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The significance of architectural, informational, and accessibility services at the local community level in accordance with Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the recommendations of the UN Committee for the Monitoring of Implementation
By Jasminko BijelićPublished On 04/07/2025
The coalition of organizations for persons with disabilities in the Tuzla Canton held a round table on July 3, 2025, at the "Dramar" Shopping Center in Tuzla, on the topic: "The importance of architectural, informational, and service accessibility at the local community level in accordance with Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the recommendations of the UN Committee for the Monitoring of Implementation."
The event brought together representatives of organizations for persons with disabilities, activists, and the media who jointly discussed the challenges and opportunities in the field of accessibility for persons with disabilities, which is a crucial prerequisite for the equal and dignified participation of persons with disabilities in social life.
A special emphasis is placed on the application of Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which obliges the signatory states, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to the physical environment, information, communications, and services and facilities available to the public, both in urban and rural areas.
The participants of the round table concluded that there must be a greater joint effort to improve accessibility for all equally, as accessibility is a fundamental human right that directly affects daily life, including education, employment, and healthcare. The participants emphasized that accessibility is a matter of dignity, freedom, and equal opportunities.
The meeting presented the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the exchange of experiences and open dialogue enabled the identification of barriers and the definition of possible solutions and concrete steps towards a more inclusive society.
Experiences from the daily lives of activists were shared, in which they often face violations of basic rights to accessible community services. It was also emphasized that there is a need to continuously work on the education and empowerment of persons with disabilities so that they can recognize ways to realize their rights, as well as that ensuring the accessibility of the environment is not a concession or a matter of goodwill, but an obligation.
The round table was held as part of the support program for the work of coalitions of organizations of persons with disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with financial support from the organization MyRight Sweden for the period 2023–2027.