Take Five: “Care systems must be designed with, not simply for, people with disabilities”

Author: Ahjung Lee

For Yunhui Hong, Chairperson of MUUI, accessibility extends beyond the removal of physical barriers. It is about creating care systems and social infrastructure that enable everyone to participate fully in society. Speaking at the UN Women’s Policy Forum on Advancing City Agenda on Care and Public-Private Partnerships for Transforming Care Systems on 18 September in Seoul, Republic of Korea, Hong shared how accessibility and care can be transformed when the people who use these systems are at the centre of their design.

Why is it important to listen to the lived experiences of people with disabilities when designing care and accessibility?

MUUI’s Girls on Wheels talk series offers a clear example. Young women with disabilities have shared experiences that are often overlooked, ranging from exclusion at school and online harassment to menstrual health and the lack of accessible information on reproductive health. These needs often remain invisible unless people with disabilities themselves are given the space to speak.

This is why care and accessibility should not be designed for people with disabilities without their meaningful participation. They should be designed with them, recognizing their agency, expertise and right to shape the systems that affect their lives.

How can different sectors work together to improve accessibility?

MUUI’s First Floor for All project demonstrates the value of bringing different actors together. Community mapping led by persons with disabilities, public-interest legal expertise and architectural support helped identify barriers and contributed to a change in the Seongdong-gu ordinance. The initiative later expanded through a partnership with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, with companies including KB Securities, CU, Bonjuk and Paris Baguette supporting the installation of ramps.

Different actors bring complementary strengths. Government can provide a lasting policy framework, businesses can contribute resources and scale, and civil society organizations and users bring expertise grounded in lived experience.

What factors influence how accessibility and care are financed?

One challenge is that accessibility in many small businesses still depends heavily on voluntary participation, while project-based funding can make long-term maintenance difficult.

Partnerships can help bridge this gap. Franchise businesses can expand accessibility across multiple locations, while local ordinances can help turn one-off projects into more sustainable forms of public investment. Support from foundations and impact-oriented organizations can also create space to test new approaches before they are ready for broader public investment.

Why does accessibility matter for women’s economic empowerment?

Accessibility is often a prerequisite for participation. A ramp, an accessible restroom or a barrier-free route can determine whether someone is able to attend school, go to work or run a business.

For women with disabilities, these physical barriers can intersect with gaps in services, safety and access to reproductive health information. Investing in accessibility therefore means investing not only in inclusion but also in women’s education, employment and economic independence.

What needs to shift in how we understand care and disability?

We need to move beyond seeing people with disabilities simply as recipients of care. Care is part of the social infrastructure that enables people to participate fully in society.

We also need to build systems that continually listen and respond to the people who use them. When people with disabilities are recognized not only as beneficiaries but also as experts and co-designers, their lived experiences can help shape more responsive policies and services and more inclusive communities.