Committee - SOCHUM

Delegate - Laksh Sunil Varyani

TOPIC - Improving Rural Accessibility for People with Disabilities

TOPIC BACKGROUND

Disability is a multifaceted, intricate experience that is difficult to categorize and

quantify. Many describe disability in terms of medicine, viewing them as impairments,

problems with the composition, operation, or state of a person's body or mind.

However, during the previous forty or fifty years, a large number of disability activists

and scholars have shifted their attention from focusing on specific people and their

disabilities to recognising the role of social and environmental barriers that restrict the

participation and activities of people with disabilities.

One reason for The Republic of Lebanon’s low prevalence rate is that Lebanon’s official

statistics body, like many others in the region, uses medical definitions of disability. In

2021, a survey of household living conditions conducted by the Central Administration

of Statistics (the Household Living Conditions Survey) found there were 73,896 persons

with disabilities in The Republic of Lebanon , of whom 36 percent were female.

According to the 2020 Household Living Conditions Survey, people with disabilities

have lower levels of educational achievement than people in general. Compared to 11.3

percent of the general population, 38.2 percent of people were illiterate. Compared to

32.1 percent of the general population, just 8% of people with disabilities completed

secondary or postsecondary education. Additionally, there was a notable difference in

marriage rates: 37.7 percent of people with disabilities were married, compared to 53.1

percent of people in the general population. People with disabilities continue to

experience psychological and environmental impediments to involvement in many

aspects of life. People with disabilities must engage in political activity to confront these

hurdles. They must present compelling arguments for change, and these arguments

must be supported by facts regarding their circumstances. In order for individuals with

disabilities and the organizations that advocate for them to contest their

marginalization, they must be aware of the governmental initiatives that fuel this

exclusion.

A core human right is the ability to access opportunities, infrastructure, and essential

services; nevertheless, for individuals with disabilities living in rural locations

worldwide, this right is still elusive. Even while accessibility has improved in

metropolitan areas, rural populations frequently face particular difficulties because of

little resources, physical obstacles, and poor infrastructure. Large distances, isolated

locations, and rough terrain are common characteristics of rural areas, which present

major obstacles to the development of infrastructure and transportation. People with

disabilities are often excluded from opportunities and important services due to factors

such as geographical isolation, inaccessible roads, and a dearth of public transit. In rural

areas, it is rare to find basic infrastructure like ramps, wheelchair-accessible buildings,

and accessible homes. People with disabilities often find it difficult to fully engage in

communal life due to the lack of accommodations in public buildings, healthcare

facilities, and educational institutions. Poverty disproportionately affects rural

communities, which makes accessibility problems worse for those with impairments.
Insufficient financial resources impede the availability of assistive technology,

healthcare services, and accessible education, hence sustaining cycles of marginalization

and inequality. People with disabilities experience social isolation, discrimination, and

stigma as a result of persistent attitude obstacles in rural communities. People with

disabilities are frequently marginalized and isolated as a result of negative ideas and

misconceptions about them, which makes it difficult for them to participate in

community activities and decision-making processes. Insufficient, inconsistent, or

nonexistent public transportation alternatives in remote regions pose a challenge for

individuals with disabilities seeking to access vital services, job prospects, or social

events. A lack of accessible transport limits people's mobility and isolates them even

more. People with disabilities who need services that are appropriate for their cultural

and linguistic background may face difficulties in rural communities because of the

diversity of cultural origins and language preferences. Insufficient accessibility of

instructional resources, culturally aware healthcare personnel, and translators makes it

difficult for people to communicate effectively and get services.

A comprehensive and multifaceted strategy that addresses the overlapping challenges

of geography, infrastructure, socioeconomic position, and societal attitudes is needed to

improve rural accessibility for individuals with disabilities worldwide. The creation of

accessible and inclusive rural environments where all people, regardless of ability, may

fully participate and thrive can be achieved by stakeholders working together to

prioritize inclusive policies, community involvement, capacity building, and

technological innovation.
 COUNTRY POLICY

The Republic of Lebanon , a nation with a wide variety of terrain , from coastal plains to

mountains, has major challenges in providing equitable access and opportunities for

people with disabilities, especially in rural areas. Rural accessibility can be defined

through many ways, physically, electronically, healthcare, education and community

life.

A few years prior to the CRPD (The CRPD sets out civil, political, social, economic and

cultural rights, reformulating them around key principles such as accessibility and

inclusion) ratification, in 2000, The Republic of Lebanon passed Law 220 on the Rights

of Disabled Persons (Law 220/2000). For the rights of people with disabilities in The

Republic of Lebanon and the larger Middle East, Law 220/2000 marked a significant

advancement (Article 19, 2015). It referred to the then-current international norms

known as the Standard Rules and modified them to create a Bill of Rights for The

Republic of Lebanon 's disabled citizens. The Republic of Lebanon intended to use

systems of specific welfare entitlements for people with disabilities, as well as quotas,

fines, or incentives for service providers and businesses, to implement these rights,

which include the rights to health, housing, education, work, and an accessible

environment. Those who have registered for a disability card are eligible for the benefits.

Only Lebanese nationals are eligible to apply for a card, and even then, they have to

meet the requirements for disability, which define disability as a limitation brought on

by an impairment. According to more current definitions, disability is the result of

interactions between an individual's physical and social surroundings and their

disabilities. In 2007, The Republic of Lebanon joined the United Nations Convention on

the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), demonstrating its dedication to

guaranteeing fair opportunities and complete involvement for people with disabilities.

