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A Universal Design

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Title: A Universal Design


1
A Universal Design Disability Africa
Consulting (UDDAC) Presentation
  • Consulting on Universal Design is a necessary
    part of the design process. Consultation is
    therefore provided in all phases and could
    include product information. Consultation is
    provided to codes or model buildings by-laws/
    standards and policy developers. UDDAC assist
    businesses, government and government ministries,
    and parastatals to prepare for the senior
    citizens (elderly), the young and disability
    market.

2
Introduction
  • This presentation seeks to share information
    through the work of the Universal Design
    Disability Consulting Africa (UDDAC) a registered
    Trust in Zimbabwe and founded in the year 2002.
  • Tomson Dube is my name and am the Executive
    Director of this privately registered Trust. We
    are a team of four people that includes a
    secretary, and 2 other disability activists that
    are Senior Consultants in the company.

3
Focus of Discussion
  • Our mission states that UDDAC exists to promote
    the universal design philosophy through service
    provisions to a multiplicity of stakeholders that
    include but not limited to the old (elderly),
    young and people with physical disabilities.

4
The Drive
  • This drive (to promote universal design) is
    influenced and/or emanates from our definition of
    the term disability, that means a physical,
    mental or sensory impairment, whether permanent
    or temporary, that limits the capacity to perform
    one or more essential activities of daily life
    and which can be caused or aggravated by the
    economic and social environment. Poverty and
    Disability.

5
Involvement of Stakeholders
  • UDDAC seeks to achieve the above work through
    engaging stakeholders in participatory approaches
    that are emancipatory.
  • The Trust, (UDDAC) believes universal design is
    the answer to creating a user friendly
    environment for all people. We place our
    emphasis in that together, we can create a
    barrier free society through the provision of
    barrier free travel, tourism, and user friendly
    environment. In addition, we design solutions
    that are more responsive to the needs of all
    people.

6
Involvement of Stakeholders contd
  • At UDDAC we are committed to the development of
    rural and urban environments that are
    user-friendly and are therefore usable by people
    who constitute a range of ages, sizes and
    abilities.
  • We carry out baseline audits of your premises to
    determine assets and deficits in relation to
    Universal Design objectives. Our team of experts
    has experience from small scale buildings to
    large scale urban audits.
  • We have a strong experienced team that has been
    in this business longer and themselves living
    with disability.
  • We have engaged the Government of Zimbabwes
    various ministries such as Higher Education and
    Technology, Civil Aviation, Environment and
    Tourism, Transportation and the Ministry of
    Health.
  • We have also corroborated with other SADC
    countries such as Malawi, Zambia and Botswana at
    various levels.

7
Life Experiences
  • UDDAC works with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority
    (ZTA).
  • The ZTA is the Implementing Operational Authority
    arm in Zimbabwes issues with regards to tourism.
    We work with them in areas of compliance and
    awareness. One great thing that the authority
    does is to make sure that all lodges, hotels and
    any business people that offer accommodation are
    registered with the ZTA. The authority
    ascertains that the buildings are compliant and
    addresses access issues. However, the authority
    may not have the capacity to visit every
    accommodation providers, but they insist that
    their premises should be accessible then they are
    registered.

8
Life Experiences contd
  • UDDAC works in partnership with Zimbabwe Council
    for Tourism (ZCT). ZCT is the policy making
    body. ZCT is eligible to receive close to US3
    million that is budgeted for training travel
    industry personnel on customer service skills in
    anticipation of the World Cup this June 2010 in
    South Africa. UDDAC has since engaged the
    Zimbabwe Council for Tourism to offer training to
    personnel staff in areas that will include
    addressing issues of travelers with disabilities,
    Universal Design, or inclusion in any form. UDDAC
    has submitted a budget which ZCT is considering
    so that we can partner in this mammoth task. If
    successful, UDDAC will be contracted to train
    specifically on service to travelers with
    disabilities attending World Cup 2010. We see
    this marriage going beyond June 2010 as we seek
    to establish a partnership that lasts longer than
    a single contact.

