The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol was adopted on 13 December 2006 at the United Nations headquarters in New York. It is an international development tool and therefore presents multiple opportunities. However, 15 years have already passed since its entry into force, so some of its measures -already outdated- need to be more ambitious and stronger in order for States to manage and implement different policies aimed at ensuring full inclusion and universal accessibility.
In any case, its approval marked a before and an after. Therefore, it is one of the foundations on which we at D-Hub base our activity. However, we believe that it is important to provide more support to promote the necessary changes in order to satisfy the rights of people with disabilities and to ensure that they have access to the workplace, transport, technology and communications.
In this regard, it is worth recalling that accessibility and all its connotations and applications are reflected in Article 9 of this Convention. The main axes of this point are summarised below:
- Develop and monitor the implementation of minimum standards and guidelines on the accessibility of facilities and services open to the public.
- Ensure that private entities providing facilities and services open to the public or for public use take into account all aspects of accessibility.
- Provide training for all persons involved in accessibility issues.
- Provide buildings with signage in Braille and in easy-to-read formats.
- Provide assistance to facilitate access to buildings.
- Provide assistance to ensure access to information.
- Promote access for people with disabilities to new information systems and technologies.
- Promote the design, development, production and distribution of accessible information and communication systems and technologies at an early stage.