BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. Creating inclusive
cities is essential for ensuring equal opportunities, social
justice, and respect for the human dignity of people with
disabilities, Azerbaijani Ombudsperson Sabina Aliyeva said at the
event "Inclusive Cities and Independent Living for People with
Disabilities," held as part of the 13th session of the World Urban
Forum (WUF13) in Baku today, Trend reports.


According to her, hosting such an international platform in
Azerbaijan is of great importance for discussing issues of urban
development, sustainable development, social inclusion, and human
rights.


"Today, urban development is measured not only by architectural
solutions, infrastructure, and transportation, but above all by the
creation of real living conditions for people.


The true indicator of a city's development is how accessible,
safe, comfortable, and respectful of human dignity it is," she
said.


Aliyeva noted that the rights of people with disabilities are a
key focus of urban development policy.


According to her, accessibility includes not only the
availability of ramps, elevators, and special equipment, but also
the development of a comprehensive approach that enables people to
independently organize their daily lives and participate equally in
education, employment, healthcare, transportation, culture, and
public life.


She emphasized that most of the difficulties faced by people
with disabilities are related to the inadequate design of the urban
environment.


"Non-standard ramps, inaccessible public transportation,
inadequate sanitary facilities, a lack of audio and visual
information, and barriers to digital services limit people's
independent living and equal participation in society," she
announced.


According to Aliyeva, ensuring an accessible environment is one
of the legal and institutional priorities of the Azerbaijani
Ombudsman's Office. She noted that the Ombudsman's Office serves as
an independent mechanism for monitoring the implementation of the
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well
as issues of equality and non-discrimination.


She informed that an assessment of the accessibility of public
spaces, pedestrian underpasses, public transportation, and
information infrastructure was conducted in central Baku.


"A representative of the 'Independent living center for people
with disabilities' public association also participated in the
monitoring.







Based on the monitoring results, a report was prepared with
recommendations and proposals for more effectively ensuring the
rights of people with disabilities," she added.


Aliyeva also emphasized the importance of involving people with
disabilities themselves and their representative organizations in
decision-making, design, monitoring, and evaluation processes.


"The most appropriate and sustainable solutions can only be
found when the knowledge and experience of people who face these
barriers daily are taken into account," she said.


In conclusion, Aliyeva highlighted the importance of the
training, photo exhibition, and discussion session held as part of
the event.


According to her, the photo exhibition "Accessibility Myths:
Invisible Barriers of Modern Urban Development" clearly
demonstrates the impact of accessibility issues on people's lives,
and the call to "Leave No One Behind" reflects the responsibility
of every city, community, and decision-maker.


The third day of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum
(WUF13) is underway in Baku.


On the first day, a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New
Urban Agenda, a roundtable of ministers, assemblies of women and
civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban
well-being were held. A ceremony for raising the flags of the
United Nations and Azerbaijan also took place within the framework
of the forum.


The second day of the forum drew attention with the first-ever
Leaders Summit. High-level discussions on the global housing
crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience were held that
day. At the same time, the Mexico City pavilion was inaugurated
within the framework of WUF13. The pavilion was presented as an
important platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin
American region and preparing for WUF14.


WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered
participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held
under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and
communities,” the forum brings together governments, international
organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to
strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban
development.