Description
The project is focusing on improving implementation of accessibility requirements in the Estonian Construction Act – which is today not sufficiently followed and there is poor knowledge about the important requirements what are across. The project will create an advocacy plan to solve the current shortcomings and start implementing the advocacy plan is a manner that is enabling a solid continuation of the advocacy and monitoring work after the end of the project. A network for implementing the advocacy plan is going to put together with stakeholders from different sectors – to multiply the results and take onboard as many target groups as possible. That is also the reason for relatively broad partnership of the project. During upcoming 7 years (EU 2014-2020 programming period) many big investment projects are planned and an important goal is to secure, that accessible and barrier-free implementation of those projects and all new initiatives is becoming an evident solution. Information dissemination to as many potential stakeholders as possible is an important aim for the LET´S FOLLOW THE LAW! project.
Summary of project results
The project was focusing on improving implementation of accessibility requirements in the Estonian Construction Act – which prior to the implementation was not sufficiently followed and there is poor knowledge about the important requirements what are across. T A network for implementing the advocacy plan was put together with stakeholders from different sectors – to multiply the results and take on board as many target groups as possible. That is also the reason for relatively broad partnership of the project. During upcoming 7 years (EU 2014-2020 programming period) many big investment projects are planned and an important goal is to secure, that accessible and barrier-free implementation of those projects and all new initiatives is becoming an evident solution. Information dissemination to as many potential stakeholders as possible is an important aim for the LET´S FOLLOW THE LAW! project. The impact and result is that more stakeholders have now encountered the Universal design topic, have understood the importance of the topic and are themselves advocating for the theme. Most important is the State Real Estate LTD involvement in the project, but also the ministries of Economy and Communication, Culture and Education and Science, which have been involved. The creation of Accessibility Council, what happened during the project, is now one of the bodies to carry on the promotion of the Universal design topic – most of the project network members are as well participating in the work of the above mentioned council. Also the partnership with other civil society organisations is important, was the various stakeholders who got involved, also representing other societal groups as the ones strongly involved in the Universal design and accessibility topic, is needed and should be considered as an important outcome of the project. Initiatives on upcoming big investment projects in Estonian society – the Rail Baltic high-speed railway, new joint ministerial building, the Estonia 100 celebration – refurbishing main squares of several Estonian town – are all projects where the created network of activists will contribute.
Summary of bilateral results
It is very important to bring cross-border experience into such large-scale awareness raising and changing attitudes project. In a small society like Estonian, examples of how other countries have been able to solve problems, is very important. Having involved Nordiska Handikappförbundet is at the same time providing know-how from all the Nordic countries. A very important addition to the project was the Icelandic partnership – from the Iceland Design Centre but also from the Mobility impaired organisation Sjalfsbjörg. Those partners facilitated tremendously the Icelandic polcy development seminar, what took place in January 2016 in Reykjavik. The challenge of cross-border projects is always a limited budget for meeting each other, as the initially proposed budget was cut and the cut was mostly hitting the possibilities to see each other face to face. Indeed luckily modern communication tools and earlier good contacts is helping to information flow and the limited face-to-face meeting possibilities doesn’t hinder the project from being successful. As the co-operation went smoothly, long-term relations have been established ans will be continued – promoting the Universal design and Design for all in our societies.