Nuanua O Le Alofa (N.O.L.A), a disability advocacy organization in Samoa wants to include persons with disabilities in the design stages of new road projects.
NOLA’s General Manager, Mataafa Faatino Utumapu, made the call at the Accessibility Audit conducted by representatives of the World Bank and the Land Transport Authority.
The audit focused on addressing the needs of the disabled community when using roads and ensuring road safety for all individuals.
Samoa Observer reports Mata’afa said Samoa is committed to ensuring necessary measures are in place to realise persons with disabilities the right to access on an equal basis with others to the physical environment, information and communication, public places and facilities.
The discussion also highlighted the Pacific Disability Forum’s Pacific Blueprint on accessibility, which provides contextualized accessibility guidelines for the region.
World Bank consultant, Phillip Jordan, expressed his openness to recommendations from persons with disabilities to help design accessible roads, bridges, and footpaths.
“The objective of the audit is to learn from you about your needs, especially during the design stages of new road projects. To outline the road safety audit process and to discuss the needs of the disabled community when using roads (to cross or move along).”
