The national « Accessible Cities » program aims to establish reference models for accessibility (Ms. Hayar)

Speaking at a meeting on the national « Accessible Cities » program, Ms. Hayar indicated that this program will then be generalized at the level of partner cities and shared with other local authorities, urban or rural, with a view to give concrete expression to the right to accessibility, enshrine the principle of equal opportunity and promote the rights of people with disabilities.

Aware of the role of this program, the ministry undertakes to contribute financially to technical support in terms of diagnosis and implementation of the necessary accessibility in the various spaces, facilities and public services in the cities, she said. explained, emphasizing the need to work together to reflect on innovative solutions aimed at mobilizing sustainable financial resources, given that the implementation of accessibility at the territorial level remains below the funds allocated by the ministry’s annual budget.

This meeting, which is part of the implementation of the provisions of the constitution, the international conventions adopted by Morocco and the recommendations of the new development model, aims to raise awareness among the various territorial actors and partners about the importance accessibility, with a view to integrating it into the various projects and programs related to development, urbanization and urban transport.

In line with this, the government official noted that the national « Accessible Cities » program is part of the implementation of structuring projects, citing in this regard the integrated public policy aimed at promoting the rights of people with disabilities. disability (2016-2026) and the second national action plan (2022-2026), which contains in its second axis « a public, accessible and inclusive environment ».

Similarly, Ms. Hayar said that the ministry will proceed with the generalization of this program to the various Councils of prefectures and provinces and will award a « Labelling » to the best accessible local authority, to encourage the actors concerned to improve accessibility, such as being a basis of any inclusive development policy.

To this end, the ministry will set up a committee with experience in the field of accessibility to assess and select the inclusive, model and accessible city that meets the technical criteria and standards, allowing people in disabilities and reduced mobility to participate actively in public life, she continued.

Furthermore, Ms. Hayar recalled that her department launched the GISR (Green innovative social regeneration) concept, as a mechanism for green and innovative social regeneration aimed at creating a new generation of social services for the benefit of families and people in difficult and those with disabilities.

In addition, she highlighted Law No. 10.03 relating to accessibility, which defines the conditions and criteria of accessibility, noting that the ministry is working in coordination with the government departments and public establishments concerned to put in place accessibility in the various projects and public policies. She also recalled that the Government Council recently approved draft decree No. 2.22.800 determining the rules for the air transport of people with disabilities or reduced mobility, adding that this draft is likely to allow this category , at the time of their access to air transport services, to enjoy a set of legal guarantees in their relationship with air carriers.

This meeting, in which the governor of the province of Boujdour, Ibrahim Ben Ibrahim, the Director of National Mutual Aid Khattar El Mojahidi and elected officials took part, was marked by the presentation of the results of the national program « Accessible Cities », face-to-face and remotely, in addition to the experiences of certain municipalities in the implementation of this program, namely the cities of Oujda, Taza, Kenitra and Casablanca.

At the end of this meeting, Ms. Hayar and the delegation accompanying her made a field visit to several social projects, aimed at improving the quality of services for women, children and people in situations of disability.