Handicapped people face discrimination in Algeria

A total of 4 million Algerians with special needs find a big difficulty in entering buildings due to the absence of special facilities for them. This problem was discussed during a conference held by architects’ union in Setif last week.

Most of the buildings in Algeria including houses, administrative institutions and mosques did not take in consideration those needs. The problem starts with architects in charge of preparing buildings design. They excluded people who have physical hindrance including people with wheelchair and those who can not walk properly. Their number is estimated at 4 million added to people with temporary handicaps, illness, fractures, pregnant women and elderly people. 

According to the chairman of the union’s local council, many laws have been promulgated since 2002 to ensure access for people with special needs to buildings. Yet, they were not respected.

This problem is considered by the US as a discrimination and exclusion of a category of people from social life. Algeria ratified an international treaty of the UN which in this regard.