BY JOY OFASIA
PEOPLE with disabilities are missing out on experiencing all that Solomon Islands has to offer because of a lack of accessibility infrastructure in the country’s urban and rural settings, according to an advocate for people with disabilities in Solomon Islands.
The call for action comes as the population living with a disability in the country continues to face significant barriers to accessing public spaces, transportation, and other essential services.
According to People with Disability Solomon Islands (PWDSI) Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR) officer Naomi Tai, a new government after the 2024 Joint Elections should enforce and enhance accessibility standards across public spaces, transportation, and digital platforms in the country, ensuring they are inclusive for people with disabilities.
“The people with disabilities community in the Solomon Islands has faced the issue of a lack of accessibility standards across public spaces, including transportation.
“We are urging policymakers in the new government to implement comprehensive and inclusive infrastructure plans that cater to the needs of all people living with disabilities in the country.
“We cannot continue to ignore the struggles that people with disabilities face on a daily basis. It is time for a new government that recognizes the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their abilities,” she told SUNDAY ISLES.
Noami said that there are specific measures that they would like to see the new government take on board to enforce and enhance accessibility standards.
“There should be designing and building or changing structures and spaces to conform to the needs of all members of the community, including those with disabilities,” she explained.
Ms. Tai said there are some PWD members who have resided in town; some even have jobs and travel each day to work and face the challenge of lack of accessibility.
“Therefore, we would like to call on the new government to take action to enforce and enhance accessibility standards across public spaces to address this issue,” she said.
Call for Rights in Social Welfare
Naomi is also calling for greater rights and support in social welfare programs to ensure that individuals with disabilities are not left behind.
She called on all political parties to include accessibility infrastructure in their political manifestos and commit to implementing concrete measures to address the needs of people with disabilities.
Naomi said the Solomon Islands PWDSI community would like to see the new government propose changes to existing social welfare programs to better assist individuals with disabilities and their families, both financially and in terms of support services.
“We would like to see the new government recognize the rights of individual persons with disabilities in government funds that go directly to people in the constituencies,” she said.
She noted that when the new government comes into power, they would like to see a specific budget allocated for people with disabilities, including their family members.
“There also should be an integrated social assistance scheme with services to drive and improve outcomes for individual people with disabilities, which includes elders and children with disabilities,” she said.
She said that what PWDSI would like to see from the new government body is support for the independence and autonomy of people with disabilities, particularly in areas such as housing, employment opportunities, transportation, and other social welfare services.
“The new government should look at alternative avenues to support persons with disabilities who have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live on an equal basis with others and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement,” Naomi said.
She explained that housing accessibility and affordability are important social determinants of health that are associated with improved health outcomes and the quality of life of people with disabilities in the country.
