Para games highlight drive toward a barrier-free society

High-tech services

Wang Yuhuan, deputy director of the office of Hangzhou's barrier-free construction leading team, said: "A city's 'warmth' depends on its attitude to people who might be ignored (because of a disability). Building a barrier-free environment facilitates the work and lives of such people and also seniors, boosting their sense of happiness and safety. Thus, it builds a more convenient, healthier and livable place with diversity and inclusiveness."

According to the office of the leading team, recently Hangzhou has worked closely with the mapping company Amap to develop a function for "wheelchair navigation."

In November last year, it was one of three cities to pioneer its operation, together with Beijing and Shanghai.

By turning the regular navigation mode into a barrier-free one via Amap, users can find routes with barrier-free, wheelchair-accessible facilities, including during metro journeys. The routes also avoid underpasses and footbridges that are inaccessible to wheelchair users.

"It was initially because of the preparatory work for the Para Games. We thought we could mark places on the map that disabled people might want to visit, thereby facilitating their activities," said Zhong Zheng, an official from the office of the leading team.

"Then, we discovered that it was difficult for wheelchair users to find metro exits with vertical elevators due to a lack of signage to barrier-free facilities."

She added that the working team contacted Amap in May last year after completing a thorough survey of Hangzhou's metro stations.

"It was an exploratory step for both of us: the mapping company had concerns about marking barrier-free facilities on the map without disturbing regular users. We also consulted legal departments to ensure that the cooperation was open and transparent. We are a bridge, delivering disabled people's experiences and problems to the mapping company to bring better results," she said.

Zhong added that the function has not only been welcomed by people with disabilities, but also by seniors, women with baby strollers and people with large, heavy luggage.

Ma Zhichao, another official with the office, said that applying technology to the construction of a barrier-free environment provides everyone, not just disabled people, with easier and convenient access to assistive services.

In addition to barrier-free navigation services, Hangzhou cooperated with tech giant Alibaba to develop a sign language interpretation program — the artificial intelligence-based "Xiaomo" — which has learned more than 30,000 sign language gestures after being put into use in April.

Legal, policy support

Wang Yuhuan, deputy director of the office of the barrier-free construction leading team, said these technology-based services are not just available to people in Hangzhou, but nationwide, and the results can greatly push forward the realization of common prosperity.

"These services and facilities encourage disadvantaged people — including those with disabilities, seniors, children and pregnant women — to step out of their homes, get involved in the community and make a contribution to creating a barrier-free society. They will be happy and mentally enriched after expanding their circle of friends," he said.

The Hangzhou government said the city has 140,000 barrier-free facilities in hotel rooms, metro stations and some key public service areas. Moreover, 15,000 families in the city with members who are disabled and in poor financial condition have received assistance in installing barrier-free facilities.

The Hangzhou games epitomized China's efforts and progress in respecting disabled people and developing courses for such athletes in recent years, experts said.

Majid Rashed, president of the Asian Paralympic Committee, commended the city's efforts to improve the barrier-free environment to help competitors and disabled people.

He told a recent news briefing that Hangzhou took the 4th Asian Para Games as an opportunity to optimize barrier-free facilities, and the changes will be beneficial to the city and all its people.

To better facilitate the disabled and people in need of barrier-free services, governments at all levels nationwide have taken exploratory measures to promote legislative work on construction of such an environment. On Sept 1, China's first barrier-free environment construction law took effect, ensuring that the work has a sound legal basis.

Lyu Shiming, vice-chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, told a recent conference in Wuhan, Hubei province, that the law's launch was a landmark accomplishment and of great importance to the nation's 85 million disabled people and 280 million seniors age 60 and older.

He said it will improve the construction quality of a barrier-free environment and living standards. It is also a positive response to China's aging society as it offers solid support for the disabled and seniors, plus fairer, adequate and easier engagement in social activities.

Contact the writer at chengsi@chinadaily.com.cn