This body will serve to evaluate and promote actions related to accessibility and disability support.
The Town Council of La Laguna has established a body to evaluate and promote actions related to accessibility and disability within the municipality. The Observatory for the Promotion of Personal Autonomy has been created as one of the key components of the Municipal Disability Plan, which was approved in July 2024.
María Cruz highlights that “over 25,000 people benefit from the actions being implemented in La Laguna regarding disability,” explaining that with the establishment of this observatory, “we aim to enhance knowledge, raise awareness, and engage all municipal areas with responsibilities concerning accessibility conditions in La Laguna.”
“This involves developing a diagnostic assessment of the actual state of accessibility and the situation faced by people with disabilities. Simultaneously, this will allow us to evaluate the real impact of the policies enacted by the Town Council and the third sector entities,” the councillor stated. The observatory will investigate the state of universal accessibility in the municipality and the progress made in this regard.
The Observatory for the Promotion of Personal Autonomy will provide updated and practical information to objectively assess the effectiveness of legislation and policies regarding accessibility. It will analyse various areas, such as projects from entities receiving financial support from the Town Council or complaints lodged with the Disability Advocate. “Thus, we will have vital information to understand the challenges we encounter when addressing disability issues and their potential solutions,” María Cruz assured.
The councillor believes that the Observatory for the Promotion of Personal Autonomy will be “a tool to centralise information on accessibility in La Laguna, serving both as a data balance and as an invitation and motivation to continue working towards creating a more humane and livable city.”
The activities of this body are outlined in the Municipal Disability Plan, aimed at understanding the effects of actions taken by the Town Council and various entities in terms of accessibility and inclusion. It also seeks to propose adjustments of existing resources to meet identified needs and evaluate the impact of actions related to disability across different municipal areas, among other objectives.
