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LettersAdopt ‘universal’ urban design for Hong Kong, so that disability does not hold anyone back
- Helping the less-able find work is great, but urban and building designs can often make it difficult even to run errands
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I am writing to express my views on the article, “The NGO helping Hongkongers with disabilities fight prejudice and break into the workforce” (March 30), on the barriers that the physically less-able face when seeking jobs in Hong Kong. The thoughtful approach of NGOs such as CareER, as highlighted in the article, has certainly greatly benefited such citizens, yet, I believe more must be done to support their integration into society.
Although helping the disabled find jobs of a higher skill level is essential, their struggles while completing daily tasks should not be ignored. I remember how in 2017, people were challenged to take photos inside Wan Chai Computer Centre in a wheelchair, among different tasks set by the Arts with the Disabled Association and WYNG Media Award Masters to highlight the everyday obstacles faced by the disabled.
Though seemingly simple, many challengers found the task difficult to complete. They had to search for obscure wheelchair paths or go up long ramps to reach a lift, making the experience very frustrating. The challenge highlighted the troubles wheelchair-users or the visually impaired face daily, which may discourage them from venturing out at all.
In my opinion, the government should work harder to introduce “universal designs” – features that make all facilities usable by most people to the fullest extent possible without spatial adaptation. This would further facilitate the disabled in being more independent, therefore enhancing their quality of life.
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Trisha Tobar, Tseung Kwan O
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