9
WORKING WITH GoZ MINISTRIES
  • Working with the Government of Zimbabwe (Selected
    Line Ministries)
  • As a representative of UDDAC and in his capacity
    as Senior Consultant, Mr. Malinga used his
    experience from being the ex-mayor of the City of
    Bulawayo to represent our views for accessibility
    of the built environments. As a respected senior
    politician in Zimbabwe he was influential in the
    Ministry of Local Government and National Housing
    in designing a prototype house for disabled
    people. The design was adopted and became a
    model house under the Ministry of Rural Housing
    and Amenities. Another senior Consultant in the
    company Mr. Alexander Phiri uses his expertise in
    engineering and architectural skills to design
    houses for recommendation to the ministry. UDDAC
    has since championed many policies that have
    brought a difference on the disability movement.
    We lobby and influence in the building of schools
    that are accessible. We make sure that there are
    by-laws that direct municipalities, (Planners and
    Designers), construction and engineering
    companies in building public buildings and other
    public facilities. The schools construction model
    was later taken to the national level through
    engaging the bodies that are influential. The
    same applies to the Ministry of Health and Child
    Welfare they consult in areas of improvements in
    infrastructure. Most of the public buildings
    were constructed during the colonial era and
    nothing to support the disability community was
    included.

10
WORKING WITH GoZ MINISTRIES Contd
  • UDDAC has engaged Cresta Group of Hotels
    especially, Jameson Hotel management with regards
    to the inaccessibility of the main entrance to
    the hotel. UDDAC staff had been patronizing
    Cresta Jameson Hotel since 2002 to 2007 and had
    never seen any conference organized by people
    with disabilities at the hotel premises. When
    asked why it was the case, management only
    managed to say they (disabled people) shun our
    hotel. UDDAC then told them that there were no
    basic assistive devices such as a simple ramp.
    This had never crossed their mind. The following
    day, there was a make-shift quick solution.
    UDDAC observed that management had genuinely
    constructed a poor below standard ramp. The ramp
    would be quickly removed because it did not give
    the hotel a corporate image. Rainbow Hotel
    (formerly called Bulawayo Sun Hotel), used to be
    inaccessible but through UDDACs advisory
    services, the management was committed and
    responsive. Today all of disabled peoples
    workshops in the city are held at the hotel
    because of its accessibility.

11
WORKING WITH GoZ MINISTRIES Contd
  • Holiday Inn at least there are great efforts
    that have been done. There is parking space
    clearly marked and designated for people with
    disability. They have public toilets and a room
    reserved for disabled people. This is not enough
    because there is only one room (Room 710).
    Formerly called Harare Sheraton and now called
    Rainbow Towers there are challenges from the
    hotel lobby to the conference centre. There is a
    ramp that is almost 90 degrees. The conference
    Centre is completely inaccessible. Kadoma Ranch
    Motel and Conference Centre is part of the
    Rainbow Group of Hotels. UDDAC was involved and
    the place is a very good and accessible place to
    be. The toilets are the best accessible places at
    the hotel. UDDAC continues to make an audit of
    the tourism industry and hope to cover most of
    the hotels within the next two years.

12
The Malawian Experience
  • Observation 1. Construction of Parliament
    Building
  • UDDACs involvement was during the current
    construction of Malawis new Parliament building.
    UDDAC observed the drawings and commented thus
    It is still not accessible as the only rail-lift
    that is introduced caters for a limited section
    of the building. Inside the building itself,
    disabled people on wheel chairs would be
    physically lifted to find their way to the foyer.
    There are current serious omissions on access
    issues that still need considerations. Upon an
    intense scrutiny, we found out that the drawings
    for the plan were done in China and the Chinese
    are the construction company (there is nothing
    wrong with this arrangement), but we found out
    that there was need to adjust door sizes ,
    passage ways and most of the toilets are
    inaccessible especially restaurants toilets were
    inaccessible for disabled people. The public
    gallery auditorium is accessible, but the
    committee rooms are not. In such cases, we
    professional advise was offered and our audit was
    shared with the Construction Supervisor at site

13
The Malawian Experience Contd
  • Observation 2. The Tourist Place (Mausoleum)
  • Soon after the death of the long serving founding
    father president Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, his
    body was embalmed and placed at a selected place
    that led to the creation of a tourist attraction
    place. The place though a scenic place is not
    accessible. There is a ramp that is not to UN
    Standards. UN Standard stipulates that ramps
    should be between 1 in 12 or 1 in 24 maximum and
    the ramp that is there is far below the expected
    standard. Infact it has a ninety degree
    gradient. UDDAC gave the authorities advice
    which is yet to be followed up if this was
    corrected.

