Barcelona’s public policies for a more accessible city were shared in some preliminary working sessions ahead of the Global Disability Summit 2022, which is being held in a virtual format on 16 and 17 February.
During the speech on the implementation of cross-cutting community inclusion policies, the model applied in Barcelona was used as an example of backing independent life and universal accessibility as priority areas for action.
The model is designed to provide support for people with disabilities and become a friendlier and more inclusive city. It combines different aspects such as personalised support, labour integration, care technology, urban planning, transport and accessible housing.
Under the heading ‘How can we create more inclusive communities?’, the virtual session brought together leading figures from organisations in the sphere of disability and social inclusion in various countries, such as Argentina, Kenya, Colombia and the USA. Participants also included supranational organisations such as the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Commission.
Municipal body devoted to the needs of the collective
Created in 1979, the Municipal Institute for People with Disabilities is an autonomous body which has evolved to adapt to current needs and organisational changes. Over seventy professionals work at the institute. The Governing Board is made up of ten people chosen by the city’s various political forces and ten representing people with disabilities, voted for by the collective as a whole.
The latest analysis found a high degree of accessibility in Barcelona, although there are still challenges to address to achieve a wholly sustainable city. This is the goal of the Barcelona Strategy for Universal Accessibility 2022-2030, which not only addresses physical accessibility but also cognitive and communicative accessibility.