Disability: in Monaco, an increasingly inclusive society

From employment to mobility, education and culture, the Principality is multiplying initiatives to promote the integration of people with disabilities. A dynamic driven by strong political will and the growing commitment of A dynamic driven by a strong political will and the growing commitment of the non-profit network. MonacoSanté brings you the latest news.

“A clear and concerted commitment by the State, with everyone and for everyone”

“Let the city and life be accessible to all handicaps”. One year after the launch of the Handipact in Monaco — the National Plan for the disability inclusion — Lionel Galfré, Technical Advisor responsible for people with disabilities, continues to work intensively. This mission, entrusted by Christophe Robino, Minister of Health and Social Affairs, aims to make Monaco a place of excellence for disability inclusion. Nine pillars structure its action: mobility and accessibility, employment and work, public awareness, housing and construction, support and care, access to sport, culture and leisure, international recognition and the enhancement of existing mechanisms. “The spectrum of disability is very broad”, says Lionel Galfré. The Handicap represents a clear and concerted will of the state, with all and for all”. Its priority remains the socialisation of people with disabilities: “In short, it means enabling them to live their lives in the city to the fullest”. First significant progress: since the end of 2024, all public buildings in the Principality have been made accessible, with the exception of those granted exemptions. About 500 individuals have declared a disability to the Department of Social Welfare and Social Services (DASO). They are supported by the Social Inclusion and Disability Office (DISH). “The social policy to support these people is solid. We need to consider all types of disability, visible and invisible, in order to achieve true inclusion”, says Lionel Galfré, who advocates a cross-cutting and highly consultative approach.

StreetNav, the app to finding a smooth path

Lionel Galfré is in permanent contact with the Monegasque associations dedicated to the various handicaps and relies on their feedback to meet real needs. From this listening, several initiatives were born, including the most recent: the StreetNav mobility app, launched in November 2025. “ "Waze" style app for PRMs [people with reduced mobility, ed.]” , he smiles. This innovation offers courses adapted to each type of disability, avoiding obstacles throughout the Principality. Designed in a participatory way, it takes into account the real state of the journey between two points, signalling stairs, slopes, lifts or work areas. “This is particularly important for us, because our territory is dense, often steep and in perpetual evolution”, Christophe Robino said during his presentation. StreetNav facilitates the movement of people with reduced mobility, but also of visually impaired and blind people. The aim is clear: to encourage mobility and reduce isolation. “I would like people with disabilities to be able to tell themselves that in Monaco, their needs have been taken into account and that life is easier there”.

Local shops and Government: an accessible welcome

Another priority is the accessibility of shops. “Traders can benefit from €5,000 to install a removable ramp, a call bell or a magnetic loop for the hearing impaired”, recalls Lionel Galfré. A practical brochure is also distributed to accompany them in these developments. In the administrations, a brochure entitled “Welcoming people with disabilities” is now posted everywhere. It brings together simple advice, adapted to each type of disability: “My goal is to send two signals: we thought of you and we know how to welcome you. This is how disability becomes invisible”. Disability Awareness Training is also available for government officials and agents. In the coming weeks, sensors installed in reserved parking spaces will indicate in real time whether the space is free, but also its configuration. “Some people have big vehicles. They don't always know if they can park easily. A photo of the square will therefore be accessible via a dedicated app”, he explains.

Sport and disability

These successive improvements contribute to making Monaco an accessible city for all. A philosophy that gradually extends to all sectors of the Principality. Last year, Monaco firefighters were trained in sign language by their counterparts in Calvados, facilitating their interventions with deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or aphasic people. “I would also like Monaco to be linked to the French emergency number 114, reserved for this type of disability”, adds Lionel Galfré. In the summer of 2025, the Grimaldi Forum's “Colours” exhibition had included inclusion from the outset: wheelchair accessibility, sign language explanatory videos, Braille descriptions of the works. “ Nothing is impossible when we think, from the beginning, to put ourselves in the shoes of people living with a disability” insists Lionel Galfré.

On December 3, the 2025 edition of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities will highlight the theme Sport and Disability. Thirty photographs of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be on display until January 4, 2026 along the Promenade du Larvotto. Gaël Rivière, president of the French disabled sports federation, Paralympic champion of cécifoot 2024 and business lawyer, will be present in the Principality to remind that what is possible in sport can also be in the world of work. “I know it’s very difficult. I don't want to be an angel. But I want to remind people with disabilities not to prevent themselves because of their disability”, concludes Lionel Galfré.

Practical information:
Photography exhibition
From 3 December 2025 to 4 January 2026
Free - Promenade du Larvotto

See also: Handiplage at Larvotto Beach: 20 years of commitment to accessibility