The Minister of Social Affairs on wednesday opened a workshop in Yaounde to make public buildings accessible to the physically challenged.
Social Affairs Minister, Cathérine Bakang Mbock, has challenged real estate developers, contractors, public and private administrators to make both official and residential buildings accessible to people with disabilities by drafting recommendations that are worth implementing. The Minister was speaking on wednesday November 23 as she opened a two-day workshop aimed at reminding contractors on what they need to take into consideration when building houses.
She said disability was a major concern to government, adding that policies and activities have been put in place for the socio-economic integration and employment of the disabled. An April 13, 2010 law on the protection and welfare of persons living with disabilities, she said, was evidence of government’s will to satisfy the physically challenged. Article 1 of Section 33 of the law which stipulates that “Government and private buildings and institutions open to the public shall be designed such as to facilitate access and use by persons with disabilities,” she explained, was just part of initiatives to ensure that physically challenged persons have access to the fundamental human rights enjoyed by able people. Flanked by the Ministers of Public Works and Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Cathérine Bakang Mbock sounded optimistic that with plans to transform the country into a vast construction site by 2012, attention will be given to people with disability in accessing public buildings.
“The architectural design of most of our buildings and public places makes access difficult, thus limiting the use of wheel chairs and other walking aids,” Tabley Ngwa, a disabled architect in the Ministry of Public Works lamented. He explained that it restricts movement and makes it difficult for some physically challenged people to effectively participate in socio-economic activities. This, it was explained, renders some of them poor and vulnerable. He however commended government for coming up with policies and activities for implementation on the socio-economic integration and employment of the disabled.
Stakeholders at the workshop are discussing the cost and possibilities of making staircases, toilets, doors, public files and roads accessible to the disabled. The opening of the workshop marked the launch of activities for the 20th edition of the International Day of Persons living with Disability to be commemorated on December 3 on the theme, “Together for a better world for all: Including persons with disabilities in development.”
