As part of our advocacy, #OneAccesibility, we will share information about differently able and profile one location with accessible trails. Look out every week for this enlightening post.
Argentina is one of the 167 countries that signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD**).**
The country signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 2007, creating the law n°26378, named Convención Sobre los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad. Argentina is also one of the 92 countries that signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, doing so in 2002.
The country is working on eliminating discrimination in social security and health, and raising awareness on accessibility. The usage of the right terminology is also one of its priorities.
One of the government organizations that help follow the law of the Convention is the National Agency for Disability (ANDIS), it has the mission to promote the development and application of policies that consolidate the rights of people with disabilities while promoting social transformation and inclusion.
It’s following the National Disability Plan that started back on 2017, and will continue until 2022. The plan is focused on the following:
- Equality for Everyone: Guarantee the exercise of the rights of persons with disabilities in equality and equal opportunities with others.
- Work, Employment and Social Protection: Promote the work of people with disabilities in environments and conditions that guarantee equal conditions and treatment, as well as an effective social protection of those people who are not in a position to work, or are still looking for a job.
- Education and Culture: Promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in the general education system, as well as guarantee access to culture in all of its forms and expressions.
- Universal Accessibility and Design for Everyone: Promote universal accessibility in goods and services.
- Health and Rehabilitation: Facilitate access to comprehensive health services
ANDIS follows the plan mainly by encouraging Citizen Participation, meaning that it seeks that the right of people with disabilities are heard by the State for the construction of public policies for the sector, also doing the same to their families and to the organizations linked to them.
They have also created programs that make sure there touristic areas are accessible and inclusive, there is at least one accessible recreational area in every city, encourage people with disabilities to play sports and participate in other physical and recreational activities, and promote equal employment opportunities, aimed at improving employability and supporting the labor insertion of people with disabilities.
They are very active in social media, sharing news regarding accessibility in the country and articles meant to raise awareness.
A few of many other ways they follow the plan are:
- Finance programs aimed at improving people with disabilities quality of life
- Give documentation that explains their rights to them that tell them what are their rights and what to do if they are being disrespected or their rights are violated.
- Design a guide to provide information on sexual health and reproductive health and promote differential care in situations of violence.
Regarding how what is agreed by the Convention is taken care of my city, the City of Buenos Aires, there’s
another organization that helps: COPIDIS, Commission for the Full Participation and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities.
Its objective is the promotion of the rights of people with disabilities in the area of the City of Buenos Aires. They also have programs like the ones mentioned of the National Agency, and an area that receives requests and complaints about the accessibility of public space, public buildings and private homes. I easily contacted them when we noticed that a -very touristic and popular- area in one of our accessibility meet ups wasn’t accessible.
Burger 54 is a restaurant that offers organic fast food, the branch in the Santa Fe avenue has an accessible trail. It has a wide, accessible entrance, is very spacious inside and even has an accessible elevator.
You can read my review of Burger 54 clicking here.
If you have questions, suggestions or contributions, feel free to drop a comment below. You can read last week’s round up by clicking here.
