From Basic Rights to Full Access: Elements of Current Accessibility Practice in Developing Countries

Improving access to transport systems and mobility of people with disabilities is a necessary element of alleviating poverty in developing countries. A selected overview of the progress made toward achieving improved access is provided. It is based on an ongoing 3-year research program on access needs and approaches in a selection of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. A generalized framework is suggested for describing the progress made across different countries. Many least developed countries are at the bottom of a continuum of activities in which issues of human rights and access to basic mobility are still paramount. Others, such as countries in Latin America, have made significant progress on access issues in major cities and are faced with challenges of expanding improvements to noncore areas and to less well-regulated modes. The framework is used to suggest some critical priorities for countries at various levels of development.