Building Inclusive Knowledge Societies

Session organized by the UNCT in India and other UN entities

Human Need sand Rights

Knowledge Societies

Cultural &Linguistic Diversity

Education forAll

Access toInformation &

Knowledge

Freedom of Expression

Creation DisseminationAccess Preservation

Pluralism Inclusion Diversity Openness Participation

Information Knowledge

Human Needs Human Rights

Wisdom

The UNESCO Approach

Human Need sand Rights

Scope and Range of Interventions

• UNCRPD (2006)o UNESCO promotes the awareness and implementation of the

UNCRPD. India among the first signatories to the UNCRPD in 2007.o Focus on policy development and development / use of ICTs.

• Activitieso Working with Governments to strengthen national policies; to help

introduce specific legislation to protect PWDs’ rights; and to help define service goals for PWDs.

o Working with stakeholder groups to promote effective utilization of ICTs for and by PWDs (including customization of digital media)

o Offering technical expertise and knowledge support though specialized reports.

o Sharing good practices (at national, regional and global levels)

Human Need sand Rights

The Indian Context: Two Sets of Challenges

Policy ICTs1 Existing Acts for empowering PWDs should

complement each other in a clear and coherent manner

Mapping of ATs by sector and type of disability – identification of gaps and opportunities

2 Mechanisms to enforce provisions of relevant Acts and prerequisites for compliance should be in place

Address gaps pertaining to tools for access and availability of content

3 Capacity building of PWDs should be built into the policy framework

Provide users, technologists, manufacturers and service providers a platform that allows (1) an understanding of the needs of PWDs; (2) the co-planning and co-design of devices / ICTs; (3) Usability tests and feedback from PWDs

4 Greater synergy between relevant Departments and Ministries at state and central levels

Lowering the cost of ATs and ICT-enabled services for PWDs

5 Close gaps between policy formulation and implementation

Strengthen the policy base for promoting ICTs for PWDs

The National Conference and Exhibition

• ‘ICTs for Persons with Disabilities: Taking Stock and Identifying Opportunities’ (Sep 2014)o Partnership with Ministry of Communications and IT and Open Knowledge

Communityo Stock-taking: India’s achievements and challenges – ICT-related policy

formulation and implementation, innovation, content development, and provision of access for PWDs

o Roundtables (experts, users, consumers, PWDs)o Knowledge Mall: Exhibition of existing and emerging tech solutions for PWDs

(Exhibitors: Govt bodies, private sector, CSOs)o Interactive review forum: Manufacturers, technologists and users critically

review existing technologies / solutions (Structured feedback)

• Participantso Government, CSOs, IT industry, UN agencies, research and academic

institutions, information and media professionals, students (HE)

Focus Areas

Aspirations of Youth

ICTs for Inclusive K-12 Education

ICTs for Inclusive Higher Education (HE)

Web Access and Compliance with Web Accessibility Standards

Gaps in educational / training facilities for PWDs;Access to study material and job opportunities;Reviewing the National Youth Policy

Gaps: Availability and use of ICTs in schools; Access: Delivery mechanisms; Quality: Content design, teacher sensitization and capacity building; Compliance: M&E

Barriers to opportunities for HE; ICT-enabled dissemination of / access to content; Staff training and sensitization; Support systems for using ICTs in HE. capacity building; Compliance: M&E

Accessibility and compliance of Govt websites offering e-services; corrective actions; using cost-effective open source tools to enable accessibility; language exclusion as a barrier to online access capacity building; Compliance: M&E

Focus Areas

Employment and Professional Growth for PWDs in an ICT-enabled Economy

ICT-enabled Participation of PWDs

in Arts and Cultural Life

Findings from the Knowledge Mall:

Review and Analysis

Promoting jobs for persons with specialized skills; Linking PWDs to livelihood info and job openings; ICT support for PWDs at the workplace; Skill development, training and certification of PWDs in the ITES sector

Access to cultural institutions, heritage sites and museums; Available ICTs and proposed development of infrastructure / ATs to allow access for PWDs

Interactive forum for stakeholders to jointly examine whether available technologies meet the needs of PWDs; and to discuss how they might be developed further to enhance their utility

Outcomes: Work in Progress

Community of Practice(OKC Knowledge

Platform)

National Compendium of Assistive

Technologies

Tech Lab: Demos, User Feedback, Products in

Action

Core Committee: Access to Culture and

the Arts Films for Advocacy Fund for Assistive

Technologies

State of the Nation Report: ICTs for

Persons with Disabilities

Thank You

24 November 2014