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Saturday 4 May 2013

Accessibility challenge : Jeddah



Kingdom lags behind in disabled-friendly offices and factories


According to Saudi architect Mukhtar Al-Shibani, an expert in the field of designing the workplace in a way that accommodates people with disabilities and facilitates their movement on the premises, 99 percent of offices and industries in the Kingdom are inaccessible to this segment of society.

 
Mukhtar Al Shibani 


When most office buildings and factories are built, the architects and engineers do not take into consideration people who are physically challenged. Employees with disabilities face great difficulties and many obstacles at the workplace in both the private and government sectors.

“The owners of such companies and factories may be unaware of the worldwide agreements made to ensure a safe and easily-accessible environment to those with disabilities in the workplace and in the public in general. Some countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom have applied accessibility measures and designs to roads, buildings, public transportation, parks and even in electronic and communication devices, but Saudi Arabia is lagging behind,” he said.

Al-Shibani is the president of the Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments (GAATES), which is the leading international non-profit organization that brings together individuals and organizations dedicated to promoting user-friendly electronic and communication technologies and also accessibility of the built environment.

“Although the Kingdom participated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the year 2007 and laws have been passed by the Shoura Council to rectify the protocol in public buildings and properties, change has been extremely slow. Writing an excellent document is not enough; we need implementation,” he added.

The mission of GAATES is to promote the understanding and implementation of accessibility of the built, social, and virtual environments, including architectural, infrastructural design, transportation systems, habitat and electronic information and communication technologies. The goal is to help everyone, including people with disabilities and the elderly, to be able to fully participate, be active and productive and contribute to society.

Work has begun with the cooperation between the municipalities of several cities in the Kingdom and GAATES, which provides a detailed study, consultations, proposed solutions, and finally supplies the company with designers and contractors to implement any necessary changes. A major partner that has also been of much assistance is the Prince Salman Center for Disability Research located in Riyadh.

“Labor Minister Adel Fakieh has been pushing both public and private sector firms to open up opportunities for those with disabilities. 

Industries today are a big employer for this segment of our society yet the facilities still need a lot of work to cater to these individuals’ special needs. There is a wide range of criteria that makes an environment accessible to persons with disabilities. Our job is to visit the site, provide the guidelines in accordance to a universal design, and we follow through with the company until all requirements have been met. For example, a facility may need wider doors, outdoor and indoor ramps, elevators, special washrooms, color and audio cues that show directions and fire safety and evacuation requirements,” said Al-Shibani.

One of the companies in the Kingdom that sought the help of GAATES to make their buildings and technologies more accessible to disabled persons is the Savola Group. It became the first Saudi company to be certified and awarded by GAATES for adhering to the guidelines stipulated at the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

“Savola invited GAATES to look into the issue of accessibility at their factories. We prepared a detailed study of their premises. They needed some changes and we offered the solutions. Now Savola can safely and comfortably employ any individual with disabilities. The company has a target to employ 2,000 individuals with special needs,” added Al-Shibani.


Source : Saudi Gazette , Kingdom ; 4th May 2013 

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