Making and Measuring Progress in Radically Inclusive Cities

The cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi can serve as useful examples of the journey cities can undertake toward radical inclusion for persons with disabilities in the context of rapid urbanization. The actions of these cities over previous decades provide examples of practical approaches to building more inclusion and belonging by design. The management, governance, and strategies they undertook demonstrate how consistent and measurable progress toward inclusion, equity, and accessibility can be effectively designed and executed. Two frameworks, the DisCo Policy Framework and the Iceberg of Inequality Model, can be used to complement these city-based case studies. The DisCo Policy Framework is a tool for evaluating inclusive urban development and has five interrelated criteria for assessment. The Iceberg of Inequality Model shows the hierarchical structure of primary rights and capabilities. These tools can be used to benchmark progress toward radical inclusion and form part of a multidimensional and cross-sectional toolkit for key stakeholders to undo decades old errors and omissions in broad based planning, policy, and design. The UN Habitat III Conference also highlighted six key areas for advancing equity, access, and inclusion in cities as well as the need for political commitment to inclusive urbanization.