BANGKOK, 17 June 2015 – An advocate group for the interests of the disabled has petitioned the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) to push for the new constitution’s guarantee of universal design.
CDC Chairman Prof Borwonsak Uwanna yesterday received the petition from the network of volunteers for the disabled and the elderly as well as university design ambassadors. The group called for the inclusion of the word “universal design” in section 295 of the new constitution in order to ensure the rights of the disabled, arguing that the inclusion would coincide with the new constitution’s agenda of reducing social inequality by providing physically-challenged persons with equal access to facilities and resources.
Prof Borwonsak welcomed the petition, saying that words such as “universal design” and “citizen empowerment” serve as a paradigm shift towards a humanist constitution that emphasizes the importance of individual rights and equality.
Universal design refers to the international standards of designing information, products, facilities and services in a way that is accessible for all participants, including the elderly and the disabled.
