Global Trends in Accessibility Public PolicyJames ThurstonVice President for Global Strategy & DevelopmentG3ict – the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs @jamesthu @g3ict

G3ict’s Global Purpose

• History: Formed in December 2006 at time of adoption of the CRPD by the United Nations General Assembly

• Mission: To promote the accessibility of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as per CRPD requirements

• Approach: Partner with UN agencies, Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs), National Governments, Industry, and Standards Development Organizations. Leverage global experts.

Global Impact by SupportingAdvocates & Policy Makers (1)

• Model policies for States Parties with UNESCO and ITU– Inclusive ICTs for Education (With UNESCO)- March 2014– Legal framework, TV, Mobile, Web, Public Procurement, Public Access

Points (With ITU) – November 2014

• Direct Advising to & Partnering with Governments– E.g. Mexico, Turkey, United States, Australia, European Union, South Africa,

Qatar, Russia, Egypt, Colombia, etc.

• Benchmarking– 76 countries participating in G3ict CRPD ICT Accessibility Progress Report

representing more than 80% of the population of ratifying countries

• Technical reports & good practices– E.g.TV, Mobile, USF, IoT, AT&T accessibility, political participation

Global Impact by SupportingAdvocates & Policy Makers (2)

• New Accessibility Worldview global policy tracking service• Promoting innovation: M-Enabling Summit

– 500 participants in 2015 in the U.S. + global sessions (Sydney, Milan, Moscow)

• Awareness Raising and on-line resources– Contributions to more than 125 international events– 60,000 annual unique visitors to G3ict web site– 23,000 downloads & 12,000 annual unique visitors to the G3ict-ITU Policy

Toolkit

• Capacity building programs– Seminars for Disabled Persons Organizations leaders– Deliver UNPRPD funded programs with UNICEF and UNESCO

Demographics

Growing Awareness

Advancing Technology

Civil Society Engagement

Market Demands

Public Policy

Policy Matters: Driving Global Digital Inclusion & Human Rights

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD)

• Opened for signature on March 30, 2007• Entered into force on May 3, 2008• As of October 15, 2015– CRPD Treaty• 160 Signatories• 159 Ratifications

– Optional Protocol• 92 Signatories• 88 Ratifications

CRPD & ICT Accessibility

• Preamble – defines accessibility as an enabler for exercising rights• Article 3 (f) – identifies accessibility as one of its 8 general principles

– E.g. non-discrimination, equal opportunity, full participation in society, etc.

• Article 9 - includes ICT in its definition of Accessibility & elevates ICT Accessibility obligations on par with those for the built environment and transportation

• Access/Accessible/Accessibility – 17 uses throughout the CRPD• CRPD Requires States Parties to:

– Adopt accessibility standards– Ensure that public and private sector entities implement ICT accessibility for services to

the public– Promote the usage of new technologies and the Internet by Persons with Disabilities

• Other CRPD articles reinforce the obligation of ICT accessibility for freedom of expression, work, education, assistive technologies, and reasonable accommodation

Accessibility RequirementsThroughout the CRPD

Application Areas CRPD ArticleAccessibility

Dispositions with Implications for ICTs

Reasonable Accommodation

Promoting Assistive Technologies

Non- discrimination 5 Y E-Government 9.2.a Y

Media and Internet 9.1, 9,2.g Y

Television 30.1.b Y Private Sector Services 9.2.b Y

Liberty and Security 14 Y Living Independently 19 YEducation 24 Y Y YEmployment 27 Y Y Political Rights 21, 29 Y YEmergency Services 9.1.b, 11 Y Culture and Leisure 30.5.c Y Personal Mobility 20 YRehabilitation 2 Y

Global Policy Insights & Trendsvia G3ict

CRPD Progress

Report Survey

Accessibility Worldview

Service

Global Network of

>1100 Experts

Global Development

Survey

In Country Experience

G3ict’s CRPD Progress Report

• Systematic review of global progress on CRPD implementation – ICT components

• 2013 Survey: 76 countries– 74 CRPD ratifying countries in-country advocates (+ US and Cook Islands)– Covers 72% of world population; 81% of population of ratifying countries

• Two questionnaires per country– Legal experts– Accessibility experts– Complemented by local peer reviews

