Accessibility Issues of Disabled People in Pakistan: Case Study of Islamabad

Abstract

People with disabilities make up an important part of the poor in developing countries. Poverty, discrimination and isolation are widespread and continue to be experienced by people with disabilities. Mobility accessibility is an important factor in anti-poverty strategies by improving access to education, employment and social services. Among the target groups, three main types of barriers were identified, which are social barriers, psychological barriers and structural barriers to accessibility. The focus of this research is limited to structural barriers. The main objectives are to find accessibility features and gaps for disabled people in places they often visit. Three terms are central to this research: disability, accessibility and mobility. With clear processes and careful observations, a picture of accessibility and deficiencies in some selected areas is drawn. The result of this study is to mainly focus on the current mobility barriers of people with disabilities in Islamabad city.