Sabina Aliyeva: Cities must be comfortable for persons with disabilities

Cities must be accessible, safe, and comfortable for persons with disabilities, Sabina Aliyeva, Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman), said during the event dedicated to Independent Living and Inclusive Cities for Persons with Disabilities held on the third day of the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

According to Aliyeva, the true indicator of a city's development is how accessible, safe, comfortable, and dignified it is for every individual:

"The rights of persons with disabilities are among the fundamental human rights issues that lie at the core of urban planning policies. Building an inclusive urban environment is a key condition for equal opportunities, social justice, and respect for human dignity. Accessibility is not only about ramps, elevators, and special signs – it represents a holistic approach that enables individuals to organize their daily lives independently. This means equal and unhindered participation in education, employment, healthcare, transportation, culture, public services, and community life."

Aliyeva emphasized that equal and effective participation of persons with disabilities in social life is only possible through the creation of an accessible environment: "Many of the difficulties faced by persons with disabilities are linked to poorly designed environments. Non-standard crossings, inaccessible public transport, unsuitable sanitary facilities, insufficient audio and visual information, and barriers in digital services limit independent living and equal participation in society."

She noted that monitoring has been conducted in several central areas of Baku to assess the accessibility of public spaces, crossings, transport, and information infrastructure for persons with disabilities. Special importance was attached to cooperation with civil society during this process. As a result, a report containing relevant proposals and recommendations to better ensure the rights of persons with disabilities was prepared and submitted to the competent state authorities.