CASE STUDY 3 Access for All, Amsterdam Hub, Netherlands Strategy Definition Influencing power Young people are taking the lead on accessible pedestrian infrastructure in the Netherlands, ensuring everyone can fully participate in society. In the Netherlands, nearly 2 million people are facing physical disabilities and navigating urban spaces can be particularly challenging. Many struggle to access elevated pedestrian paths and manoeuvre around obstacles like parked bikes and café furniture. Large crowds, broken elevators and construction further complicate mobility, underscoring the urgent need for more accessible urban spaces – especially ahead of an ageing population. In Amsterdam Hub, young innovators are developing a navigation app that flags real-time barriers and obstacles, assisting those with reduced mobility in finding accessible walking routes throughout the city. Each flag enriches a robust dataset that young advocates use to influence city planners and policy-makers. By presenting this data, they aim to ensure that urban systems accommodate the growing number of people with mobility challenges, making Amsterdam more inclusive and navigable for all. Next steps: The decisions made today about urban infrastructure will shape accessibility for decades. With over $130 trillion in global capital spending21 planned to renew urban infrastructure by 2027, young people have a unique window to influence policy. Looking ahead, they can draft policy papers with recommendations for addressing local mobility challenges as well as engaging decision-makers at town halls and budget meetings to advocate for universal design principles and barrier-free infrastructure. This would include tactile markings, braille on handrails, video and audio signals as well as full accessibility for wheelchair and walker users. To enhance their advocacy, young people can also collaborate with developers to promote inclusive design principles from the outset and ensure individuals with disabilities are included in planning processes as part of fully integrated design teams.22 We envision a world where the mobility of people with disabilities is no longer impeded by the obstacles within the built-environment. By leveraging the power of community and technology we are creating a digital standardized mapping tool that will help make communities more accessible, because more accessible cities is an added value for all of us. Gilberto Morishaw, Global Shaper, Amsterdam Hub, Netherlands Global Shapers Impact Report 25

Global Shapers Impact Report 2025