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Accessibility in times of pandemic: Building “Cities For All” post COVID-19

Blind man walks with a cane in Auckland street
Photo: Dreamstime

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a severe threat to city services, global health, and is radically transforming the societies in which we live. Physical distancing measures adopted around Latin America and the world directly impact the life and well-being of almost 4.1 billion people living in cities.

The populations considered at high risk include persons with disabilities and older persons. Local governments need to plan and address the unprecedented political, economic and social implications that resulted from the limitations of mobility, participation, expression, and social interactions.

Therefore, it is vital to document the experience lived by persons with disabilities and older persons, including the identification of the physical, health, and socioeconomic barriers that affect their fair, full, active participation and human rights in the cities in which they live.

The Webinar will discuss the challenges and opportunities for local governments after the COVID-19 pandemic. It will focus on the launch of the “Recommendations for Empowering Local Governments in the context of an Inclusive Pandemic Response” that offers local governments recommendations for formulating and implementing action plans that are in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, the New Urban Agenda, and the World Health Organization’s Age-friendly Cities and Communities Initiative.

The Webinar is organized by the Office of the SG Envoy on Disability and Accessibility, Cities For All: Global Compact on Inclusive and Accessible Cities, World Enabled and UN DESA’s Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD) and will take place on 15 July 2020 from 4.00pm – 5.30pm EDT.

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