Why a Global AT Centers Leadership Network? Global Perspectives on CRPD Implementation

ATIS4all

First Workshop, Madrid, Spain14th and 15th March, 2011

By Axel LebloisExecutive Director, G3ict

Why a Global AT Centers Leadership Network? Global Perspectives on CRPD Implementation

ATIS4all

First Workshop, Madrid, Spain14th and 15th March, 2011

By Axel LebloisExecutive Director, G3ict

Slide 22

Universal framework for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities

147 countries have signed it as of February 2011 – 87 with the Optional Protocol

98 have ratified it, representing over 75% of the World Population

Detailed dispositions on ICT Accessibility and Assistive Technologies incl. Art. 9

State Parties now have an obligation to implement its dispositions on ICT Accessibility and Assistive Technologies

Implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Slide 3

Application Areas CRPD Article

Accessibility Mandates

Reasonable Accommodation

Promoting Assistive

TechnologiesE-Government 9.2.a üMedia and Internet 9.2.b üEducation 24 ü ü üEmployment 27 ü üPolitical Rights 21 ü üEmergency services 9.1.b üCulture & Leisure 30.5.c üPrivate sector services 9.2.b üPersonal Mobility 20 üRehabilitation 26 ü

Main Dispositions with Implications for ICT Accessibility and Assistive Technologies Main Dispositions with Implications for ICT Accessibility and Assistive Technologies

Slide 4

Special Dispositions Promoting Accessible & Assistive Technologies Special Dispositions Promoting Accessible & Assistive Technologies

1. Mandate to promote R&D

2. ICT Products Development and Universal Design

3. Reasonable accommodation defined and mandated

4. Obligation for States to set accessibility standards

5. Intellectual property rights

6. Promoting New Media and the Internet for Persons with Disabilities

Slide 5

Measuring Gaps: 2010 G3ict CRPD ICT Accessibility Progress ReportMeasuring Gaps: 2010 G3ict CRPD ICT Accessibility Progress Report

Argentina El Salvador PortugalAustria France RwandaBangladesh Germany South AfricaBelgium Guinea SpainBrazil Hungary ThailandBurkina Faso India TunisiaCanada Kenya UgandaChile Mali United KingdomChina Mexico United StatesCosta Rica Moroco ZambiaDenmark Nicaragua

32 Countries Surveyed 31 with Ratification + United States

Sample of income per capita and regions

Slide 6

General Legal and Regulatory Framework: Alignment with CRPD Moving Forward

General Legal and Regulatory Framework: Alignment with CRPD Moving Forward

91% have a constitutional article, law or regulation defining the rights of persons with disabilities

72% have a definition of "Reasonable Accommodation" included in any law or regulation regarding the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

56% have a definition of accessibility which includes ICTs or electronic media in the country laws or regulations

Slide 7

% of State Parties with Policies Covering ICT Accessibility in Specific Areas% of State Parties with Policies Covering ICT Accessibility in Specific Areas

78% Primary and secondary education

72% Higher education

63% Rehabilitation services

59% Health services

59% Reasonable accommodation at work

50% Emergency services

44% Voting systems

44% Judicial information & legal proceedings

38% Community services

34% Independent living

Slide 8

Country Actual ImplementationsCountry Actual Implementations

78% Have some level of closed captioning or sign language interpretation implemented by TV broadcasters

66% Have libraries for the blind or public libraries providing e-books services

59% Have assistive technologies available to students with disabilities at major universities

50% Have programs in place to facilitate the usage of telephony by persons with disabilities (Transcription, TDD/TTY devices, relay services, accessible public phones)

47% Have wireless handsets with accessible features

44% Have accessible web sites among the top 10 commercial and media web sites

44% Have accessible ATMs or electronic kiosks deployed

Slide 9

Actual Capacity to Implement ICT Accessibility Very LimitedActual Capacity to Implement ICT Accessibility Very Limited

41% define, promote an monitor accessibility standards for ICTs

38% have government funds allocated to programs in support of Digital Accessibility

28% have a systematic mechanism to involve DPOs working in the field of digital access to the drafting, designing, implementation and evaluation of laws and policies

13% have statistics or data accessible for the general public about digital access by persons with disabilities

9% have mandatory training programs (at universities, vocational schools etc.) for future professionals about digital access for persons with disabilities (Tunisia, Hungary, South Africa)

Slide 10

G3ict Advocacy StrategyG3ict Advocacy Strategy

Three Core Areas of Advocacy and Capacity Building with different groups of stakeholders: Information infrastructure Assistive technologies Contents accessibility

Working in cooperation with organizations with relevant outreach (ITU, W3C, UNESCO, UN DESA, World Bank, UN ESCAP, UNITAR)

Fostering dialogue among policy makers, disabled persons organizations and leading ICT organizations

Slide 11

Example of Global Cooperation: ITU – G3ict e-Accessibility Policy Toolkit

Example of Global Cooperation: ITU – G3ict e-Accessibility Policy Toolkit

Provides useful resources for Regulators implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Focuses on what works, what does not with case studies on policy and programs from around the world

Developed by G3ict and ITU with Industry, NGOs, and Policy Makers

Establishes a framework for addressing the e-Accessibility agenda

14

43

86

106

124137

148 152

1990 1995 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2009

Regulatory agencies, world (cumulative)

