Social inclusion of persons with disabilities in UNESCO Geoparks

Abstract

Persons with disabilities is the term used to define individuals who have some type of disability, that is, those who have long-term impairments of a physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory nature. A Geopark is a territory recognized by UNESCO for its abiotic heritage, where sustainable development strategies are applied. Among the SDGs, quality education and the reduction of inequalities are important for development in these territories. The research aims to identify whether the social inclusion of persons with disabilities occurs in UNESCO Geoparks, whether persons with disabilities are included in the activities practiced in these territories, and how these inclusive strategies are implemented. This is a bibliographic study, an integrated review. Bibliometric analysis was conducted in the databases: PubMed, Scielo, Web of Science (WOS), and Scopus (Elsevier), as well as in the gray literature via Google Scholar. The descriptors used for the search in the databases were: “persons with disabilities,” “social inclusion,” and “geoparks,” with Boolean expressions: “AND” and “OR.” Translation terms into English and Spanish were also employed. Studies on the topic are scarce; some works verify that the social inclusion of persons with disabilities is part of the activities applied in certain UNESCO Geoparks, notwithstanding the planning difficulties, and the individuals involved in storytelling programs also represent a challenge in these territories. The use of resources based on Information and Communication Technologies, adapted for persons with disabilities, may be a way to practice inclusion in geoparks.