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G3ict

About the DASH Work Group

Digital Accessibility Policy, Guidelines, and Standards Harmonization (DASH) Work Group

A G3ict Multistakeholder Brainstorming Work Group in support of the Development and Implementation of the United Nations Global Digital Compact, Pact for the Future, AI Governance.

Introduction

The Digital Accessibility Policy, Guidelines, and Standards Harmonization (DASH) Work Group is a multistakeholder dialogue facilitated by G3ict to explore, define, and promote strategies with relevant institutions, advocates, and market participants to make digital accessibility universally available to persons with disabilities through innovation, standards and policy harmonization of both existing and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence. The Work Group will focus in 2024 on providing input for the preparation of the Pact for the Future, including through its AI Advisory Body, and its Global Digital Compact (GDC) Annex which will be adopted by the UN General Assembly during the Summit of the Future to take place in New York on 22-23 September 2024.

Overarching Goal

Ensuring that the rights of persons with disabilities to digital inclusion, defined by the dispositions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), are spelled out and meaningfully addressed with specific guidelines promoting digital accessibility innovation, standardization, and policy harmonization into the final text of the Pact for the Future and GDC and follow-up implementation steps through international institutional channels.

Objectives:

  1. To establish an open and creative dialogue among multiple stakeholders involved in digital accessibility to develop practical, innovative strategies and policies that can facilitate economies of scale and the universal availability of digital accessibility across all sectors of activity, applications, and services.
  2. To raise awareness about the GDC and the need for the GDC to reflect the digital accessibility provisions of the CRPD.
  3. To publish regularly the results of its proceedings in the form of white papers, strategic assessments, proposals, and guidelines reflecting multi-stakeholder consensus.
  4. To establish and strengthen influential partnerships with all multi-stakeholders interested in promoting the rights of persons with disabilities to digital inclusion globally.
  5. To help develop appropriate outreach strategies to advance its agenda among relevant institutions, advocacy organizations, and market participants.

Governance and Structure

Led by a Steering Committee, the DASH Work Group will consist of multistakeholder participants representing Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, global technology corporations, digital accessibility policy makers, digital accessibility professionals, and other sectors such as financial services, health care, e-government, or education. Participants will be invited to the initiative of the Steering Committee with the support of the Secretariat.

Steering Committee

  • The designated Steering Committee shall offer advisership and guidance for developing and conducting the DASH Work Group action plan.
  • The Steering Committee is anticipated to propose outreach strategies for ensuring that the DASH Work Group’s activities are conducted efficiently.

Chairpersons

  • The DASH Work Group shall be co-chaired by two designated appointees representing the ICT sector and organizations of persons with disabilities.
  • The two appointed co-chairs shall be responsible for calling for and moderating the DASH Work Group and its Steering Committee’s meetings and ensuring that the Work Group’s business is conducted according to the agreed-on action plan.

Secretariat

  • G3ict shall hold the role of the Work Group’s Secretariat.
  • The designated Secretariat team by G3ict shall be responsible for:
    • Supporting the co-chairs in calling for and holding the task force meetings,
    • Facilitate all Work Group outreach activities,
    • Coordinate the holding of Work Group activities, such as panel discussions, one-on-one dialogues with relevant UN stakeholders and policymakers,
    • Support the drafting and keep all Work Group’s communication material, (e-mails, presentations, public speeches), and
    • Maintain the Work Group’s means of external outreach and communication.

Next Steps and Activities

  • To participate in formal consultations related to the GDC development process.
  • To submit inputs to the "zero" draft of the GDC in coordination with the Compact’s co-facilitators.
  • To submit inputs to the UN AI Advisory Body, which runs in parallel to the GDC.
  • To hold webinars about the significance of ensuring the recognition of persons with disabilities’ rights to digital inclusion by the GDC.
  • To promote the campaign’s message, goals, and objectives at regional and international venues.
  • To leverage the campaign’s communication channels, towards relevant government entities and regional consultative networks.