The Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation announced on Apr. 24 that it has trained officials from 105 local governments across Peru to promote universal accessibility in public spaces and buildings. The training is part of the national campaign ‘Perú Accesible’, which aims to create more inclusive and safer cities for everyone.
This initiative matters because it seeks to eliminate barriers in municipal offices, parks, plazas, roads, and walkways so that all people—including those with disabilities, older adults, and pregnant women—can access public infrastructure without obstacles. Officials from district and provincial municipalities received technical guidance to help them apply current accessibility standards in their projects.
“Our goal is for cities to meet the needs of all people without distinction, eliminating barriers and promoting equal opportunities in the use of buildings and public spaces,” said representatives from the Ministry of Housing. Participating local governments are located throughout regions such as Amazonas, Áncash, Apurímac, Arequipa, Cajamarca, Cusco, Huánuco, Ica, Junín, La Libertad, Lima Metropolitana, Pasco, Tacna and Ucayali. The ministry plans to train more than 700 local governments nationwide this year.
Supervision activities have included inspections at several institutions like the district municipalities of Miraflores, Magdalena del Mar, Pueblo Libre; Los Aquijes; La Tinguiña; Parcona; as well as at the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima; Provincial Municipality of Ica; Essalud (the Social Health Insurance); and the National Superintendency of Migration. In addition to training sessions for staff members at these entities’ headquarters in San Isidro or regional centers around Peru according to the official website, an itinerant module raises awareness by demonstrating common physical barriers in public areas across plazas and municipalities nationally.
The Ministry operates as an autonomous entity within Peru’s Executive Branch established by Law No. 27779 according to its official website. It develops policies supporting sustainable access to housing construction water sanitation urban development as reported by its official website. These efforts contribute not only toward improved living conditions but also foster sustainable territorial growth through partnerships with specialized agencies according to its official website.
With these actions aimed at both authorities’ awareness-building initiatives among citizens regarding physical obstacle removal—and broader service delivery improvements—the ministry reaffirms its commitment “to generate awareness among authorities and citizens about the importance of removing physical obstacles so that all people can move freely through buildings or public spaces.”
