Disability at a Glance 2019: Investing in Accessibility in Asia and the Pacific — Strategic Approaches to Achieving Disability-inclusive Sustainable Development focuses on the importance of increasing investment in accessibility to narrow these gaps and build an inclusive Asia and Pacific for all.
The report was prepared by the Social Development Division (SDD) of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
An estimated 690 million persons with disabilities live in Asia and the Pacific. As this figure is expected to grow over the coming decades, the need for enhanced accessibility will increase greatly. Despite many positive steps taken to enhance accessibility of the built environment, transportation, information and communications, and services across Asia and the Pacific, there remain numerous barriers to participation for persons with disabilities, and for the broader population.
The report lays out foundational concepts and terminologies related to disability and accessibility, and outlines the tools and approaches for successful investment in accessibility. Furthermore, it identifies drivers and added values of investment, and analyses the status of disability-inclusive development and accessibility investment across Asia and the Pacific.
