Lebanon has given a step forward in its strive for the respect of Human Rights with the issuing of Decree no. 7194 on the application of law 220 of May 29, 2000, concerning the rights of people with disability. This Parliamentary Decree obliges all public use buildings and large surface buildings to follow the accessibility norms, thus allowing physically disabled persons to access, use, benefit from and live in these premises.
FPSC’s partner in Lebanon, Arcenciel (AeC), has had a major role in the success of the initiative, and is now working, together with the FPSC, on the adaptation of several public spaces not only in Lebanon, but also in neighboring countries such as Syria, Jordan and Egypt.
In fact, FPSC and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) have been directly supporting AeC’s struggle for the fulfillment of the rights of PWD for 20 years. In the present day, this support continues through Cooperation Agreement 10-CO1-091 for the improvement of accessibility in the Middle East, a project aiming at ensuring an accessible environment to PWD to facilitate their social integration. Furthermore, AeC is seeking in this intervention to export its successful strategy and expertise to public and private institutions from other countries, namely Syria, Jordan and Egypt.
The publication of Decree no. 7194 constitutes a milestone in the process of integration of PWD, but it supposes the starting point for a new struggle as well: a struggle in which AeC, FPSC and all concerned stakeholders will advocate for the rights of PWD and the accountability of governing bodies in the light of the brand-new regulations. As the phrase goes: the battle is won, the war goes on.
In fact Arcenciel worked from 1994 to 2000 on the recognition of the rights of the disabled persons and lobbied for the approval of another memorable law (no. 220) in 2000 by the Parliament. Afterwards, specialized committees have been created, including concerned Ministries as well as AeC and other NGOs, to discuss and draft the needed application decrees for the law 220.
Arcenciel was member of the committee that established the accessibility norms and standards in 2003, playing a prominent role in it and assuring the continuity of its meetings (held with the ministry of public works, the ministry of municipalities, the syndicate of engineers and architects and the other members). This effort led to the amendment of the construction’s law in 2005, which encouraged AeC to launch a huge advocacy campaign through the National Committee for Disabled Persons, lobbying to issue the current decree of application of the norms of Law no. 220.