G3ict Launches Decennial Call for Action on Digital Inclusion: 2017-2027

NEW YORK (December 03, 2016) —

This Decennial Call for Action on Digital Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities contains ten objectives to eradicate barriers in our information society in application of CRPD, SDGs and relevant UN General Assembly resolutions. G3ict calls on organizations of persons with disabilities, public and private sector organizations as well as international organizations to endorse this call, which also aims to catalyze country level interventions on these 10 issues and bridge the critical implementation gaps.

Digital Accessibility - Call for Action: 2017 – 2027

In the occasion of the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the undersigned, assembled at the United Nations, New York, on December 2, 2016

Considering:

• The ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by 167 States Parties as of December 2016 and the resulting considerable advances of legislative agendas protecting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• The obligation for States Parties to ensure that Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) be accessible to persons with disabilities as per Article 9 of the Convention
• Further clarifications on those obligations brought by the General Comment No. 2 (2014) of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• The Resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 17 December 2015, on the report of the Third Committee (A/70/489/Add.2)
• The considerable gaps in ICTs policies, programs and levels of implementation among States Parties as measured in 2016 by independent surveys conducted by civil society and organizations of persons with disabilities

Further noting:

• The pervasive impact of ICTs in all aspect of life and the potential to considerably enhance the inclusion, quality of life and independence of persons with disabilities by promoting the availability and usage of innovative assistive technologies
• The imperative to ensure the accessibility of ICTs as a fundamental enabler of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and for the full realization of the Sustainable Goals for Persons with Disabilities including but not limited to human rights, equality, education, employment and inclusive cities
• The availability of accessibility solutions in all sectors of ICTs already implemented on a large scale both among Global North and Global South countries and the considerable support and interest of leading ICT providers in promoting ICT accessibility

Call for States Parties and all relevant Stakeholders to mobilize towards achieving the following 10 human rights enablers during the second decade of implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:

1. 1. Web accessibility for all;
2. 2. TV and Audio-Visual accessibility for all;
3. 3. Mobile communications services accessibility for all;
4. 4. E-books and digital contents accessibility for all;
5. 5. Broadband accessibility for all;
6. 6. Inclusive ICTs for all in education;
7. 7. Enabling ICTs for all in employment;
8. 8. E-Government and Smart Cities for all;
9. 9. Enabling assistive technologies and ICTs for independent living; and
10. 10. Procurement of accessible public goods and services for all citizens.

By further developing capacity within and across nation states and promoting collaborations and multi-stakeholder partnerships to achieve those goals.

How Accessible is our Digital Planet?

Key Data Points

Excerpts from the 2016 CRPD ICT Accessibility Progress Report – A Survey of 107 States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, conducted with Disabled People’s International, in-country organizations of persons with disabilities and accessibility advocates.

Television: 36% of Countries have no policy in place 51% have a policy in place but minimally implemented = 87% of countries do not provide meaningful access to television to persons with disabilities.

Government Web Sites: 60% of Countries have no policy in place. 19% have a policy in place but minimally implemented = 79% of countries do not provide reasonable access to government web sites to persons with disabilities.

Mobile Phones and Services: 64% of Countries have no policy in place, 24% have a policy in place but minimally implemented = 88% of countries do not have effective dispositions in place to ensure that accessible mobile phones and services are made available to persons with disabilities.

ATMs and Electronic Kiosks: 65% of Countries have no policy in place, 14% have a policy in place but minimally implemented = 79% of countries do not have effective dispositions in place to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to ATMs and Electronic Kiosks.

Public Procurement: 64% of countries do not incorporate any accessibility requirement in call for tenders for ICT products and services.