Catalogue of Local Inclusive Public Policies

Public policies
catalogue

Logo CIPDH

Municipal Program for Functional Diversity

Download in PDF
Icono localización

Río Grande - Argentina

Region
Latin America and the Caribbean
Range of Demographic Size
50,000 to 99,999 inhabitants (small intermediate)

10-2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard.

11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.

16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.

16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.

A - Full integration of population dynamics into sustainable development with equality and respect for human rights.

• Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities

Summary

The Municipal Program for Functional Diversity consists of a series of training courses provided to the municipal staff which are intended to improve assistance to people with disabilities. Education is offered on the best practices in customer assistance and sign language. It also includes the signaling project of all municipal public spaces with pictograms and the incorporation of Visual Support of Medical Procedures brochures.

Implementation Date:

Start: 08 / 22 / 2016

End: End: Currently in force

Interculturalism and non-discrimination - Fight against discrimination, xenophobia and racism Human mobility
Show all
Based on the city population ratios, it is estimated that 4.43% has some kind of disability. The municipal government assumed the responsibility for providing services that met actual community needs, creating more inclusive locations for persons with disabilities in general and for persons with cognitive disorders in particular. According to the surveys, only 2% of the municipal staff had some basic knowledge on customer service.
To provide and create practical tools to foster universal accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities in the municipal environment.
Modernization and Innovation Office through its Training Department. Its main role consists in education and training, management of innovative tools to facilitate the citizens’ access to information, communication improvement, the continuous development of the best practices in customer service in general and specially people with disabilities.
Ombudsman’s Office: legal counselling, specialists in the rights of people with disabilities. Public Works Office: provide materials and place pictograms. Health Office: use of health service tools in the community. Training Directorate: creation of a staff training program, management, coordination and implementation. Modernization and Innovation Office: management and entering into agreements with national and international institutions.
Charter of the City of Río Grande Section 46°, Education; Section 44°, People with Disabilities; Section 41°, Family and Positive Actions; and Section 27°, Human Development. Municipal Ordinance No. 651/1993, Municipal Ordinance No. 3579/2016.
Public officers and public employees
Persons with disabilities
Awareness and/or information campaigns
Education and training
The municipal staff is trained on the Argentine Sign Language (LSA) so they can communicate properly. The staff is also trained on customer service best practices in order to understand diversity and provide suitable counselling or accompaniment. Implementation of the project called “Entiendo la Ciudad con Pictogramas, la Ciudad me Entiende a Mí” [I Understand the City with Pictograms, the City Understands Me] which uses inclusive pictograms in public buildings, with figures that anyone with a functional disability can interpret and thus be independent in public places. Incorporation of Visual Supports of Medical Procedures brochures. This is a leaflet with easy-to-understand images that anticipate the procedure so that girls and boys with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and people with cognitive impairment know what the consultation will be like in advance. They can be found at different health institutions at municipal level, at the front desk and in plain sight. They identify the different medical specialties since medical procedures may vary for each, and enables distinguishing how the patient will be treated in each case: internal medicine, dentistry, gynecology, orthopedics, nursing, etc.
Río Grande Municipality is the first city in Argentina to use inclusive pictograms in public buildings, with designs that may be interpreted by people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or any other conditions that may hinder access to information. Besides, they have incorporated Visual Supports of Basic Procedures in all the health centers of the municipality. Another distinguishing feature is the municipal officers’ training on the Argentine Sign Language so as to improve communication and customer service to people with hearing impairment at Río Grande Municipality.
Ties were strengthened with Portal Aragonés de la Comunicación Aumentativa y Alternativa (ARASAAC), which provided graphical and material resources to facilitate the communication with cognitively impaired people. An agreement was signed with Universidad Nacional de Quilmes so that the Argentine Sign Language is taught by professionals.
Formal and informal meetings were held with all the participating areas, professionals, technical staff of the areas involved and the Association of ASD and the local Asperger Parents group.
Inclusion is one of the core themes in municipal management, so it is necessary to continuously train the municipal staff with professionals and specialists from different institutions, for example, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Funds from the municipal budget were allocated for such purpose.
The monitoring and assessment system of this public policy is carried out through a control panel in charge of Management Control Office, which belongs to the Cabinet Coordination of Río Grande Municipality. The program is undergoing the first impact assessment stage, according to the implementation results and surveys conducted on the users.
Local goverment
By means of this public policy, as well as the joint implementation of several projects, optimal quality results have been achieved: 1,149 municipal officers have already been trained and the people with disabilities have benefited greatly. This has resulted in better quality of life, as inclusion and the rights of all citizens have been taken into account.
Public policy includes a hard-copy data record. This information is available at the Municipal Training and Management Control Offices. The latter assesses the scope and accomplishments of such public policy.
(Español) Premio Construir Igualdad (edición 2019) – CIPDH-UNESCO

Instrumentos

10-2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard.

11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.

16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.

16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.

A - Full integration of population dynamics into sustainable development with equality and respect for human rights.
• Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities

Location

Region
Latin America and the Caribbean
Range of Demographic Size
50,000 to 99,999 inhabitants (small intermediate)

Other projects from #CiudadesInclusivas

BESbswy
/* Educacion = 2 Empleo = 14 Género y diversidad sexual = 8 Interculturalidad y no discriminación = 21 Medio ambiente = 18 Movilidad Humana = 7 patrimonio e identidad cultural = 88 Salud = 25 Seguridad = 31 Vivienda = 30 */