Why are we bringing this up again?  Our neighbors in Uzbekistan are beginning to adapt their city streets to meet the needs of people with disabilities.  This is a good opportunity to remind Tajik authorities about their obligations, which they are failing to fulfill.

As of October 1, Uzbekistan has launched a major urban reform aimed at creating a barrier-free environment for people with disabilities.  Now, those with limited mobility will be able to move freely around the city.  New buildings will be constructed with their needs in mind, and older ones will be adapted.  Public transport will become accessible to all.

What is changing in Uzbekistan?

In major cities, including central streets of Tashkent and key streets of regional centers, ramps will be installed, sidewalks widened, and special parking spaces created.  Every year, a plan will be developed to adapt new streets.

Public transport: new buses will be equipped with necessary facilities to transport people with disabilities. Metro stations and bus stops will also be adapted to meet the needs of people with limited mobility, and crosswalks will be equipped for the safe crossing of pedestrians with disabilities.

When constructing new buildings, the needs of people with disabilities will be taken into account, and all of them will undergo accessibility checks.  Moreover, existing buildings, such as private kindergartens, schools, universities, driving schools, banks, clinics, and drugstores, will also be inspected for compliance with accessibility standards.

An interactive map will be created for the convenience of people with disabilities, showing locations with accessible, barrier-free environments.  The Uzbek authorities will take additional measures to support people with disabilities, such as partially compensating the costs of modifying personal vehicles for their convenience.  Furthermore, government institutions will appoint responsible employees to monitor the creation of a barrier-free environment. Staff working with citizens' inquiries will be trained in sign language to improve communication with people with hearing impairments.

What about Tajikistan?

People with disabilities in Tajikistan still face numerous barriers, making full inclusion a distant goal.  Inclusion means not only legal rights but also the real involvement of people with disabilities in active social life.  One of the key issues is that Tajikistan has not yet ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which guarantees their rights and establishes state obligations to protect them. This could significantly improve the situation.

The Law of the Republic of Tajikistan "On Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities," adopted on October 1, 2010, aims to guarantee equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities alongside other citizens.  However, for these rights to be fully realized, laws must not only exist but also be practically implemented—support in employment, rehabilitation, and creating conditions for active participation in society, as well as an accessible urban environment.

In February 2021, the State Program "Accessible Environment" designed for 2021–2025 was approved.  It envisions adapting public buildings, construction systems, and urban employment. It notes that most residential buildings, medical institutions, social employment facilities, and transport systems built earlier do not meet accessibility requirements for people with full disabilities.

In settlements across the country, conditions for unhindered access for people with disabilities to public and industrial buildings and facilities have not yet been created.  People with disabilities using wheelchairs, crutches, and other special means face difficulties moving around.  The problems are not limited to those with mobility impairments but also affect people with hearing and vision impairments. For example, official government websites are not adapted for use by people with disabilities, and traffic lights are not equipped with sound signals for the visually impaired.

What was planned in the program?

The program outlined a range of measures:

• Building adaptation: social protection facilities, medical institutions, schools, cultural institutions, and international establishments were to be equipped with ramps, information boards, sensory help buttons, and devices for the hearing impaired.
• Public transport modernization: vehicles were to be equipped with LED displays for the visually impaired and sound signals for the hearing impaired. It was planned to acquire new vehicles designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities.
• City infrastructure: plans included creating necessary crossings, reducing curbs at pedestrian crossings, installing sound traffic lights, and placing information boards at public transport stops with voice announcements for routes.
• Education and culture: the program aimed to adapt educational institutions and libraries, as well as train social workers in sign language. Expanding subtitled television programs on mandatory channels was also planned.

What has been done so far?

In the three years since the program’s approval, the situation has not changed, even in the capital.

"Despite the existence of the 'Accessible Environment' state program, the needs of people with disabilities are often ignored during the construction and renovation of buildings," says Asadullo Zikrikhudoyev, chairman of the National Association of People with Disabilities of Tajikistan. "Necessary conditions, such as ramps, accessible toilets, and information accessibility for the visually and hearing impaired, are not being met.  Additionally, sign language interpretation is absent from most media outlets, except for the Safina and Jahonnamо TV channels.  We see that 2025 is approaching, yet very little has been done from what was planned. Official reports claim that the program is 42% complete, but in reality, people with disabilities do not feel it."