NIK: The needs of people with disabilities are still overlooked

There are 5.4 million people in our country declared as having a disability, accounting for more than 14 percent of the country's population (as of March 31, 2021). Legal confirmation of disability, i.e. a certificate issued by an authorized body, is held by nearly 3.5 million people. The Central Informatics Center estimates that the actual number of people with disabilities in Poland could be up to 7 million, while pointing out that a wider range of our country's population will benefit from improved accessibility (e.g. through texts written in simple language).

The NIK Delegation in Bydgoszcz conducted an audit entitled Implementation by selected local government units from the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship of obligations to ensure accessibility for persons with special needs. The rationale for the audit was the requirements imposed on public entities by the laws on digital accessibility of websites and mobile applications, and on ensuring accessibility for people with special needs. They define the rules for ensuring accessibility: digital, architectural and information and communication accessibility, in such a way that the services of a given institution can be used independently by people with different types of disabilities, as well as those who are temporarily in a situation requiring support (e.g., pregnant women).

The first reports on the state of accessibility assurance, were to be submitted by public entities by March 31, 2021. Based on these, a combined report on the state of accessibility provision in the country was compiled. Analysis of the aggregate data shows that most entities are still largely inadequate to meet the needs of people with special needs. The total accessibility index for the country as a whole was 0.41, which means that the average YES answer to questions from all areas of accessibility provision applied to about 41 percent of all reporters. In the case of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian province, the index was one percentage point higher, which, however, still represents an unsatisfactory level.

A NIK audit in this regard in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship covered six units: three county offices (in Chelmno, Torun and Golub-Dobrzyn) and three city offices (in Chelmno, Chelmza and Golub-Dobrzyn) and found irregularities in all of them.

Most negligence was found at the organizational stage. In half of the units, there were problems with appointing an accessibility coordinator or making his contact information available on the website (including BIP) (SP in Chelmno, SP in Torun, UM in Chelmno). In all units, action plans for improving accessibility provision either did not contain all the required elements or were not prepared at all. In UM Chelmno, all contracts concluded in the period from September 6, 2021 to August 31, 2023, in which tasks financed with public funds were commissioned and entrusted to entities other than public ones, were questioned. They did not include conditions for accessibility required by law. This also applied to the omission of universal design principles in contracts for services for the execution of construction projects and works. Irregularities in the content of concluded contracts were also found in the other five audited units, with a total of 270 contracts being questioned.

In the case of architectural accessibility, among other things, the use of solutions that do not meet the requirements of technical regulations was found. These include, for example: indistinguishable edges of stairs, too few designated or poorly marked or improperly sized parking spaces, improperly marked glazed elevators, unsuitable bathrooms (SP Chelmno, UM Chelmża, UM Chelmno). In two cases, the rules for ensuring the possibility of evacuation for people with special needs or assisting them in other ways were not specified, which could have resulted in an incorrect way of evacuating them (SP Chelmno, UM Chelmża). In turn, three units did not provide information on the layout of rooms in the building, at least in a visual and tactile or voice manner (UM Golub Dobrzyn, UM Chelmża, SP Torun).

In terms of digital accessibility, the most common irregularity was the failure to provide information on websites in the form of an electronic file containing machine-readable text, recordings of content in Polish sign language and information in easy-to-read text. In two cases, the possibility of using a sign language interpreter or interpreter-guide was not guaranteed, and in one case the proper functioning of links on the website was not ensured. Failure to meet website requirements for functionality and perceivability also proved to be a problem.

Issues related to information and communication accessibility were also questioned in eight cases. Supportive communication via text messaging was not implemented at the Toronto district office. Four of the six units did not provide service using audio-visual communication, and in 50 percent of the cases no equipment or technical means were installed to serve the hard of hearing.

source: nik.gov.pl