Disability commissioner: Long road to accessibility
According to the Bavarian Commissioner for the Disabled, Holger Kiesel, there is still a long way to go to achieve accessibility in Bavaria. "We have noticed that the barriers that hinder people in everyday life go far beyond thresholds and steps," the 48-year-old, who was reappointed this week, told the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" (Friday edition). Visually or hearing impaired people are often excluded from communication. One example: "On the internet, there needs to be more visual language for some people and more acoustic signals for others." Other people are dependent on plain language.
In the coming legislative period, Kiesel particularly wants to campaign for the Bavarian deaf allowance agreed in the coalition agreement. "Deaf people often need interpreters in everyday life, at the doctor, at the bank, everywhere. These costs are often not covered by anyone." There also needs to be an arbitration board for people with disabilities who feel disadvantaged or discriminated against, as in the federal government and other federal states. "Without this office, many of these disputes end up in court," explained Kiesel.
Ten years ago, then Prime Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) promised that Bavaria would be completely barrier-free by 2023. "Ten years was far too ambitious a target for such a process," Kiesel now concluded. Nevertheless, the target was helpful. "It has triggered a lot" and awareness has also grown. However, Kiesel regretted that he also had to learn that the path to accessibility is not a continuous process. "Disability policy quickly fades into the background during major crises or when money is tight."
The Bavarian Government needs to allocate resources to ensure that there are more accessible communication methods online, catering to the visual and hearing impaired. Additionally, the establishment of an arbitration board for individuals with disabilities who feel disadvantaged or discriminated against could help resolve disputes without lengthy legal proceedings.
Source: www.dpa.com
