“Accessibility for Inclusion”

in Partnership with: CBM Nepal

Currently, NFDN, in partnership with CBM Nepal, has been implementing a multi-years project focusing on accessibility entitling “Accessibility for Inclusion” to the end of inclusion of persons with disabilities for the period of 2016-18.

In the run up to the project, NFDN will closely work with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Reconstruction Authorities, Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare, Ministry of Urban Development and its Department, Department of Road, Universities and other relevant authorities to promote accessibility standards in the public physical infrastructures in the course of addressing post disaster reconstruction activities.

This project is mainly focused on the promotion of accessibility for persons with disabilities in the public physical environment. This project has been developed particularly focusing to the challenges and problems faced by persons with disabilities, children, elderly people and other diverse group in having their equal access to the public places due to many barriers. The project is built around in three different components or result areas: awareness raising and sensitization, capacity development and implementation of accessibility and universal design principles.

The key geographical area to implement this project is Kathmandu Metropolitan City and some activities will goes to Bhaktapur and Lalitpur, the adjoining district of Kathmandu. Similarly few activities will goes to some other disaster affected district’s head quarters.

Although Kathmandu is the most developed area of Nepal, most of the public places such as road, sidewalks, parks, market, airport, open spaces, religious and touristic places, educational institutions, bus parks, and government buildings are not accessible for all including persons with disabilities. Following the principles of universal design and ensuring the accessibility standards are the new things for Nepal. On the top of that, the earthquake of April 2015 has caused a big loss of human life and physical properties. Many public places, private buildings and historical monuments are destroyed.

In this scenario the government is in the process of reconstruction with the priority to “Build Back Better”.  This project has been developed particularly to contribute on the reconstruction process and new construction as well for ensuring the accessibility standards in the process of build back better.

The direct beneficiaries of the proposed project are persons with disabilities who are facing different types of barriers for getting access to basic services, human rights and opportunities due to the inaccessible public physical infrastructures. Beside, this project will also benefit to the elderly people, children and pregnant women. Through this project the capacity of government and other stakeholders for making accessible public place will be enhanced. So the indirect beneficiary of this project is staff of KMC, NFDN’s staff and executive members, engineers, architects, local DPOs and local government agencies.

The first and foremost step of this project is to conduct the official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between National Federation of the Disabled, Nepal (NFDN) and Kathmandu metropolitan city (government authority). Both interred into the official agreement to jointly work for the construction of the public infra-structures that are accessible for all kinds of people including persons with all forms of disability, aging people, children, pregnant women and others. The roles and responsibilities of both parties has clearly been mentioned in the agreement paper. Both KMC and NFDN officially agree to:

  • Conduct the orientations and technical trainings to engineers, architects, builders and other persons from KMC and other stakeholders on accessibility, universal design and other essential subject matters.
  • Plan and carry out the access audit to some of the places within the Kathmandu metropolitan city and some adjacent municipalities and the public places will continuously be made accessible for all kinds of people in line with the recommendations of the published report of the access audit.
  • Some of the major public places will be made accessible for all people including persons with disability within the project period.
  • Organize some awareness-building activities for the construction of accessible public infra-structures and places including historical and cultural places that have been reconstructed after the destruction of the last year devastating earthquake.
  • Some adjacent municipalities and districts will highly be encouraged to replicate the acquired knowledge and skills of KMC and other stakeholders.

Project in brief:

Project name:

Accessibility for Inclusion.

Partnership with:

CBM Nepal.

Collaboration with:

Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

Project Area:

Kathmandu valley and some other adjacent district head-quarters.

Project duration:

First June, 2016 to Last December, 2018.

Overall objective:

Contribute to the national goal of developing Inclusive Society by promoting accessible environment for all.

Specific objective:

Access for all promoted through building capacity and models of universal design for (re) construction in the Kathmandu Valley.

Results of the project:

Result 1:

KMC and other key stakeholders(I/NGOs, Gos, DPOs, Private Sectors, Universities) involved in (re) construction activities and engaged in sensitizing about accessibility and universal design. (Awarness Raising and Sesitization).

Result 2:

Enhanced the knowledge and skills of constructional professionals/technical person and relevant stakeholders(GoN, DPOs, Universities, Private Institutions) on accessibility and universal design and the technical expertises groups available (Capacity Building).

Result 3:

Implemented the Accessibility and Universal Design Principles in (re)construction activity.