Inclusive education, Serbia’s problematic system and the beaches of Australia

New York’s Parsons School of Design is introducing a new program for young designers with disabilities. The aim is to fight inequalities and increase the accessibility of fashion, but also to change the way of thinking about its functions in subsequent generations. Initially, the program will cover three students who can count on the support of mentors and scholarships to help them develop their careers.

In Serbia, citizens with disabilities face systemic discrimination and poverty. Despite Serbia ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2009, it is still common practice to deprive them of the ability to make independent decisions about their own lives while society is still full of prejudices and intolerance. Representatives of the “Phoenix” – Serbian Association of People with Disabilities – accuse the government of inaction and not understanding the problem.

Australian beaches are becoming more accessible to people in wheelchairs. It is possible thanks to amenities such as ramps leading to the beach or foldable plastic mats that allow you to move on the sand on ordinary wheelchairs. There are also free rentals of beach wheelchairs with specially adapted polyurethane wheels that resemble balloons. Under Australian federal law, public places must be accessible to all.