“Disabled Access” to majority of public places in Kazakhstan designed with limited functionality

Almaty. May 6. Silkroadnews – “Disabled Access” to majority of public places in Kazakhstan is designed with only limited, superficial functionality, as the chairman of “Namys” disability agenda-setting organisation, Kairat Imanaliyev claims.
He explained that the concept of “disabled access” goes beyond mere installation of ramps.  
“There are individuals with impaired vision. They need specific pavements and entrances. Individuals with impaired hearing need information boards. What comes to the actual ramps, if one was to tour Almaty, one would see that some of them are way too steep. Even an able-bodied person wouldn’t be able to climb those steep ramps on their own two legs, let alone a wheelchair user. Thus, there is a nominal compliance to the law, as opposed to the real one”, Mister Imanaliyev commented.
He informed that special needs individuals are currently campaigning for the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that was signed back in 2008.
He also listed lack of opportunities for good education and subsequent decent employment among one of the major challenges.
“For example, 3 professional education schools offer opportunities for disabled students in Almaty in the moment. Only 10% of all 25 000 special needs residents are employed in the city. The situation is similar when it comes to free healthcare services. Only 10-12% of those in need of healthcare, have full access to it”, Mister Imanaliyev said.