Growth in the number of regulators worldwide

Slide 12

Slide 13

Assistive Technologies: a Challenging Situation in Most CountriesAssistive Technologies: a Challenging Situation in Most Countries

Implementation issue most difficult for State Parties: Lack of robust ecosystem Training and support availability and costs Lack of interoperability and obsolescence issues Fragmented government efforts between education,

labor and various rehabilitation services Fast evolving technology Significant cost challenges in low-income countries

Seeking examples of AT policies and programs that work

Creation of a network of AT Centers of Excellence in 2011

Slide 14

Objectives of the G3ict AT Leadership InitiativeObjectives of the G3ict AT Leadership Initiative

1. Create a venue to share successful programs, methods and experiences

2. Provide input on the most effective policies and programs that State Parties should consider

3. Explore leading edge solutions and related implementation challenges and opportunities in different economic and social development contexts (Ex.: cloud computing, mobile apps and services)

Slide 15

Other Activities of Potential Interest in 2011 to ATIS4all ParticipantsOther Activities of Potential Interest in 2011 to ATIS4all Participants Meetings:

Methodologies for web accessibility assessment – Hyderabad – March 2011, with W3C, followed by White Paper

Promoting broadband adoption by Persons with Disabilities – June 2011

Education Ministers Briefing at UNESCO – September 2011 Global Forum on Mobile Accessible and Assistive Apps and Services

Washington, D.C. – December 2011 White Papers:

Documenting Mobile Service Provider business processes to implement accessible services – AT&T (Published)

Global Report on Mobile for persons with disabilities (with ITU and CIS) – May 2011

Global Report on Universal Service Funds Policies for Persons with Disabilities (With ITU and CIS) – June 2011

Interim report on live experiments of cloud-based Assistive Technologies deployments in Italy and Tanzania (September)

2011 ICT Accessibility Progress Report : 60 countries with greater level of details

Slide 16

Slide 17

 

Thank You! Thank You!

www.g3ict.orgwww.e-accessibilitytoolkit.org

axel_leblois@g3ict.org +1 (404) 641 5661

PUBLICATIONS SPONSORS

CO-HOSTS

Slide 18

Questions for Axel Lebois (G3ICT)Questions for Axel Lebois (G3ICT)

1. Which AT expertise centers worldwide would you suggest as key actors?

2. How ATIS4all and G3ICT can collaborate in the areas of: Promoting R&D for Assistive Technologies Promoting interoperability standards Developing a strong national and international AT

ecosystem

Slide 19

Initial Participants - National Centers of ExcellenceInitial Participants - National Centers of Excellence

Brazil – CETI-D, São Paulo State Government China – CDPF France – Institut de l’Accessibilité Numérique India – Center for Internet and Society Italy – Sim-patia Ireland – Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, NDA Qatar – Mada Qatar Assistive Technologies Center Russia – Institute for Information Technologies and

Educational Equipment Spain – Once Foundation / Technosite Tunisia – University of Tunis - BASMA Ukraine - Kiev University U.K. – AbilityNet U.S.A. – JAN-Job Accommodation Network

Slide 20

Detailed CRPD Dispositions Relevant to Assistive

Technologies Centers of Excellence

Slide 21

Accessibility: ICTs On Par with Physical Environment & TransportationAccessibility: ICTs On Par with Physical Environment & Transportation

« To enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems... » (Article 9)

Slide 22

1 - Promoting R&D for Assistive Technologies1 - Promoting R&D for Assistive Technologies

State Parties...undertake or promote research and development of, and to promote the availability and use of new technologies, including information and communications technologies, mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies, suitable for persons with disabilities, giving priority to technologies at an affordable cost (Article 4 – g)

Slide 23

2 - ICT Products Development2 - ICT Products Development

Early Stage Accessibility Definitions: “Promote the design, development, production and

distribution of accessible information and communications technologies and systems at an early stage, so that these technologies and systems become accessible at minimum cost” (Art. 9)

Universal Design: “To undertake or promote research and development

of universally designed goods, services, equipment and facilities, as defined in article 2 of the present Convention, which should require the minimum possible adaptation and the least cost to meet the specific needs of a person with disabilities, to promote their availability and use, and to promote universal design in the development of standards and guidelines” (Art. 4)

Slide 24

3 - Reasonable Accommodation Defined and Mandated3 - Reasonable Accommodation Defined and Mandated

“Reasonable accommodation” means necessary and appropriate modification and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden, where needed in a particular case, to ensure to persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and fundamental freedoms (article 2)

General obligation in article 3, referenced in articles on education and employment

Slide 25

4 - Standards4 - Standards

« States Parties shall take…appropriate measures to develop, promulgate and monitor the implementation of minimum standards and guidelines for the accessibility of facilities and services open or provided to the public »

Article 9-2 (a)

Slide 26

5 - Intellectual Property Rights5 - Intellectual Property Rights

“States Parties shall take all appropriate steps, in accordance with international law, to ensure that laws protecting intellectual property rights do not constitute an unreasonable or discriminatory barrier to access by persons with disabilities to cultural materials.”

(Article 30 on Cultural life)

Slide 27

6 - New Media and the Internet6 - New Media and the Internet

« States Parties shall also take appropriate measures to…promote access for persons with disabilities to new information and communications technologies and systems, including the Internet »

Article 9 (g)