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Relations between the Nordic Welfare Model and Universal Design
and Accessibility
Picture 2 Augsburgska konstskåpet
The Swedish king Gustav II Adolf got the Augsburg art cabinet from the
councilors in Augsburg 1632, in the middle of Thirty Years' War.
This fantastic piece of art was placed at Uppsala castle. In small drawers and
secret compartments there was about 1000 items. These items where
symbolizing the present knowledge of that time.
The 17th century was probably the last century when it was possible to
“summarize the whole world” and claim the possession of everything worth to
know.
I want to start there.
Because the things we are going to discuss today are indeed complex. And we
have huge challenges in front of us. We need to claim new mind sets and new
ways to think.
If it comes to Universal design or accessibility we really cannot know the
possibilities of tomorrow.
We must say that questions about universal access and accessibility are
complex, broad and widely spread in all parts of society. I think that even tough
laws and regulations are important; any wish for universal guidelines to
summarize all accessibility has come to the end of the road.
I will come back to that in the end of this speech.
Further on, we have to face the fact that we have a lot to do in society besides
universal design and accessibility, when we are working to create prerequisites
for everybody to participate on equal terms, more about that later.
Picture 3 Nordic welfare model – google search
My mission today is to connect Universal design with the Nordic welfare model.
Actually in the world today with economic crisis and all that, the Nordic

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countries are standing strong. And there is a big international interest in how
we are thinking and what we are doing.
Picture 4 Nordic welfare model
Picture 5 Human rights
Picture 6 UN Convention on the rights of Persons with disabilities
On this conference we are talking about Universal design. Edward Steinfeld said
something yesterday that I think is very interesting. He talked a bit of
disablement and then he said: “UD can help in preventing disabilities”.
On the conference we haven’t had so much focus on how the concept of
disability is evolving.
In the preamble of the Convention we can read:
“Recognizing that disability is an evolving concept and that disability results
from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and
environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in
society on an equal basis with others,…
Another piece of work is the “World report on disability” from WHO and the
Worldbank.
In the first chapter the understanding of disability is discussed.
The report is of course built up from the Convention, but is also referring to ICF.
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).
Now I am quoting from the report: “Disability is the umbrella term for
impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions, referring to the
negative aspects of the interaction between an individual (with a health
condition) and that individual’s contextual factors (environmental and personal
factors)”
Further on, in a special box about ICF, it is said: “The ICF is universal because it
covers all human functioning and treats disability as a continuum rather than
categorizing people with disabilities as a separate group: disability is a matter
of more or less, not yes or no.”

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So, what can we learn from that? We know that concept of disability is
evolving. And that that the concept of disability in accordance with ICF covers
all people.
Picture 7 Swahili
Picture 8 Double demographic challenge
Picture 9 Persons with impairments in different ages, 2005-2007
Picture 10 Dimensions – accessibility in the convention
I had the opportunity to be a part of the group who worked with: “Enhance
Society through Universal Design - A Nordic Charter”, which has been discussed
during the conference.
In the group we made a choice. The definition of universal design in the
convention became the starting point.
Since 1999 the Swedish disability policy has stressed that planning and
implementation processes should build on diversity. The goal is to get it right
from the start by creating general solutions to fit as many people as possible.
Special solutions may be needed, but they should be complementary to the
overall effort.
In this strategy continuous improvement is built in since it involves identifying
barriers and making an assessment of the need for special support measures.
This way of thinking has been defined by the government as the disability
perspective.
The Nordic charter states:
“The Nordic welfare model promotes Universal Design principles to create
usable solutions for everybody and to overcome challenges for elderly and
people with disabilities. Solutions where Universal Design is mind-setting
should therefore be the first choice.”
Both the Swedish disability perspective and the Nordic charter are easy to map
in to the Convention. Let’s find out how that fits.

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Preamble
The Conventions is: “(g) Emphasizing the importance of mainstreaming
disability issues as an integral part of relevant strategies of sustainable
development,”
As it is said in the Nordic charter, Universal Design is an important strategy for
all kind of organisations striving to operate in a socially responsible manner.
The Charter also points out that: “Sustainable solutions in a Universal Design
context must consider economic, social, ethical and ecological aspects. The
objective of social responsibility is to contribute to sustainable development.
The International Organization for Standardization’s recently adopted Guidance
on Social Responsibility (ISO 26000:2010), which refers to Universal Design and
the importance for socially responsible organisations to respect human rights
as they are stated…”, in the Convention.”
Using Social Responsibility as a tool is maybe one answer of more effectively
mainstreaming of accessibility and Universal design in the development of our
society. Social responsibility is the answer on how any organisation can
contribute to a sustainable development, public sector as well as industry and
NGO:s.
In one of the sessions somebody talked about “the Al Gore effect”. It was about
how environmental issues have become a natural part of good design. UD
should of course be there as well.
We are aiming for good design.
Article 3
Accessibility is a principle which should permeate the implementation of all
articles. The interpretation of what that means is going to be interesting.
UN is coming up with a general comment about article 9 on accessibility. The
purpose of general comments is to help the interpretation of the Convention.
I think that the Swedish disability perspective is one answer on how to do.
Article 4
Article 4 of the Convention obliges to “undertake or promote research and
development of universally designed goods, services, equipment and facilities

