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Disability
is not Inability |
:: LESSONS IN WHAT ADJUSTMENTS
PWDS NEED TOWARDS INCLUSION OF PATRONS WITH VISUAL
IMPAIRMENTS...
The just concluded Forum for the Blindness in Africa had three
wonders two of them pointers to what ought be the standard practice
and way forward. The adjustments
that enabled the success of the international conference not only
leaves a wealth of skills but also potential for building new
special markets for Tourists with disabilities...
The international conference for people with visual impairments,
brought to fore lessons on how private sector can be wooed to
undertake adjustments to make their environments
and services disability-friendly.
About 350 delegates are attending the Africa
Blindness Forum believed to be the largest of its
kind in recent history. The theme of the conference is social
inclusion and the topics include Education, training, employment
and Sports.
It always pains me every time we in the disability world organise
a seminar or workshop in which we Persons with disabilities are
participants. The level of ignorance and outright insensitivity
in many hotels is shocking. This was a great lesson even for donors
to help factor in budgetlines for adjustment management.
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Maybe its time we start making use of the large seminars to build
a list of disability-friendly hotels that can serve our needs
as was the case of the Sarova
Panafric experience.
This would also be effective markets for tourists with disability
many of whom many a times we have to organise special arrangements
that are expensive and cambersome.
The Persons with
disabilities Act 2004 infact may not have adequate
incentives for the service industry to adjust their facilities
to be disability-friendly. The operational perspective of NCPWD
shall give adjustment orders
to ensure buildings are disability friendly.
The lessons are also essential for the government to lead in making
investments that are disability-friendly when providing services
to its citizens. It is unfortunate that the ACT
does not allow adjustment orders to government services
and institutions. This makes the government not obliged to provide
free education or health to persons with disabilities...WHAT A
SHAME!
disabilitykenya
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