The government must address problems that disabled people face in navigating town and city infrastructure.
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Among the notable complaints were lack of friendly sidewalks, footpaths and toilets for people living with disabilities, with those with visual impairment the worst victims.
Mwanza.Tanzania has not fully implemented the 2006 UN human convention that calls on countries to have friendly infrastructure for persons with disabilities, according to visually impaired persons attending a training here.
Among the notable complaints were lack of friendly sidewalks, footpaths and toilets for people living with disabilities, with those with visual impairment the worst victims. Conducted by Dar es Salaam-based Foundation for Civil Society, the training on legal rights to people with disabilities drew 35 visually impaired persons from six districts of Mwanza Region.
The coordinator of the foundation’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Ms Joyce Charles, told reporters that structure builders have not considered people with disabilities when creating infrastructure. She called on the government to help in changing this culture.
The government must address problems that disabled people face in navigating town and city infrastructure, she said.
“The government initiative to improve infrastructure countrywide is laudable, however, unless all people, including persons with disabilities, can benefit from such infrastructure, development will be incomplete,” she said, adding that building ramps on footpaths and roads for persons in wheelchairs and giving out canes were some easy solutions to making the city friendlier for the group.