Promoting accessibility in rural areas is made possible by these regulatory frameworks.

Although there has been improvement in legislation, rural communities in The Republic

of Lebanon continue to confront obstacles when it comes to accessibility and

infrastructural development.

Accessing critical services, education, and career prospects is significantly hampered for

people with disabilities by physical barriers such uneven terrain, a lack of accessible

ramps, and inadequate transportation networks. Infrastructure projects that attempt to

build wheelchair-accessible facilities, alter public transport, and increase connectivity

through accessible roads and pathways have all been part of the effort to improve

accessibility in rural areas. These programmes aim to build more inclusive

environments where persons with disabilities can fully engage in social, economic, and

cultural life by dispelling stigma and challenging prejudices. Nonetheless, persistent

work is required to dispel ingrained beliefs and attitudes that could impede the

advancement of greater inclusivity. In rural The Republic of Lebanon ,

non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups are essential in

helping the disabled community by developing their capacities and offering support

services. These organizations provide a variety of services, such as advocacy for rights

and access to services, vocational training, and rehabilitation programmes. These

programmes improve independence, self-esteem, and socioeconomic integration by

giving disabled people and their families more control. Nonetheless, it may be difficult
to consistently provide support services to isolated rural areas due to resource limits and

topographical limitations. Although The Republic of Lebanon has made progress in

increasing the accessibility and inclusion of individuals with disabilities, there are still

major obstacles, especially in rural areas. A comprehensive strategy that incorporates

support services, community involvement, infrastructural development, and legislative

reforms is needed to address these issues.

Under international law, The Republic of Lebanon has committed to granting all of its

residents, including those with disabilities, access to information. It has ratified the UN

Convention against Corruption and the International Covenant on Civil and Political

Rights, two treaties that mandate governments to guarantee public access to official

records, with extremely limited exclusions. The Republic of Lebanon must also grant

access to information in accordance with the CRPD. The Republic of Lebanon has

approved the CRPD, but not yet because of a political impasse. However, The Republic

of Lebanon has played a significant role in the advancement of international legislation

pertaining to the rights of people with disabilities. In 2007, it was one of the first nations

to ratify the CRPD. The Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons

with Disabilities (the Standard Rules) are recognised by The Republic of Lebanon 's Law

220/2000 on the Rights of Disabled Persons. The 1993 UN General Assembly approved

the Standard Rules, which serve as a definitive interpretation of international law

pertaining to disabilities. The procedure that resulted in the CRPD's adoption included

the Standard Rules as well. The significance of information access for individuals with

impairments is acknowledged by the Standard Rules. States must "undertake measures

to provide access to information and communication,"(Standard Rule 5).

 PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

The Republic of Lebanon proposes numerous solutions to the ongoing challenges that

are involved in improving access to people with disabilities. The Republic of Lebanon is

aware of investment that would need to be made into making the solutions a reality. But

The Government of The Republic of Lebanon is committed to come out with cost

effective solutions that can be essential to solving the problem.

The Republic of Lebanon proposes to focus on arrangement changes that don't need

essential expensive ventures yet have significant effect. This could include implementing

existing rules to guarantee openness guidelines are met in new development ventures

and public spaces, without requiring prompt huge scope foundation changes.

Moreover, Privately owned businesses might put resources into projects that line up

with corporate social obligation targets, like structure wheelchair-available offices or

giving open transportation administrations. Attracting the private sector can be a source

of funding for projects as capital will be inherited from the private sector individual.

The Republic of Lebanon is aware of the massive debt that the economy is in and the

shrinkage that it has been going through, so it's only realistic method is to call upon the

private sector as a source of funding. As the funding is scarce, The Republic of Lebanon

would target infrastructure investments in key areas with high populations of people

with disabilities in rural communities. Rather than undertaking extensive projects

across the country, prioritizing specific regions or municipalities could make

improvements more financially feasible.

Another way that Lebanon proposes, is to raise awareness. Run public awareness

campaigns to inform people about the rights and needs of those who are disabled. This

will help them to be accepted and inclusive in rural communities by holding workshops,

training sessions, and other events. Including individuals with disabilities in the

decision-making process when it comes to building policies and infrastructure. This

brings a better perspective when setting out plans for buildings and improves the

welfare of these individuals.

Providing information about community resources, healthcare facilities, and public

services in braille, large print, and digital formats that work with screen readers

additionally adding mobile apps and websites that are accessible for government

services and information sharing. Both of these services are technological ways of

improving accessibility for the disabled and cost-effective. Going back to the first 2nd

paragraph, simply focusing on ways that are not financially effective, especially for

Lebanon as we are going through a severe economic crisis. After coming from the

coronavirus and constant political, economic crisis, Lebanon finds it difficult to budget

themselves for these extensive projects. Simply finding a way over the internet can save

a lot of money and time in the long run. Lebanon's geographical area helps the country

in disturbing information throughout the country over the internet, almost every part of

Lebanon. In January 2022, there were 6.01 million internet users in Lebanon. In the

beginning of 2022, 89.3 percent of people in Lebanon were using the internet. This
shows that the majority of the population in Lebanon have access to the internet. Which

provides opportunities for disabled people to get access to information, and therefore

leads them to get to know about chances of access to rural areas.

Provide accessible transportation options, like door-to-door transportation or community

shuttle services, that are specifically designed to meet the needs of individuals with

disabilities living in rural areas. Provide financial assistance for individuals with

disabilities who must travel in order to obtain necessary services or job opportunities.