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In Kyrgyzstan, persons with disabilities are collecting proof of physical barriers to hold the government accountable

Illustration: In Kyrgyzstan, persons with disabilities are collecting proof of physical barriers to hold the government accountable
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A civil society organization in Kyrgyzstan is training people with disabilities to systematically document the physical obstacles they encounter in the capital, Bishkek, turning personal experience into structured data that can be used to press authorities for change. The effort highlights a persistent gap between the country’s legal commitments and the daily reality faced by a significant portion of its population.

Mapping the barriers firsthand

Kyrgyzstan ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2019, obligating the government to remove legal and physical barriers and support independent living. Seven years on, advocates say progress has been limited for the more than 218,000 people with disabilities in the country, roughly three percent of the population.

The public fund Oasis, founded in 2003, is addressing this accountability gap through its Oasis Data Lab initiative, supported by the Digital Sparks granting scheme. The project brings together more than 30 participants, including people with physical disabilities, blind and low-vision individuals, and deaf participants, alongside social activists and urban experts. Using a mobile application called UrbanEyes, participants assess buildings using geolocation, photographs, and standardised accessibility indicators. The results are visualised on an interactive web-based map of the city.

So far, participants have assessed 350 buildings across Bishkek. The findings reveal a widespread problem:

  • More than 60 percent of assessed buildings had a ramp-related barrier
  • Issues included missing ramps, ramps that were too steep, too narrow, slippery, or lacking handrails
  • The data allows comparisons across different districts and building types

From personal experience to public evidence

A central principle behind the project is that people who live with these barriers are best placed to identify them accurately. Organizers note that a standard inspection checklist might confirm a ramp exists, while a wheelchair user can demonstrate that the same ramp remains practically unusable. Participants are also being trained in digital storytelling and advocacy so that their findings can be presented directly to decision-makers.

Oasis intends to continue expanding the accessibility map, engage with city and national government bodies, and eventually extend the model to rural areas of the country. The organisation describes its longer-term aim as establishing the Data Lab as an ongoing civic evidence hub rather than a single project.

This article is adapted from “In Kyrgyzstan, persons with disabilities are collecting proof of physical barriers to hold the government accountable” published by Global Voices, licensed under CC BY 3.0. Changes were made. Read the original story at the link above.

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