What Do the Students Want?

Many public spaces in Indonesian cities are inaccessible to vulnerable groups such as children, elderlies, and persons with disabilities (PwDs), partly due to a lack of infrastructure and limited understanding by citizens and government agencies. The design and planning of these spaces are typically conducted in a top-down approach, with little participation of citizens. Regulation by the Indonesian Transportation Ministry1 stipulates that school areas with heavy traffic and high risk of accidents should have a Safe School Zone (Zona Selamat Sekolah, in Indonesian). The regulation details a technical guideline for the Safe School Zone, i.e., traffic signs, crossroads, speed bumps, but its implementation does not yet consider inclusive principles and universal design. To build a more inclusive and accessible city for all in accordance with the UN-HABITAT New Urban Agenda, a participatory design process with multiple stakeholders—teachers, local government, and most importantly, students—plays a vital role in ensuring inclusive planning in cities. This abstract reflects on the experience of Kota Kita and the Banjarmasin City Transportation Agency implementing a participatory Safe and Inclusive School Zone pilot project in Banjarmasin, Indonesia, to promote inclusive city planning and build the community’s capacity to improve their living spaces.   Read the full article in accessible html-format here.