Welcome to the Cities For All online course, co-developed by United Cities & Local Governments (UCLG) and World Enabled, in the framework of the Cities for All campaign and the Global Compact on Inclusive and Accessible Cities

This online course will introduce you to the global movement on disability rights and to the six principles of the Global Compact on Inclusive & Accessible Cities, showing how they provide a useful framework for local and regional governments to develop inclusive and accessible policies and projects that empower all people in the community, regardless of age, gender, disability to engage and be part of the cities where they live.

Dr. Victor Santiago Pineda, President of World Enabled, will guide you through this journey towards Cities for All. Dr Pineda is an internationally recognized human rights expert, a leading scholar on inclusive and accessible cities, and also a two time presidential appointee to the United States Federal Access Board.

Check the introductory video below to learn more about him and what you will be learning in this course.

Objectives

The intention of this self-paced online course is to educate and foster conversations around access and inclusion in cities and communities. It aims to address disability rights and justice including discrimination as well as solutions spanning all levels of the social, political, and personal spheres.

The course combines background information, discussion of key concepts, and interviews surrounding disability as well as accompanying digital resources. The modules include essential questions, engagement with external videos, and the opportunity for advanced learning by accessing the listed additional resources. Additionally, video interviews feature Dr. Victor Pineda speaking with experts on their lived experiences, and city leaders championing accessibility at the local level

Audience

The online course targets a wide range of urban actors with content that introduces accessibility as an important tool for policymakers and civil society to ensure inclusion is a reality in cities and communities.

These actors include city leaders who are accountable to the inhabitants of their city, practitioners working in or with local and regional governments, social impact professionals working across philanthropy, innovators and think tank members, academics, policymakers, as well as business professionals and entrepreneurs.

The modules are written in simple language and will be universally accessible to persons with disabilities as well as high-school and college students who are learning about how best to contribute to building an inclusive society.

Organizers

The Cities for All network includes a broad range of stakeholders including the United Nations, the public and private sectors, academia, and civil society organizations implementing the global human rights and development agendas, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Partners can use this online course and other learning tools and resources licensed under creative commons as a “go-to” resource for their staff and stakeholders.