical disability

• 7-15% have a cognitive disability.

It is accepted that there is a gap in data for the incidence of disability in developing countries where it is often collected by non-government volunteer groups with little coordination between groups (Balarin, 2001). Disability statistics are also influenced by non-disclosure of disability within developing countries due to societal traditions that include family structure; folklore and religious beliefs (Balarin, 2001). There continues to be a stigma attached to disability due to these factors. While lower in urban areas, these traditions and beliefs are still very strong in rural areas where infrastructure and services are limited (Balarin, 2001).

In rural areas, accessibility due to terrain and the general lack of infrastructure is challenging for people with disabilities and not wheelchair compatible. Daily life involves squatting, not sitting on chairs, cooking at the floor level on open fires; and the use of squat toilets. Wheelchairs, prosthesis and other assistive technology do not fit this long-standing traditional (Balarin, 2001).

Further to these stigmas, the way of life in many developing countries also affects people with disabilities and their participation in society (Parker, 2001). Street life is generally very prevalent. People work in the street, live in the street and conduct business in the street. As people with disabilities cannot use inaccessible streets due to physical barriers and overcrowding, there is little presence of people with disabilities on the streets. The resultant view is that disability is a small issue and not significant.

The lack of definitive data affects the development of accessibility policy and legislation. To ensure no-one gets left behind, which is the intent of the sustainable development goals, data collection regarding the incidence of disability needs to be country specific while being internationally comparable (Madams, et al , 2017). Without an international comparison of the statistics, the severity of situations in different countries cannot be determined.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN AND ACCESSIBILITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

In parallel to the sustainable development goals the principles of universal design are gaining momentum at the global level, offering a design approach that caters to society as a whole rather than focusing on access for people with disabilities. With respect to developing countries, these two concepts – the sustainable development goals and universal design – need to be considered simultaneously to achieve a better outcome for marginalized groups in vulnerable countries, particularly people with disabilities.

The overall aim of the sustainable development goals is to provide a world that is equitable, socially inclusive and meets the needs of the most vulnerable people (UNDESA, 2015) while the principles of universal design ensure inclusive environments are designed for people of all ages and ability, regardless of disability (National Disability Authority, n.d.,). The intent of both concepts is to achieve a safe environment for all that promotes participation and improves quality of life.

Differing awareness and expectations of the built environment can also create a gap in the implementation of universal design principles within both developed countries and developing countries (Prajapati & Asai, 2013).

With rising awareness levels about disability and the sustainable development goals comes a demand for social inclusion (World Bank, 2016). Inclusion is easy to define but difficult to measure as it is relative to social, spatial and environmental dimensions. Culture, traditions and religion also affect measurability due to beliefs that are strongly grounded in many societies, particularly within many developing countries (World Bank, 2016). A differing awareness of accessibility and inclusion directly contrasts with the measures being taken by the UN to promote social sustainability in these countries.

In developing countries, the design of the built environment contributes to social and economic development (Balarin, 2001). This differs to developed countries where design of the built environment is often an aesthetic preference used to promote and improve business. Designers within developing countries need to contend with basic human needs rather than broader, aesthetic issues.

With a focus on meeting people’s basic needs being met, the accessibility of the built environment is not seen as a priority with factors such as poverty alleviation, literacy, infrastructure, drinking water and sanitation, that cater to mainstream population, being of higher priority (Balarin, 2001). There are often very few resources for improving the built environment for people with disabilities after the basic needs of the broader population are met. This is why the implementation of universal design principles, that focus on the needs of the broader community rather than only people with disabilities, can improve accessibility generally.

CURRENT UNIVERSAL DESIGN AND ACCESSIBILITY MEASURES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

While there are vast differences between developed and developing countries in respect to the provision of accessibility legislation, the fundamental needs of people with disabilities is the same (Parker, 2001). Accessible environments that promote participation and inclusion lead to less marginalization of people with disabilities and enable them to interact with society.

The shortage of data on people with disabilities in developing countries affects implementation of strategies to overcome exclusion (Roberts and Babinard, 2004). Access and mobility have an impact on poverty, generally having the capacity to reduce its incidence. While many developing countries do have legislation concerning access and mobility issues, it is not affective in realising inclusion and participation generally.

Further, access to a wheelchair and other assistive technology that promotes independence and participation for people with disabilities is critical in developing countries where people with disabilities are at a risk of higher poverty levels than able bodied people (Shore, 2017). Being able to participate in society increases access to services and facilities such as education and employment. Major factors that affect mobility in developing countries include the condition of roads and footpaths, accessibility of buildings, and societal norms.

Monitoring and enforcement of accessibility legalisation is the largest barrier to inclusive infrastructure in developing countries (Rusli and Mydin, 20018). Reasons for the lack of implementation include a lack of government resources and funding; and a lack of incentive within the private sector. While anti-discrimination laws specific to disabilities have been adopted in many developing countries, there are generally no mechanisms within these policies for universal design principles or accessibility generally being implemented at the local government level (Rusli and Mydin, 2018).

CONCLUSIONS

When applying the sustainable development goals and principles of universal design to developing countries specific to accessibility, there is little guidance or protocol for establishing inclusive environments that promote inclusion and participation.

One must ask if accessibility of the built environment is really a priority for developing countries where just on the outskirts of the major cities, people must walk from their homes to collect safe, clean drinking water and live in make-shift housing.

As the populations view of disability changes through awareness programs, more people with disabilities participate in the workforce, and new building legislation is implemented into all new constructions, conditions will improve over time as they have developed countries.

However, further research is required in this area to develop strategies and guidelines that can be implemented to ensure that UN policies surrounding social sustainability can be realised in future projects within developing countries. It is important that any guidelines address both policy development and practical measures for implementation in building and infrastructure works, including principles for community projects in regional areas as well as infrastructure for urban projects.

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