Deputy Petitions Reform to Benefit People with Disabilities

To legally guarantee the right to accessibility and mobility for disabled people, a reform to article 19 of the General Law for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities was petitioned to assure capital placement and governmental responsibility aimed to benefit over 6 million citizens.

The petition was introduced by Deputy Yolanda de la Torre, who included an additional fragment that designates the three governmental branches as the responsible parties for not only promoting resource availability to guarantee the right to accessibility and mobility for public and private spaces, but generating mechanisms and fundings for this matter as well.

To guarantee this right, de la Torre suggests changing fraction II of article 19 and replacing the concept of “promoting” with that of “establishing” and declare that the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT) will “establish that in the provision of air, land or maritime public transportation services, the units and facilities guarantee accessibility to people with disabilities in their mobility.” 

The request, which was sent to the Commission for Attention to Vulnerable Groups, could benefit more than six million people in Mexico, which represents 5 percent of the population in the country according to INEGI’s census of people with disabilities.

"There has been an important increase in disabled people without considering that the post-pandemic situation has generated new vulnerability indexes, which include the need to expand and adapt infrastructure, establish more programs and greater support. Today, more families have a member with a disability," said de la Torre.

However, the fight to improve the quality of life for disabled people in Mexico faces a lack of development in health, social and economic equality in the country. This violates the guarantee of the exercise of human rights and does not allow autonomy and equal opportunities for this segment of the population, argued de la Torre.

This proposal precedes the reform approved with 422 votes in favor by the Chamber of Deputies in 2019, which legally demanded setting a physical step in displays, ticket offices, counters, shelves, toilets, elevators and uneven floors, as well as alarms and announcements in sound and visual formats.

The reform also included that privacy notices, regulations, conditions and everything regarding legal information would have to be in a universally accessible format via Mexican Sign Language (LSM), braille writing system, or in an easy-to-read layout, among other alternatives. 

“The difficulties faced by these people disappear when the physical and cultural barriers found in the social environment are eliminated. Accessibility is one of the challenges in the country since most of the spaces lack facilities that guarantee free mobility, which is why it is important to support this ruling," said Martha Hortencia Garay, President, Commission for Attention to Vulnerable Groups in the Chamber of Deputies.

However, assuring physical mobility for disabled people is as important as seeking to guarantee social mobility through, for instance, employment promotion. In Mexico, companies such as General Motors, have put to practice inclusive politics to benefit people with disabilities.

“General Motors joined the inclusivity efforts of Juntos A.C. and Alianza Éntrale to ensure equal hiring opportunities and diversity within the company’s staff. General Motors Mexico adjusted its manufacturing site to become as accessible as possible 10 years ago. Its Committee for Diversity and Inclusion works to incorporate individuals regardless of their gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, or disabilities. A diverse workforce benefits the company by promoting a culture of respect that can heighten productivity,” reported earlier MBN.