Sustainable Development: The ICT Accessibility Imperative

Transcription

1 Sustainable Development: The ICT Accessibility Imperative By Cid Torquato, Secretariat for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, State of Sao Paulo; Lead G3ict Advocate, South America PROMOTING DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Rio + 20 side event - Sunday, June 17, 2012

2 Disability: the Invisible Barrier to Sustainable Development 1 billion persons live with disabilities* 15.6% of the world population 11.8% among higher income countries 18% among lower income countries 50% of children with disabilities do not complete Primary Education worldwide Employment rates half of that of persons without disabilities * World Report on Disability 2010 WHO World Bank Slide 2

3 Disability: the Invisible Barrier to Sustainable Development High correlation between Disability and Poverty Multiples of average death rates in major disaster and emergency situations Lack of accessibility of essential services deprives persons with disabilities of fundamental rights Aging of populations around the world compounds issue for a sustainable world Slide 3

4 The Promises of Information and Communication Technologies - ICTs Pervasive and fast expanding ICT usage worldwide: 1.3 billion personal computers 1.4 billion telephone land lines 1.5 billion TV sets and 2.4 billion radios billion Internet users 6.2 billion cell phones, over 3 billion SMS users ICTs can empower persons with disabilities to participate in all aspects of society if made accessible Assistive Technologies offer life changing solutions Slide 4

5 The ICT Accessibility Imperative: What Does It Mean? 1. Accessible mobile phones, services and fixed lines 2. Accessible TV 3. Accessible e-government and e-health services 4. Accessible and assistive technologies in Education 5. Accessible and assistive technologies for the workplace 6. Assistive technologies rehabilitation, independent living 7. Accessible electronic kiosks - banking, transportation, voting 8. Accessible publishing 9. Accessible private sector web sites and services 10. Accessible emergency services Slide 5

6 ICT Accessibility Basics For full accessibility, users must be able to do three things for every control, instruction or output: Perceive it Understand it Operate it Accessibility features and alternative modes are necessary for visual, auditory, speech, physical, dexterity, and cognitive impairments Slide 6

7 Examples of Accessibility Features on Mobile Phones Visual Elevated dot or audible or tactile feedback to confirm a button has been pressed Hearing Visual alerts to notify the user of incoming calls/messages Speech SMS with predictive text Dexterity Call answered by pressing any key Cognition Ability to associate photos with telephone numbers Slide 7

8 Example of Alternative Modes of Communication for Mobile Visual Text-to-Speech Hearing Video Relay Service with sign language Speech Peer-to-peer video for sign language Dexterity Voice recognition for controls and input Cognition Icon interface Slide 8

9 ICTs - Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 13, 2006 Universal framework for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities 8 th Universal Convention on Human Rights and 1 st of this millennium 153 countries have signed it as of June 2012, 113 have ratified it Specific Dispositions on ICT Accessibility Slide 9 9

10 Accessibility: ICTs On Par with the 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...» (CRPD, Article 9) Slide 10

11 CRPD Articles with Implications for ICT Accessibility and Assistive Technologies Slide 11

12 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 legislation should not limit accessibility 6. Promoting New Media and the Internet for Persons with Disabilities Slide 12

13 CRPD Progress Report on ICT Accessibility Bi-annual survey of progress made by Sates Parties in implementing ICT Accessibility Sets benchmarks for in-country advocacy Helps raise the bar by pointing to good practices Slide 13

14 Results: Good Progress of Disability Legislation among States Parties 91% have a constitutional article, law or regulation defining the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 72% have a definition of "Reasonable Accommodation" included in a law or regulation regarding the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 66% have laws, policies or programs that ensure that persons with disabilities and their representative organizations are consulted in the development and implementation of legislation in general Slide 14

15 ICT Accessibility among States Parties, However, is Lagging 56% have a definition of accessibility which includes ICTs or electronic media in the country laws or regulations 44% don t have one Slide 15

16 Which is Reflected by the % of State Parties with ICT Accessibiity Policies 56% Television 56% Web sites 47% Fixed telephony 47% Mobile telephony 41% ATMs and electronic kiosks 38% Digital talking books 34% Public building displays 31% Transportation public address systems Slide 16

17 While Affordability of Assistive Technologies Remains a Key Obstacle Example: availability of Assistive Technologies at Major Universities: Worldwide average: 59% Developed countries: 82% Least Developed Countries: 25% Slide 17

18 Challenges for States Parties to the Convention and Civil Society 1. Limited references available to implement the dispositions of the Convention covering ICT Accessibility 2. Speed of change due to technological developments 3. Requirement to make accessible and assistive ICT products affordable : Need to create favorable conditions for industry Supporting standards for mass production, economies of scale, competition, interoperability and lower prices Risk of fragmentation without global harmonization Slide 18

19 G3ict Mission and SEDPcD Cooperation To Facilitate the Implementation of the ICT Accessibility Agenda Defined by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Cooperation G3ict - SEPDcD in the field of research, capacity building and advocacy in Brazil and Latin America Slide 19

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21 Free Tools Available for Advocacy : ICT accessibility news, publications and reports, expert zones CRPD ICT Accessibility Self-Assessment Framework (check list for country CRPD ICT accessibility compliance) e-accessibility Policy Toolkit for Persons with Disabilities Recent reports: Web Accessibility Policy Making: International Comparison Making Mobile Phones and Services Accessible Making Television Accessible Universal Service Funds programs for ICT accessibility Slide 21

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23 Thank You For Your Attention! Slide 23