Policy, Regulation and Standards

Definitions

Policy refers to a set of principles, guidance or documents adopted by a government.

Regulations pertain to rules or directives of a government, which may be contained in law or some other form of administrative issuance that has been approved by the relevant authorised government body.

Standards refer to defined or established (national or international) norms or reference models against which an evaluation or a design can be undertaken, and best practice benchmarked[64]. Standards are usually written in a formal document, which establishes uniform criteria, methods, processes and practices, including of an engineering or technical nature[65].

In the context of inclusive infrastructure, the relevant policies, regulations and standards are those which integrate and promote inclusivity in planning, developing, designing and implementing infrastructure projects.

Context

At the international level, goals and targets promoting greater inclusion have been widely adopted, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which, amongst other matters, set out targets in relation to universal and equitable access to drinking water (SDG 6); affordable energy (SDG 7); and safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems (SDG 11), as well as gender equality and the empowerment of women (SDG 5). In addition, there are several other documents that promote greater inclusion of women, children, the elderly and other under-served and vulnerable groups (see Box 7: International documents promoting inclusivity principles).

While the importance of national-level inclusive policies, regulations and standards is widely accepted, implementation may be limited, especially in developing countries[66]. In developed countries, regulations that relate to inclusivity and anti-discrimination, as well as social welfare laws, are likely to be more established. For example, in the U.S. Bank Stadium Case Study, participation of women and minority-owned businesses in the improvement of the stadium was specifically included in state legislation.

The integration of inclusivity at the policy level can guide the overall direction of government infrastructure programs, regulations and standards. Their overall effectiveness will depend on rule of law and the government’s will and capacity to enforce non-compliance. Policy interventions are more effective when operationalised through supporting activities. The adoption of regulations or standards that are specific and enforceable, such as having Universal Design principles, is an effective way to increase inclusivity in infrastructure.

Universal Design is a set of principles for the design of infrastructure assets, buildings, environments, etc. to make them accessible to all people, regardless of age, disability or other factors. This ensures infrastructure can be used by as many people as possible, regardless of their age or ability. For instance, the lack of access to, and ability to use, transport infrastructure can have a significant impact, as transport “can either facilitate social inclusion or exacerbate social exclusion”[67].

While the concept of Universal Design emerged primarily with people with disabilities in mind, the concept behind Universal Design should be to help everyone, including the elderly, pregnant women, children and people with a temporary illness or injury. Thus, implementing Universal Design should result in benefits such as increased accessibility, freedom to move, and access to employment opportunities and social activities[68]. Although internationally recognised benchmarks or standards for certain activities related to infrastructure exist, such as the ISO standards on accessibility requirements, the application of these standards requires specialist skills to understand, implement and enforce. Establishing standards and using regulations to ensure compliance is a very powerful tool for the development of inclusivity in infrastructure.