Universal environment as a guarantee of quality life

Most of the disabled, especially the youth are mostly interested in the ability to live independently in the community. But without the accessible environment, the disabled and elderly people cannot be independent and self-sufficient, equal opportunities to participate in public life are not ensured for them.

Besides, as the number of elderly people is increasing with every year, in the future in Lithuania as well as all over Europe there will be more and more disabled people.

The governments of Lithuania and other countries will have to meet this challenge, therefore, it is necessary to take actions already now which would encourage full participation of such people in the life of the community with equal rights. In order not to make any new obstacles, it is necessary to immediately start introducing solutions suitable for everybody without creating the necessity to adapt the environment for special needs. In the Nordic countries (in Sweden, Finland, Norway) they have stopped talking about accessibility of the environment only for the disabled, as it is now in Lithuania. Understanding the importance of the model of universal design, by various project activities we pursue to change the public attitude toward universal design as encouraging equality and sustainable social development, creating as broad and convenient accessibility of the environment, products, communications, information technologies and services to all members of the society as possible.

In 2013 was designed website www.universalusdizainas.lt, which highlights the universal design guidelines.