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'Dignity for the Disabled'

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  • 'Dignity for the Disabled'

    On the 3rd December 2008 Los Verdes de Orihuela are launching a campaign entitled “Dignidad para los Discapacitados” as part of the celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and in line with the European Green Party Guiding Principles.

    The objective of the ongoing campaign is to assist and support all citizens of, and visitors to, the Orihuela Municipality who have disabilities, to experience with the highest level of dignity a quality of life as free from discrimination as is possible. This is compatible with the purpose of the UN Convention as defined in Article 1 "to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity".

    The campaign will provide the means for a two way dialogue between Los Verdes of Orihuela and the citizens of the Orihuela Municipality including Orihuela Costa and Las Pedanias on matters that effect the lives of persons with disabilities.

    When Los Verdes are made aware of problems experienced by disabled persons we will act with them, or on their behalf where appropriate, to try rectify the situation. This may require contact with the Ayuntamiento and or Businesses to remind them of their responsibilities towards persons with disabilities, and to put forward constructive suggestions of action that they (government and companies) could take to remedy any shortcomings in this aspect.

    We will use all methods available to us, including newspapers, television, radio and the Internet to inform all the public of news that may effect the quality of life for disabled persons. Two Internet Blogs are being published, one entitled Dignity for the Disabled, in English, and the second entitled dignidadparalosdiscapacitados.blogspot.com in Spanish. Each will be a mirror image of the other in the relevant language. In addition there are email addresses for both languages, dignityforthedisabled@gmail.com and dignidadparalosdicapacitados@gmail.com .

    As mentioned in the background section the European Union 2008-2009 DAP focuses on accessibility and therefore as part of the initial action of the campaign Los Verdes would like, with the help of the citizens of Orihuela Municipality to tackle the problem of substandard levels of accessibility. Any failure in the provision of ease of accessibility stops persons with disabilities from accessing the environment, transportation, public facilities and services. Restricted or limited access to a range of public, commercial, and private premises is a major problem, as is movement along, to and from public footpaths, as is entry and exit to public transport of all kinds for persons with limited or assisted mobility. This presents a daily barrier against leading a full an active life. It is thought that 50% of disabled persons have never participated in leisure or sport activities, and that one third of the disabled population has never travelled abroad or even participated in day-excursions as a direct consequence of inaccessible premises and services. Many disabled people suffer from isolation as a direct result of poor access facilities.

    Los Verdes would like members of the public to send them evidence of facilities in the Orihuela Municipality that fall below the standards suitable for persons with reduced mobility. This could include the lack of ramps where needed, ramps that have been installed having too steep a gradient, obstacles placed in front of ramps, obstacles placed on or in pavements preventing free movement, public transport that is not usable by disabled persons, and similar examples. Photographs or information accompanied with details of location can be sent by email to either of the campaign addresses or handed to members of Los Verdes at the regular fortnightly Los Verdes Councillor's surgery held at the Celtic Isle bar and pool in Playa Flamenca. If this is not possible then telephone 965319660 (English) or 965328190 (Multilingual) and alternative arrangements for receipt of the information can be considered.
    ------------------------------------------------------
    The above is an extract of the article on the campaign Blog. The full article is a little longer than usual as it is a copy of the package that was recently released to the local non-Spanish Press. I hope you are able to spare the time to read it as it contains the background information referred to in the extract.

    We hope you feel able to support the campaign in any way possible. If you have any knowledge of incidences within the Orihuela Municipality of discrimination towards persons with disabilities which effects the dignity and quality of life we are interested to learn of them. This could be by personal experience, or by family, or by friends. Contact can be by email or telephone.

    Elliot Sampford

  • #2
    Dangerous Access to the Agua Marina Paseo Marítimo

    The Paseo Marítimo in the Agua Marina area of Orihuela Costa provides the residents and visitors to the area with a wide promenade to stroll along with excellent views of the coast with it's bays and beaches.

    That is unless the member of public is a disabled person with reduced mobility!

    There is no easy and safe access to the promenade for persons who either need to use a wheelchair or other walking aids. There is a difference in the level between the roads, parking areas, and pavements leading to the promenade and the level of the promenade itself. There is approximately 50 centimetres difference in height between the two levels. This requires the presence of safe and suitable steps and ramps to permit the public to negotiate access from one level to the other. On this part of the promenade they don't exist!



    Let me clarify this statement. Yes there are steps and ramps between the two levels, as can be seen in the photographs, but they are completely unsuitable. The steps are uneven and dangerous. The ramps have been built with a gradient that is far too steep to be negotiated safely by a person using a wheelchair or walking aid. They might as well not be there as a ramp that is built incorrectly is of no value at all!



    There are guidelines as to the acceptable gradient that a ramp should be built to. The recommendation is a gradient of 1:12 (8%) which equates to that for each 1 metre travelled a height difference of 8 centimetres is attained. This is for ramps up to 2 metres in length (16 centimetres height difference). Where longer ramps are needed to negotiate greater heights the recommended gradient has to be reduced. It is acceptable to install ramps with a steeper gradient than the 1:12 where these are over a very short distance, such as to negotiate a pavement edge or small single step up to a height of approximately 12 centimetres.



    The ramps that are there have been built with a gradient in the region of 1:3.75 (27%), a height of 48 centimetres within a distance of 1.8 metres. What this means in real terms is that, when unaided; it is dangerous for a wheelchair user to travel down the ramp because of the potential to loose control due to the speed gained; it is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for the wheelchair user to go up the ramp due to the physical effort needed, with the possibility of rolling back down. Having spoken to wheelchair users, who have tried to access the promenade via these ramps, they confirmed that in their experience, if they come to the area alone they have to ask members of the public to help them when using the ramps.

    This is not acceptable, this is discrimination. This is taking away their dignity.

    A report will be submitted to the Orihuela Town Council with a request that this unacceptable situation is rectified without delay. That the ramps and steps are rebuilt to provide safe access to the promenade by all members of the public.

    Elliot Sampford,
    English Spokesman - Orihuela Costa Working Group,
    LOS VERDES of Orihuela,
    Bog: Clean up the Costa
    Blog: Dignity for the Disabled

    Comentario


    • #3
      ramps

      Elloit
      Can you annswer a question for me are the dimensions for ramps universal or at least in the EU.
      I do know in the UK they have to be a certain gradient having worked with disabled people I apprecaite the problems and quite honsetly I don't seem to have seen a ramp in Spain which I would be happy walking up, let alone traverse in a wheelchair

      Comentario


      • #4
        Within the UK there are legal specifications for the control of the installation of ramps, for example access to buildings and public areas comes within Building Regulations. I have not as yet found the final legal documentation that is effective within Spain or the European Community. There are guidelines but they seem to be just that. The ISO (International Organisation for Standardization) is currently drawing up an international standard for access to buildings.

        An example of the guidelines for the gradients of ramps are as follows:

        Ramp length 2 metres = Gradient 1:12 (maximum rise = 166 mm)
        Ramp length 5 metres = Gradient 1:15 (maximum rise = 333 mm)
        Ramp length 10 metres = Gradient 1:20 (maximum rise = 500 mm)

        There are of course specifications for the width of the ramps as well as the gradient.

        In the case of the ramps on the Paseo Maritimo, that I highlighted in the article, the ramps should be 10 metres long to accomodate the height difference between levels and not the 1.8 metres that exist.

        I am still hunting for the EC Directive and Spanish Real Decreto.

        Elliot Sampford

        Comentario

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