Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Grand-Mir hotel hosted two-day training for professionals of the State Architecture and Construction Committee (GosArchitektstroy) and its subordinate organizations on the topic of "Understanding disability with elements of accessibility of buildings and engineering infrastructure for persons with disabilities (PWD). This training was organized by the ACCESS project, which is a project implemented by UNDP with support from the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

ACCESS in cooperation with the State Committee of Architecture and Construction is working to ensure the accessibility of newly planned and constructed public buildings, targeting pilot regions in Samarkand, Shakhrisabz and Yunusabad district of Tashkent. The joint efforts have led to successful results with 60 percent of newly constructed public buildings are now accessible to people with disabilities.

The participants were trained on the basics of understanding the disability, information on existing barriers to PWD in accessing social infrastructure, as well as standards and practices to ensure accessibility.

The participants were representatives of GosArchitektstroy, planning research institutes: UzGAShK, Uzshakharsozlik, Tashuyjoy, UzGeo, the main department of architecture and construction of the city of Tashkent, Namangan region, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya Djizzakh, Samarkand and the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

During the training, participants were keen on one task: work on the drawings, projected earlier (general plans and sections of buildings) in order to offer additional design solutions for the conversion of these inaccessible buildings and construction areas that can provide access to PWD.

Organizers of the training hope that experts in the field of architecture and construction will use the obtained knowledge in their future activities that ensure accessibility for all.

"In fact, at a closer look, we see that the legislative and regulatory framework to ensure accessibility to buildings and engineering infrastructure for PWD is at a sufficiently high level, not inferior, but in some cases superior to those of other CIS countries. But quite often non-observance or partial observance of planning and construction standards leads to serious abuses and, as a result, infringement of rights and discrimination against people with disabilities "- said Dilshad Akhmedov, specialist on accessibility of the ACCESS project.

The next series of trainings for professionals of GosArchitektstroy and its subordinate organizations, as well as universities with an architectural profile were continued in the city of Samarkand on 1-2 July at Tumaris Hotel.

The project ACCESS (accessibility, citizenship, employment and social support for persons with disabilities) seeks to empower the social integration and employment for people with disabilities by raising awareness and creating a positive public opinion on issues of disability, improve coordination and capacity of public and non-state actors for the implementation of national legislation in the field of disability, promoting access to social infrastructure, creating a system of social support and employment of people with disabilities.