14
The Malawian Experience Contd
  • Observation 3. Capitol Hotel
  • A visit to the Capitol Hotel was one of our most
    shocking experiences. This is one of the most
    popular hotels in Lilongwe, Malawi. The Hotel is
    completely inaccessible. For wheel chair users,
    you need four people to help you to either go up
    on their ramp or down to the foyer. UDDAC
    engaged the Public Relations person who also
    asked us to contact the Sunbird Group of Hotels
    in Malawi to either have a meeting or make
    suggestions for our observations. (We are yet to
    schedule a meeting with the concerned
    proprietors).

15
The Zambian Experience
  • In partnership with the Southern Africa
    Federation for Disabled (SAFOD), UDDAC
    participated at a press conference conducted in
    Zambia in late October 2009. The media
    conference attracted eight (8) to ten (10) media
    houses that attended the press conference. This
    conference was immediately followed by serious
    articles of access issues. The press conference
    was held at the Intercontinental Hotel which
    itself has access issues. While some of their
    hotel rooms are accessible, the majority are not.
    In most cases, not only in the Zambian case,
    when such accessible issues are raised, there is
    always a quick response of a half-baked solution.
    There is no commitment there are make-shift
    ramps just for the occasion. There is no
    political will. The concept of UD inclusive of
    accessibility is that facilities should be 100
    user friendly.

16
The South African Observation Experience
  • Recently, UDDAC senior officials attended the
    just ended December African Network for
    Evidence-to-Action in Disability (Afri-NEAD)
    Symposium in South Africa at Cape Town. One of
    the Senior Consultant was an international
    invited guest but ended up sitting with the
    ordinary invited guests (not that there is
    anything wrong sitting with ordinary guests).
    The event was at the Sports grounds of the
    University of Stellenbosch. The place was not
    accessible and there were serious challenges.
    The guest on Honour was the Vice President
    Monhlante of SA, who shared the stage with
    Honourable Zille President of the Democratic
    Alliance. Mr. Muzi Nkosi (chairperson of DPSA),
    was an invited guest and he is 100 reliant on a
    wheel chair. They had to lift him up to the
    podium because it was inaccessible to get to the
    top table. The entire internationally invited
    guests could not access the podium and they set
    with the crowd. Yet this was a Symposium whose
    majority were disabled people. These are the
    things we as UDDAC are bringing awareness to the
    world and there is a lot of work that is on our
    hands.

17
Working with the Civil Aviation Authority of
Zimbabwe
  • UDDACs mission and interest is that Zimbabwes
    five airports are accessible. The five (5)
    airports include Harare International Airport,
    Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International airport
    (ex-Bulawayo International Airport), Victoria
    Falls Airport, Kariba Airport and Buffalo Range
    airport. (See communication between UDDAC and
    CAAZ). UDDAC addresses conferences for Mayors,
    Urban Council Associations of Zimbabwe, town
    planners and town designers, engineering and
    construction companies and Members of Parliament.
    UDDAC is currently working with the Government
    of Zimbabwe as they plan to build the new
    Parliament of Zimbabwe at Kopje Hill. UDDACs
    advise is that the parliament has to be
    accessible. The current parliament is not
    accessible. When Mr. Malinga was a member of the
    Senate, parliament authorities had to erect a
    mini-elevator in order to facilitate his
    movements in and out of the parliament building.

18
Training of Stakeholders
  • We train people that handle the elderly, disabled
    people at airports. Our major aim in offering
    training in all this is influenced by our primary
    target to implement and promote the United
    Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled.
    Unfortunately, funds have been scarce in this
    area. The project with ZCT will give mileage to
    our work. Our core business as UDDAC in the
    consultancy business is to promote inclusiveness.
    We advocate that disability could be used as a
    criterion for funding. In the same way women,
    children and animals are targets for funding, so
    should it be a criteria for disabled people in
    order to facilitate services for disabled people.
    We intend to train close for 400 personnel
    under the ZCT proposal in areas of handling
    travellers with disability during the upcoming
    World Cup in South Africa and beyond.

