New research reveals links between disability, mobility and road risk in Belarus
EASST partner the Belarusian Auto Moto Touring Club (BKA) together with the EASST has this week published a new report examining the links between disability, mobility and road risk in Belarus. The report – based on a survey of 1,000 disabled people and their carers throughout Belarus – found a majority of those surveyed had difficulties making basic journeys to the shops, to the doctor or to visit friends, due to unsafe roads and inaccessible transport.
‘Road Safety – An Inherent Right and Equal Opportunity for All People’ offers fresh data and insights into the particular needs and problems disabled people in Belarus face as drivers, pedestrians and public transport users. The report details the different obstacles to mobility faced by people with disabilities linked to road safety, the attitudes of other road users and access to transport in a bid to better inform public policy makers on how to address these issues proactively. Such data has previously been lacking in Belarus, making it difficult to press for change.
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The report includes key recommendations for public authorities. Building more accessible public spaces will go a long way towards creating a safer and more inclusive environment for disabled people that is free from discrimination – a key aim of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and a crucial step towards meeting UN Sustainable Development Goal 11.7, “ to provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities” by 2030.
On the launch of the report Irina Potyakina, Director of the BKA, said, “Worldwide, and especially in Belarus, mobility must have the principle of inclusion. Any one of us could find ourselves living with a disability affecting our mobility at any time, perhaps due to a road crash. We each have an interest in making our roads safer and more accessible, and this should be a right for everyone.”