• 57 data points across 3 “Legs”– Country commitments: Country legal, regulatory and programmatic

implementations (35)– Country capacity to implement (12)– Country actual results for PWDs (10)

G3ict’s CRPD Progress Report:Across All Regions

Africa30%

LATAM18%

Other2%

Asia18%

Oceania5%

Europe26%

North America1%

G3ict’s CRPD Progress Report:Across All Levels of Development

High Income26%

Upper-Middle Income30%

Lower-Middle Income23%

Low Income21%

CRPD Alignment, Compliance, and Capacity to Implement

Avg Capacity to Implement

Avg CRPD ICT Compliance

Avg CRPD Alignment

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

0.29

66%

0.42How Accessible?

Avg degree of compliance in country legal framework

Avg degree of capacity to implement CRPD

Adopting CRPD Policies?

Future Progress?

Avg degree of ACC across ICT products and services

CRPD Alignment, Compliance, & Capacity to Implement: By Region

AVG. CRPD Alignment AVG CRPD ICT Compliance AVG Capacity to Implement

Global 42% 66% 29%

Africa 31% 27% 23%

Asia 38% 35% 32%

Europe 61% 56% 38%

LATAM 48% 42% 27%

N. America 96% 90% 56%

Oceania 62% 57% 30%

10%

30%

50%

70%

90%

110%

42%

66%

29%31%27%

23%

38%35%

32%

61%56%

38%

48%42%

27%

96%90%

56%62%

57%

30%

Global Africa Asia Europe LATAM N. America Oceania

CRPD Alignment: Avg Level of Existing Accessibility

Accessible Telecom & Media

Accessible Features for Computers

Specific ICT Products & Services

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6

37%

47%

50%

CRPD Alignment: How Accessible is the World Today?

Does Your Country Have… Yes

Closed Captioning or Sign Language Interpretation for Broadcast TV 71%

Sign Language for News, Emergency Comms, Important Announcements 62%

Libraries for the Blind or Public Libraries Providing e-Book Services 59%

AT Available to Students with Disabilities at Major Universities 52%

Government Websites that are Accessible 45%

Wireless Telephone Handsets with Accessibility Features Available 45%

Accessible Public Electronic Kiosks or ATMs Deployed in Country 39%

Programs to Promote Use of Telephony by Persons with Disabilities 26%

Closed Captioning or Sign Language Interpretation for Pre-recorded TV 24%

Closed Captioning or Sign Language Interpretation for Live TV Programs 20%

Accessible Web Among Top 10 Commercial and Media Web Sites 19%

Video or Audio Description by Broadcast TV 17%

Avg Degree of CRPD Compliance inLaws, Regulations, and Policies

Genr'l legal & reg framework

Covering ICT applications

Covering ICT Prod & Svc

Covering Target Groups

Promote Acc ICT & AT

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

91%

77%

52%

62%

26%

CRPD Compliance: Degrees of Accessibility Policy Implementation

Policies Covering Specific ICT Products & Services

No Policy

Minimum Partial Substanti

al Full

Copyrights Exceptions 84% 7% 6% 3% 0%

ATM or Kiosks 68% 19% 10% 0% 3%

Fixed line Telephony 62% 14% 15% 7% 1%

Wireless Telephony 61% 18% 13% 4% 4%

Web Sites 51% 30% 12% 7% 0%

Television 28% 50% 16% 6% 0%

CRPD Compliance: Degrees of Reasonable Accommodation Policy

AT & Reasonable Accommodation Policies in Specific Application Areas

No Policy

Minimum Partial Substanti

al Full

Teleworking 76% 8% 10% 4% 1%

Emergency Response Services 60% 16% 11% 10% 3%

Voting Systems 59% 12% 19% 8% 1%

Primary & Secondary Education 41% 23% 25% 11% 0%

Higher Education 49% 22% 22% 7% 0%

Workplace 44% 26% 19% 11% 0%

ICT Public Procurement PoliciesKey to Promoting Digital Inclusion

• Only 33% of countries explicitly focus on accessible ICTs in their public procurement policies and processes.

