JEDDAH, 12 March 2008 — People with disabilities worldwide and especially in the Arab world are expected to get a fair deal. This follows an intensified effort on the part of Canada-based Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments (GAATES) to bring together experts in the field.
“We aim to enhance accessibility of electronic and communication technologies and that of the built environment,” GATTES President Betty Dion told Arab News in an interview.
“Our main focus is on accessibility of the built environment and virtual environment, which is information and communication technology,” said Betty who is currently in the Kingdom meeting with various organizations and reaching collaboration agreements.
She had a series of meetings in Riyadh with organizations including Urban Development Institute with which she signed an agreement with its Chairman Abdullah Naim. “We signed the agreement to promote accessibility of cities so that Arab cities around the world are able to provide service and be accessible to people with disabilities and older people,” Betty said.
She discussed standards for accessibility of people with disabilities with Saudi Standards Organization. She also interacted with women in a university.
GAATES was incorporated in 2007 by an international consortium of experts dedicated to promoting accessibility worldwide. It has an international presence in six regions — Arab World, Asia Pacific, Africa, North America, South America and Europe.
It has members in over 100 countries and includes technical experts, individuals, organizations of people with disabilities, companies involved in information and communication technologies, architects and interested supporters.
Betty has authored a document, “International Best Practices in Universal Design: A Global Review,” which has been translated into Arabic by GATTES Vice President Mukhtar M. Alshibani. The document, available in French and English, has been translated into Spanish and Serbian as well. Betty, who also had a meeting with Saudi Human Rights Commission, said she had authored the document in conjunction with others familiar with universal design and the needs of people with disabilities.
A consortium of Canadian and international organizations, led by the Canadian Human Rights commission, provided funding for the project. The global review provides illustrations of best practices in universal design and compares the technical data for 31 key design elements of the built environment, from standard elements such as doorways, ramps and washrooms to evolving areas such as turning radius requirements to accommodate a variety of mobility of devices, communications, to use of color and texture for way-finding cues and detectable indicators. Also considered are the emerging design considerations required for security as well as fire and life safety and the safe evacuation of all building occupants.
This is the second such study. The first one “International Best Practices in Universal Design: A Comparative Study” was published in 2000 and profiled 25 codes, standards and guidelines for the built environment and the public rights of way.
GATTES is dedicated to promoting the Guiding Principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in December 2006.
Its members have been working extensively contributing to the development of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with presentations in the Middle East, North America and Europe.