19
UDDACs work with Universities
  • UDDAC works closely with the National University
    of Science and Technology (NUST) to draw lessons
    learned and influence municipalities to build
    accessible housing and public buildings.
    Accessibility is required through doors,
    elevators (lifts), stairways be it in
    public/private or semi-private domains. We
    encourage students to design simple ramps as
    these facilitate easy access/travel and movement
    up and downstairs of buildings. The only
    University that is accommodative in Southern
    Africa known to UDDAC is the University of
    Witwatersrand in South Africa that has a lab for
    the blind. The lab accommodates wheel chair
    users, the blind and has a computer Braille
    system. These are facilities that we want to see
    in our institutions of higher learning. Through
    NUST, we have encouraged the municipalities to at
    least say after every 20 parking bays, there is
    need to include disabled parking space. Toilets
    should have dual purposes. It should be huge and
    have an ensuite type of a structure. There is
    need for a specific lining that leads to every
    door or direction.
  • UDDAC notices with great concern that there is
    some model of shower designs in hotels in
    Southern African countries, specifically in RSA
    that is not disability user friendly. The shower
    is a small stool that does not have resting
    arms or any supportive devices. It is almost in
    every 4 to 5 star hotels. UDDAC would like to
    consult her colleagues in South Africa if they
    know the designers, so that recommendations for
    improvements can be shared.

20
Senior Consultants Nightmare
  • The major thrust behind UDDACs work is to create
    a paradigm shift. To change the mindset. We
    want to inculcate the culture to plan with
    everybody in mind. Everybody includes disabled.
  • (Refer to the Mali experience with Mr. Alexander
    Phiri (Mr. Phiri, Mr. Malinga and myself were
    traveling to Bamako-Mali and when we arrived at
    the airport, it was something else. They
    (Malinga Phiri) had to be lifted using a
    forklift. The folk lift driver was very ignorant
    of the dangers he was exposing these guys. When
    they had been taken to a particular level, they
    were merely lifted like babies without
    consultation. The steps were too steep and too
    narrow. When cautioned on their (airport staff)
    behaviour they were very aggressive and
    uncooperative. There were not functional toilets
    and those that were functional, were small and
    inaccessible. It was a nightmare. Most airports
    in some African states are in appalling states.
    If we plan with everybody in mind, our lifts
    would be written in Braille, our trains, buses
    would be having lifts (elevators) that have
    adequate space for someone on a wheel chair to
    navigate. We need the construction industry and
    planners that build inaccessible houses to come
    to us and consult.

21
Concluding Remarks
  • In addition to what has already been mentioned,
    we carry out baseline audits of your premises to
    determine assets and deficits in relation to
    Universal Design objectives. Our team of experts
    have experience in small scale buildings to large
    scale urban audits.
  • We have a strong experienced team that has been
    in this business for years and themselves living
    with disability.
  • This is evidenced by our engagement with the
    Government of Zimbabwes various ministries such
    as those mentioned elsewhere in this
    presentation.
  • Our work is known to those who have engaged us
    and they are happy with our product.

22
Concluding Remarks contd
  • We develop and deliver Workshops, Training and
    Evaluations that cater to your organizations
    needs.
  • Examples of workshops on offer are
  • Disability Sensitivity Training
  • Introduction to Universal Design
  • Universal Design and Human Rights
  • Universal Design and Home Modification
  • Researches and Evaluations are carried out as
    commissioned.

23
Final Concluding Remarks
  • UDDAC is available for conducting research such
    as those previously done under the DKaR project.
    See the research on Promoting inclusion? Disabled
    people, legislation and Public Policy that was
    both interesting and challenging.
  • We are available both on short term notice and
    long term notice.
  • UDDAC has done work for the African Decade
    Secretariat, as evidenced by the production of a
    Training Module on Mainstreaming Gender and
    Disability,
  • UDDAC conducted a PAFOD evaluation that was
    commissioned by the Disability Awareness in
    Action (DAA).
  • In addition, please see our article in, In or
    out of the mainstream? edited by Bill Albert
    chapter 8

24
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25
FINALLY CONTACT DETAILS
  • Thank you for listening. Please do not hesitate
    to contact us on the below listed data
  • Tomson Dube
  • Office Address Victory Faith Centre 104 George
    Silundika Street, Between 10th Avenue 11th
    Avenue
  • Postal P. O. Box 4139, Bulawayo-Zimbabwe, Mobile
    cellular phones 263 11 866 523 or 263 912
    568 029
  • Other mobile numbers 263 11 416 478 or 263 11
    702 104 and Home 263 9 20 15 11
  • E-mail tomdube-63_at_hotmail.com
  • Other alternate e-mails include
    TomsonDube_at_gmail.com, phiri_at_yahoo.com or
    joshuatmalinga_at_yahoo.com
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