The Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD) and its partners are working on the rights of people with disability under its nationwide EU-CSF III project entitled Disability Rights for Increased Voice and Empowerment (DRIVE) in Ethiopia.

ECDD advocates that the built environment should be barrier-free and adapted to fulfill the needs of all people equally. Indeed, it argues that the needs of the disabled coincide with those of the majority, and all people are at ease with them. As such, planning for the majority implies planning for people with varying abilities and disabilities. In the construction of buildings and public places it is therefore important that design provisions or measures should be taken to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities.

ECDD has undertaken physical modifications to selected health facilities, schools, and TVETs to make them accessible to people with disabilities. The modifications were made to six buildings in SNNPR in consultation with the respective institutions’ management. The physical alterations included the construction of ramps and the adaptation of toilets, etc.