G3ict and IAAP Partner to Grow Awareness of Global Accessibility Policy Making

LAS VEGAS (October 23, 2015) —

The Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (G3ict) – a digital inclusion and human rights advocacy organization launched in 2006 at the initiative of the United Nations, and the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) announced today at the inaugural IAAP Access 2015 Conference that together they will provide accessibility leaders around the world with valuable information about how governments worldwide are implementing policies and programs to promote the digital inclusion and human rights of persons with disabilities.

“IAAP comes to life at a perfect time as Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) accessibility requirements are gaining considerable momentum around the world.  G3ict’s work in facilitating and monitoring the implementation of the dispositions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on ICT accessibility uncovers critical policy developments occurring among the 160 countries that are signatories of the Convention,” said Axel Leblois, President and Executive Director of G3ict. “We are pleased to form this partnership between G3ict and IAAP to further strengthen the capacity of accessibility professionals to anticipate and adapt to a very fast changing compliance landscape.”
 
Accessibility policy activity continues to grow rapidly across the world. G3ict’s proprietary global survey data shows that more than 50 percent of countries worldwide have already expanded the definition of accessibility in their legal frameworks to embrace ICT, including mobile, computers, video programming, services that use digital interfaces, the Internet, and assistive technologies: that is a 61 percent increase between 2012 and 2014. G3ict expects this global trend toward greater legal definition of accessible ICT and policies promoting broader digital inclusion of persons with disabilities to continue worldwide. 

As part of this new partnership, G3ict will provide IAAP members with monthly highlights from its own Accessibility Worldview subscription service. This unique knowledge management resource presents curated and prioritized worldwide policy intelligence that matters to companies, nonprofit organizations and governments. The Accessibility Worldview service leverages G3ict’s deep insights on ICT accessibility, its broad view to global activity, and its unique access to international experts to offer timely and actionable data and analysis. 

“We feel it is essential to keep our membership abreast of the latest policy updates in the accessibility field and truly value this partnership with G3ict to be able to share this information with our members,” said Christine Peck, CEO of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).  IAAP members are playing important roles in companies, organizations, and governments around the world. They are leading a global transformation of the accessibility profession and impacting the lives of millions of persons with disabilities. They are in positions to leverage G3ict’s policy intelligence to have even greater impact on the digital inclusion and human rights of the more than one billion persons with disabilities worldwide.