Access to Information and Knowledge using ICTs as Mean of Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in society

Ms Irmgarda Kasinskaite-BuddebergKnowledge Societies Division, Communication and Information SectorUNESCO

Globally, the number of persons with disabilities is not decreasing, but in opposite is increasing.

There are over one billion people with disabilities in the world,of whom between 110-190 million experience very significant difficulties.

This corresponds to about 15% of the world’s population and is higher than previous World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, which date from the 1970s and suggested a figure of around 10%.

http://www.who.int/disabilities/world_report/2011/factsheet.pdf

Exclusion of Persons with Disabilities has serious economic-socio-cultural implications for societies

Major findings show that economic losses related to the exclusion of persons with disabilities from the labour force are large and measurable, ranging from between 3 and 7 % of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

ILO study “The price of exclusion: The economic consequences of excluding people with disabilities from the world of work” (2010). http://www.ilo.org/skills/pubs/WCMS_149529/lang--en/index.htm

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)

147 countries have already ratified the UN Convention82 countries have already ratified optional protocol

Articles linked to UNESCO’s mandate:5. Equality and non-discrimination6. Women with disabilities8. Awareness-raising9. Accessibility 21. Freedom of expression and opinion and access to information24. Education27. Work and employment29. Participation in political and public life30. Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport31. Statistics and data collection32. International cooperation

Human Need sand Rights

Knowledge Societies

Cultural andLinguistic Diversity

Education ForAll

Access to Information

and Knowledge

Freedom of

Expression

Creation DisseminationAccess Preservation

Pluralism Inclusion Diversity Openness Participation

Information Knowledge

Human Needs Human Rights

Wisdom

UNESCO’s approach

Different approaches

All Users

Accessibility embedded in all products, services and

processes - Universal Design for All

Vertical approach – targeted interventions

Persons with Disabilities

Horizontal - mainstreaming

approach

Special assistive technologies, products, services and processes

targeting persons with disabilities

Gender, age, ability, location, language

Towards integrated approach

Medical Approach

Social – Charity Based Approach

Human Rights Based Approach

Integrated Approach

Harmonization of Public PoliciesHealthcare

Employment Education

Enabling environment

Procurement /Universal design for AllICTs and AT

Few concrete examples…

Policy recommendations for UNESCO‘s Member States on accessible, adoptive and affordable ICTs in education for Persons with Disabilities:

• National/regional education and information policies• Linkages with other policies• Existing Open Educational Resources • Gender issues• Open document format• Web accessibility standards• Impact and sustainability issues• Budgetary implications and funding sources• Succesful cases studies at grassroot level

Asia-Pacific Regional Report (10)

Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Report (11)

North Africa and Arab States Regional Report (8)

Latin American and Caribbean Regional Report (20)

African Regional Report (11)

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002197/219767e.pdf

Workplace Society

Individual

+ 18 major recommendations

CommunityLifelong learning

Inclusive and affordable ICT and policies

Capacity building

Accessible content

Accessible infrastructure

Accessible digital office document project

http://adod.idrc.ocad.ca/

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0022/002272/227229E.pdf

The focus of the model policy is upon the use of ICTs to support the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD, 2006), specifically:

• Article 9: Accessibility;• Article 21: Freedom of Expression and

Opinion, and Access to Information;• Article 24: Inclusive Education.

The model policy may serve as a resource

for developing the contents of new national policy documents, complement existing policy documents, or individual sections or annexes could be used as resources for auditing or implementing existing policies.

The model policy may also be used as a platform to raise awareness and engage in national level dialogue with multiple stakeholders.

The Model Policy is an adaptable model designed to assist Member States to promote the effective use of inclusive ICTs in education for learners with disabilities.

Guiding principles: • Social inclusion oriented approach • Reasonable accommodation of special needs• Active and effective involvement of learners with

disabilities

Critical Aspects:• Multi-stakeholder engagement and participation;• Cross sectorial and inter-governmental

agency co-operation and co-ordination; • Multi-level policy objectives; • Progressive policy implementation

based upon prioritisation of strategic actions;• Continuous monitoring and evaluation

of policy implementation and achievement of targets and milestones.

FOR A DISABILITY- INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK

THE ICT OPPORTUNITY

Online Knowledge Community

A unique opportunity for strategic debate and action oriented partnerships among various stakeholders

An opportunity to collaboratively seek, identify, analyze, share, and create effective and durable solutions

An open virtual space established for the promotion of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

http://www.wsis-community.org/Other Knowledge communities: 2013 WSIS+10 Review Open Educational Resources (OER) Open Access (OA), and Gender Equality in Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)

UNESCO and Brotherhood, We Care Filmfest With support of the Government of India, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Department of Disability Affairs andMinistry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education,Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO

International conference

Film festival

Exhibition for ICT solutions

Social media

24-26 November 2014New Delhi, India