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…and to promote universal design in the development of standards and
guidelines”
Here we find the fundamental basis for Universal Design.
Article 5
Discrimination and accessibility are connected with the requirement for
organisations to promote reasonable accommodations.
This is limited from the individual’s perspectives, we are talking about people
who are claiming for the right to participate.
If a state has good policies for Universal design and accessibility the demands
for what is counted as reasonable of course increases.
In Sweden we have protection in the discrimination act for reasonable
accommodation in work life and, when it comes to premises, in college
education.
Tomorrow the Swedish Parliament is voting for a proposal from the parliament.
The government doesn’t have a majority.
In rare cases the parliament comes with proposals that the government are
against.
This has happened now. The proposal from the parliament is about
discrimination and reasonable accommodations.
The government is called upon to urgently give a proposal to extend the
protection against discrimination on grounds of disability to include reasonable
accommodations in all other areas, covered by the discrimination act.
They are:
….All education, now except that it applies only for premises. It should be all
reasonable accommodations.
Trading in goods, services and housing (outside private and family life)
The organisation of public meetings, events and entertainment
Health care

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Social services, special transport services and housing adaptation allowances
The social insurance system (services provided by the Social Insurance
Agency)
State study support
Military service and civilian service
Public employment, when the public sector are meeting someone in the line
of duty.
I think this new proposal, if implemented, could have a huge impact but it also
contains a lot of new challenges.
Article 9
Article 9 of the Convention defines measures to be taken in order to ensure
accessibility. These measures include identification and elimination of obstacles
and barriers to accessibility, and apply to: Buildings, roads, transportation and
other indoor and outdoor facilities, including schools, housing, medical facilities
and workplaces; Information, communications and other services, including
electronic services and emergency services”
In article 9 the need for specific solutions are mentioned as well.
Picture 11 Specific solutions
The use of the convention in defining the need for universal access is in a way a
rather risky business. You have to balance between the public interest of
building a society for all, and the special interests of elderly and people with
functional impairments due to other circumstances than age.
Health and social policies for people in all ages with different functional
limitations, must balance with policies for universal access. The convention is,
as said, based on the fact that disability is something that is possible to
prevent. For this prevention you both need policies for health, habilitation,
rehabilitation and support services including assistive technology, and policies
for Universal design and accessibility.

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In the Nordic countries some stakeholders tend to look upon those two
dimensions as an opposition or a dichotomy, but I would say, they are not.
I think a better way to look at it, is to see the universal access dimension and
the health and social welfare policies as parallel processes. They are of course
interconnected and mutually dependent to one another.
In an individual case one could say that if the processes have been effective
there is no disability and the prerequisites for equal participation are
completed. Now it is up to the individual to do something about it.
In Sweden we have an ongoing discussion about the right for people with
severe functional limitations to have personal assistance. Personal assistance
has been a revolution for many and has empowered people to be a part of the
society on equal terms as everyone else. But it is costly.
And in some ways the discussion may have affected the climate for political
ambitions in the area of accessibility and Universal design.
It is harder to gain acceptance for mainstream policies if the issue, in the
politicians mind, are connected with a special interest that in their opinion has
been too costly.
Picture 12 General solutions to suit all ...
Picture 13 Liljevalchs
Finally, here is a picture of the process when the entrance to the famous
Gallery Liljevalchs in Stockholm was improved to be dignified for all.
It is important to understand that designer, architects and other creative
professionals are resources for policy makers and enterprises.
Laws and standards are of course important. But there are always limitations as
minimum requirements or reasonable accommodations.
In that sense creativity can be limited. Sometimes we need to release it.
One important value in the Nordic welfare model is the capability to cooperate
between different stakeholders in the society. This last example also is a

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challenge. How do we improve accessibility for all outside the scope of laws
and accessibility policies?
Well, one way is to use the professionals. Give them a challenging problem to
solve and engage the users.
In this particular case it was a Design for All process. It was cooperation
between National Property Board Sweden, Design for All Sweden where
Handisam are members, and the city of Stockholm.
The problem was how to the make the entrance of the building dignified.
Architects and industrial designers solved it.
These professionals had a dialogue with those who were responsible for
preserving the cultural heritage. The end users with disabilities was involved as
well.
Picture 14 and 15 Closer and a different angle when the project was
complete
Picture 16 Pre-commercial procurement
One part of the process became a pre-commercial procurement, which
resulted in new elevator products.
VINNOVA – Sweden’s Innovation Agency has recently funded a project which
aims to spread the experiences from such innovation procurement.
With the new elevator product it is now possible to solve complicated
accessibility problems without compromising too much with the beauty of a
building.
And it was way beyond what is necessary to do within the law in Sweden.
Picture 17 Motto EIDD Design for All Europe
So finally motto from EIDD Design for All Europe says a lot of the new mindset
we need.

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Good design enables. Bad design disables.
The EIDD Stockholm Declaration©
Picture 18 End