• Much of the current & expected future policy activity related to public procurement

• G3ict Model Public Procurement Policy with ITU• New G3ict Initiative to Promote Public procurement policies

– Public Procurement Polices work– We have the opportunity to enact effective policies beyond the US & EU– The tools necessary exist today - except for an int’l ICT accessibility standard– Industry, government, and civil society can drive the expeditious creation of an int’l

standard by leveraging existing standards – EN 301 549– Civil society has a key role in pushing for inclusive ICT procurement policies

• Need a roadmap for government, civil society, and industry collaboration to drive global public procurement policies

AVG Degree of Capacity to Support CRPD Implementation

Capacity Building

Support for NGOs & DPOs

Government Focus

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45

32%

17%

41%

CRPD Capacity: Policies & Programs to Support Implementation

Does Your Country Have… Yes

A Government Body Dedicated to Persons with Disabilities 79%

Any Government Fund Allocated for Digital Accessibility 33%

A Systematic Review of Existing Accessibility Legislation & Policy 20%

Data Available to Public about Digital Access by Persons with Disabilities 9%

Financial Support for DPOs and NGOS working on Digital Accessibility 34%

Forum for Cooperation between NGOs working on Digital Accessibility 24%

Mechanism to Involve DPOs in the Full Legislative & Policy Process 13%

Awards & Recognition for Persons with Disabilities for Accessibility Work 12%

Participation in Accessibility Work at International Standards Bodies 42%

Civil Society Accessibility Conferences in the Past Two Years 37%

Any Technical Assistance Centers 28%

Mandatory Accessibility Training Programs in Higher Education 11%

What Factors Drive CRPD Success?*

• A government body specifically dedicated to Persons with Disabilities

• A systematic mechanism to involve the DPOs (persons with disabilities) to the drafting, designing, implementation and evaluation of laws and policies

• Financial support for DPOs and NGOs• A forum for active cooperation between DPOs &

NGOs• Awareness raising and training programs about the

CRPD • Country participation in international standards

development work related to Digital Accessibility

* Factors identified through regression analysis for significance (2012)

Accessibility Worldview:Tracking Global Policy Hot Spots

Curated & Prioritized Summary of Active & Impending Global

Accessibility Policy Activity

Active in Every Global Region

Global Network of More than

1000 Experts

More than 1 Million

Daily News Items

• Continuous Policy Sweeps leading to validated and prioritized bi-weekly reports of global ICT accessibility policy and standards activities.

• Customizable reports to align policy intelligence with business priorities. Multiple key technology areas (e.g. web, cloud, mobile, etc.) application domains (e.g. Education, financial services, procurement, etc.), and top global markets that matter most to business.

• Annual Global Trends Report summarizing proprietary G3ict survey findings on ICT accessibility status in 87 countries.

• Up to 12 hours of analyst assistance.

Accessibility WorldviewTop 20 Markets & Beyond

AustraliaBrazilCanadaChinaEuropean UnionFrance GermanyIndia ItalyJapanMexicoPolandRepublic of KoreaRussia

South AfricaSpain SwedenThe NetherlandsTurkeyUnited KingdomUnited StatesArgentinaAzerbaijanBangladeshBelarus CambodiaCameroonChile

CroatiaDenmarkGhanaIndiaIndonesiaIranKenyaKyrgyzstanLebanonMalaysiaMaltaNamibiaNepalNew Zealand

NigeriaOmanPakistanPanamaPhilippinesPolandPortugalSingaporeSolomon IslandsSri LankaThailandUnited Arab EmiratesAnd more…

Accessibility WorldviewGlobal Policy Hot Spots

European Union

Multilateral

April-Sept, 2015

Accessibility WorldviewFinding & Forecasting Policy Making

Australia

Brazil

Canada

European Union

France

Global and M

ultilateralIndia

Mexico

South Africa

United States

0

5

10

15

20

25

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

3 34

3

6 6 6

1

40

Priority One:Active Policy Making

Priority Two:Expected Policy Making

April to September, 2015

Accessibility Worldview:Priority One Examples - Active

• Brazil (09/15): Human Rights Commission acting on 9 legislative items: e.g. ATMs, public internet portals, Financial Services, audio manuals for ICT products.

• France (09/15): “Digital Republic” online consultation includes a section on digital inclusion and proposal for digital agency with accessibility obligations. French Telecom Federation opposes parts.

