Inclusion of physically disabled children through environmental rehabilitation of urban spaces case study: AL Azhar Park, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Sustainability as a term is used to describe various approaches that aim at improving people's way of life. Sustainable cities are the location of sustainable communities in which we find the possibility to achieve an improvement in the quality of human life while maintaining healthy ecological systems. In these cities sustainability creates a world where everyone can have a fulfilling life and can" enjoy a rich level of well-being within the limits of what nature can provide" [Sustainability Store, 2011].The development of sustainable communities respects the relationship between Economy, Ecology and Equity or the opportunity to participate in all activities, benefits and decision making of society. This implies the participation of disabled individuals who have for long suffered from seclusion or the inability to be part of society social mainstream. In order to achieve our aim of having a sustainable equitable society we should start at the base of society concentrating on children who constitute the future. Hence the need to bring up disabled and able bodied children, together, with no preconceived ideas or negative attitudes towards each other, as that will lead to a strong, coherent society that accommodates and includes all its members regardless of their physical limitations. Being a recognized right in the UN convention for child rights, Play provides social, Physical and behavioral benefits to disabled and able bodied children. The relaxed environment through which encounter of both groups is made allows positive relationships and friendship forming, and the removal of any negative attitudes between both groups. Environmental Rehabilitation of Urban Spaces to accommodate disabled and able-bodied children is than a major step towards applying principles of sustainability. And that as it leads to mainstreaming and participation of Disabled individuals into society social life. Through a theoretical review of literature and its application to a chosen case namely, Al Azhar Park in Cairo, Egypt, this study aims at revealing the importance of creating Accessible Urban Spaces in which all children would have the opportunity to participate, together, into play which leads to more understanding between the core of society and forming al cohesive society that does not refuse, or limit the participation of any of its individuals on the basis of his or her limited abilities. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.