Ingenieur Vol 62 April-June 2015 Ingenieur Vol 62 April-June 2015 | Page 38

INGENIEUR GUIDELINES INCHEON STRATEGY Accessibility and Facilities for the Build-Environment for Persons with Disabilities in the Asia-Pacific Region By Pang Soo Moi W hen the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disability 1993-2002 was declared by UN ESCAP, Malaysia was a signatory to the Proclamation on the “Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities in the Asia Pacific Region” on May 16, 1994. The (UBBL) Uniform Building Bye-Laws 1984 was amended to include by-law 34A on the “Building Requirements f o r D i s a b l e d P e r s o n s ”. Subsequently, three Malaysian Standards namely MS1184: Code of Practice for Access for Disabled Persons to Public Buildings, MS 1183: Code of Practice for means of escape for Disabled Person and MS 1331: Code of Practice for access for Disabled Persons outside buildings were correspondingly formed to assist the industry for the implementation of facilities of built-environment for Disabled Persons. In addition, several guidelines on planning and building requirements by the 6 36 VOL 62 APRIL – JUNE 2015 VOL 55 JUNE 2013 Incheon Strategy 10 GOALS TO MAKE THE RIGHT REAL FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC, 2013–2022 Town and Country Planning Department and the Local Government Department of the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry were also issued to guide planners, architects, engineers, builders, developers and local Government officers. INCHEON STRATEGY Towards the end of the second Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disability 2003 -2013, the Governments of the ESCAP region gathered in Incheon, Republic of Korea, from October 29 to November 2, 2012 to chart the course of the new Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities for the period 2013 to 2022. They were joined by representatives of civil society organisations, including those related to persons with disabilities. Also in attendance were representatives of interGovernmental organisations, development co - operation agencies and the United Nations system. The Inche on S tr ateg y provides the Asia-Pacific region, and the world, with the first set of regionally agreed disabilityinclusive development goals. Developed over more than two years of consultations with Governments and civil society stakeholders, the Incheon Strategy comprises 10 goals, 27 targets and 62 indicators. The Inche on S tr ateg y builds on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Biwako Millennium Framework for