• Scotland (09/15): New consultation (until 4 January 2016) to deliver on CRPD commitments, e.g. inclusive communication, employment, and education. Parallel consultation by local governments.

• South Africa (09/15): Department of Trade and Industry consultation on the Copyright Amendment Bill, includes focus on increasing accessibility of education and learning materials.

• India (08/15): Accessible India national campaign includes making 3,000 public sector websites accessible by the end of 2016.

• Latin America (08/15): 18 countries approve “Digital Agenda for Latin America”, including focus on inclusion of vulnerable groups.

Accessibility Worldview:Priority Two Examples - Expected

• Canada (09/15): Canada's largest DPOs call for a Canadians with Disabilities Act.

• EU (09/15): Recent CRPD review expresses concerns over lack of a cross-cutting, comprehensive disability approach.

• Australia (09/15): Youth Commissioner in state of Tasmania calls for improvements to and better funding for inclusive education.

• Canada (09/15): DPOs recognize elections accessibility improvements since push began 1.5y ago.

• Germany (09/15): New Bertelsmann Foundation study shows education for children and young people with disabilities is not consistently improving.

• India (09/15): Nearly 100 cities competing for “Smart Cities” funds. Program calls for policy changes to promote the use of smart/sustainable technologies.

Accessibility Worldview:Mexico April to September 2015

October• Priority 1 G3ict

has learned directly from government contacts that there will be a new web accessibility requirement

August• Priority 1 IFT

Consultation on new telcom accessibility

requirements. G3ict met with them and asked to submit comments

• Priority 2 DPO calls for policies to support access to info

• Priority 2 Increasing distance education provides opportunity for accessibility

July• Priority 1 ratify

Marrakech treaty

June• Priority 1 Senate

proposal for reforms to make written materials more accessible

• Priority 3 UAM prototypes accessible gov’t

web portal

May • Priority 1 Calls for

more accessibility in EDU ministry tablet procurement program

• Priority 1 NEI taking steps to improve voting accessibility

Web13% Broad

Rights10%

Mobile10%

IP10%

AdvancedCommunications

9%

TV7%

Em-ploy-ment

6%

Education 4%AT 4%

eGov 4%

All other topics24%

Tech Specific 42%

Accessibility Worldview:Priority One - Active Policy Making

Application Area 14%

e.g. youth, financial services, EMS, political processes, etc.

Accessibility Worldview:Priority Two - Expected Policy Making

Web 18% *E-

ducatio

n 15%

Mobile9%

Broad Rights8%

*Financial Services6%

*Po-litical Pro-

cesses

6%

Em-ployment

5%

*Ag-ing 4%

*Commerce 4%

AT 3%

Other top-

ics24%

Application Area 39%

Tech Specific 29%

Accessibility Worldview:Trends in the Global Activity

• DPOs are increasingly engaged in policy making– In 9% of our Accessibility Worldview global policy items

• More policy making at the subnational level (e.g. States, cities, etc.)– 6% of our Accessibility Worldview global policy items

• Shift from regulating devices & technologies to promoting accessible technology use in key application areas and sectors– Procurement is key in those areas

• Policy activity is no longer just US and EU– LATAM surging & Africa poised to grow

Moving Forward:Promoting Accessibility Policies

• Update legal framework to include ICTs in legal definition of accessibility– 50% of countries define accessibility in law to include ICT & electronic

media• Promote disability-inclusive policies and programs identified as

priority areas by key stakeholders– Top areas of greatest policy impact are web, mobile, & TV– G3ict-ITU Model policies for each area

• Move beyond technology and product specific policies to initiatives that expand deployment & use of accessible technology

• Address gaps in capacity through multi-stakeholder programs• Leverage public sector purchasing power to drive accessibility

innovation & competition– international standards are key–

Moving Forward:4 Big Accessibility Policy Challenges

1. Disability Data Divide– Personal tech generating more data– Data informing policy– But not everyone using tech or creating data

2. Global Development Agenda– 80% of 1 Billion in Global South– MDGs silent & SDGs marginally better

3. Role of DPOs– CRPD core principle– Proven success criterion

4. Business Case for Accessibility

Thank You!

James Thurstonwww.g3ict.org

jthurston@g3ict.org

@jamesthu