Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)organized a seminar in collaboration with National Council for Persons with Disabilities on "Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities".

The Seminar which took place from 31st July to 3rd of August, was aimed to dissminate knolwege and awarness on how to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in Sudan, integrate them within their society and thus help them lead a normal life, according to a press release JICA issued here.

The release received by SUNA underlined that the seminar also stressed the need for a person with disability to be able to commute between their home, workplace and other destinations.

JICA invited professor Yoshihiko Kawauchi, an architect and professor of barrier free design at Faculty of Human Life Design, Tokyo University, to deliver a lecture to this effect. Profwessor Kawauchi is himself is a wheel chair user.

The release said the expected outcomes of this seminar are to understand the current situation in the Sudn, the challenges of accessibility for Persons with Disabilities in Sudan and ways in whcih Sudan could learn from Japanese Experience and also to set the Action Plan to implement barrier free environment for Persons with Disabilities in each organization.

The press release explained pointed out that the activity was also seeking to build the leadership capacity of the Disabled People's Organization.

The seminar was inaugurated by Mr. Hiromi Motomura, Chief Representative of JICA Sudan office, and was attended by 40 senior leaders and technical staffs from Ministry of Environment Natural Resources and Physical Development, Ministry of Transport, Road and Bridges, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, National Council for Physical Development, Ministry of Planning and Physical Development, General Union of Sudanese Employer, and Supreme Council for Environment and Urban Promotion and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities.

Source:SUNA