The European Concept For Accessibility 2003

2.1.4 the Richness of Diversity

In the previous section we saw that population diversity is the result of people living alongside one another and that all of us have the right to a dignified life., If this is the case, the least we can do is demand, and work toward creating, environments which reflect social reality.

Human co-existence is based on mutual respect and the desire that the people around us develop as autonomous individuals and come to form part of our own emotional development (I love and feel loved/ they love and feel loved).

Living alongside one another in this way enables us to learn and benefit from other people's realities and, therefore, the more diversity there is around an individual, the richer his own life will be.

Thus, dimensional, perceptual, motor and cognitive diversity have to be taken into account when developing environments because, like the rest of the population, people with interaction problems with the environment have the WISH, the NEED and the RIGHT to be independent, to choose their way of life and to live it without the environment putting barriers in their way.

But, as in the case of children, independence will only be achieved if we develop people-friendly environments, that is to say, environments equipped with elements that can be used, handled and understood.

Although it is often essential to design specific help for specific problems (for example, glasses, wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids) the fact remains that accessible environments are a determining factor in personal autonomy (where people don't need the help of others to go about their daily lives): the more accessible the environment, the less technical help will be required.

To speak of autonomy or independence in daily living means that the life journeys of all people should be made accessible. The term life journeys refers to that set of routes which people cover each day in going about their daily activities (for example, going to work or school, shopping, taking children to the park, meeting up with friends).

Therefore, accessible environments should include:
-A public transport network that meets the needs of the whole population in terms of routes, timetables and accessibility of vehicles.

-Clear information that can be easily understood by any user of the environment.

-Rest areas so that people can choose between walking or using public transport.

-Public buildings and the services they provide that are accessible to everybody.

-A relationship between vehicles (whether parked or in motion) and pedestrians which is amicable and respects the diversity of different users.

Making environments accessible means making them respectful of people's needs and, in turn, encouraging people to respect their environment. Thus, creating environments with dimensional, perceptual, motor, cognitive and cultural diversity in mind breeds solidarity and facilitates interaction among us. Moreover, it is a definitive step toward equal opportunities, that is, it offers all of us the possibility of exercising our right to the life we want, to be independent, autonomous....., to be a person!.