Accessibility is about giving equal access to everyone. Without being able to access the facilities and services found in the community, persons with disabilities will never be fully included.
As detailed in the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy, UN Geneva is committed to providing accessible and inclusive services, physical spaces, and information to persons with disabilities. Along with the physical environment, digital spaces must also be designed to be accessible by all. This website is part of our effort to promote web accessibility in the UN system. Our commitment is in accordance with Article 9 (g) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Physical Environment and Services
ARRIVING AT PALAIS DES NATIONS
Persons with disabilities are automatically granted priority access upon arrival to Pregny Gate. They are given a badge which allows them to open the dedicated accessible door next to the elevator on the side of the Pregny Gate. They are also given a map of the Palais which indicates accessible doors, elevators, and restrooms.
Visitors must return the badge to Security when leaving the premises. The badge for the accessible door will only work until 7:30pm. After that time, visitors will have to leave using the ramp. A telephone is available at the top of the ramp in order to call for assistance.
If visitors choose to drive to the Palais, priority parking spaces for persons with disabilities have been allocated.
PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY AND MOBILITY
UN Geneva is investing great efforts to improve physical accessibility to the Palais des Nations for persons with disabilities. Improved signage indicating accessible restroom and elevators have been implemented throughout the premises.
Wheelchair access is available for 16 restrooms in key locations throughout the offices and conference facilities. The Cafeteria is fully wheelchair accessible. Public entry/exit access to the Palais des Nations, including doors S1, S2, C21 and A15 are all accessible. Doors requiring a magnetic badge, such as C6, A15, E40 are also physically accessible.
Temporary access ramps and mobile mini-elevators can be made available upon request. The Bar Serpent area, the UN Medical Service, and at the cafeteria have automatic doors.
Access the entire length of the Palais is possible on the 3rd Floor and the Ground Floor. To move between floors, 18 of 45 elevators are fully accessible and Braille Key-equipped.
Wheelchair accessible restrooms are available in 16 locations across the Palais des nations.
To ensure optimal accommodation, please inform the Secretariats and Security in advance of arrival. To locate accessible elevators and restrooms, follow the signage or view the Map of the Palais which indicates accessible facilities.
Organizing an accessible event
UN Geneva has developed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ease the organization of accessible meetings.This document provides detailed step-by-step guidance to meeting organizers for all stages of the process, from accessible conference announcements to accreditation procedures and delivery of inclusive events.
Accessibility Guide
This guide produced by OHCHR focuses on access to Room XX (the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room) at the Palais des Nations. In addition, the guide provides general useful information on accessibility at the Palais des Nations and within the city of Geneva on pages 27-37.
Special Tours
Tours are available for those with special needs. Accommodations can be made for those with limited sight, hearing and movement. Please contact us for more Information about booking a tour.
Feedback
If you encounter accessibility barriers on ungeneva.org, please contact accessibilityunog@un.org. We are consistently trying to improve our services; if you have any feedback on how we can do better, let us know. If you are interested in how to make your website more accessible, resources for improving web accessibility are available here https://www.un.org/en/webaccessibility/index.shtml
WEB ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT AT UN GENEVA
UN Geneva’s commitment to ensuring accessibility of its premises, services, and website are in accordance with Article 9 (g) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and in support of that Convention.
If you encounter accessibility barriers on ungeneva.org, please contact accessibilityunog@un.org. We are consistently trying to improve our services; if you have any feedback on how we can do better, let us know through the feedback form below.
Many documents on this website are published in .DOCX and PDF format. These formats may not be fully accessible, but finding solutions to this issue is one of our top priorities.
Some links on this site will take you to other websites within and outside of the UN system; some of these sites are not yet in accordance with UN Accessibility Guidelines.
This website has been tested using screen readers. We are working to find solutions to elements of this site that are not compatible with screen readers.
This website is created in accordance with the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Accessibility Initiative’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/) and the accessibility guidelines of the United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/webaccessibility/index.shtml
If you are interested in how to make your website more accessible, resources for improving web accessibility are available here https://www.un.org/en/webaccessibility/index.shtml
This statement was created on April 2020.
future outlook
UN Geneva is continually working to improve on our commitment to accessibility at the Palais des Nations and online. The goal of ensuring accessible and inclusive facilities and meetings and events has been fully integrated in the detailed implementation plan of UN Geneva’s renovation project, the Strategic Heritage Plan. This project is intended to allow persons with disabilities to make use of the UN Geneva premises and website to the highest degree possible. Additionally, UN Geneva strives to fully comply with host country accessibility standards and incorporate principles of universal design at the Palais des Nations.
additional questions or comments?
Please share your questions and feedback to help us improve accessibility for all at UN Geneva.