G3ict/Smart Cities for All Country Advisory Network Announces New Members for Ghana, Mongolia, and Uganda

ATLANTA (August 01, 2022) —

Today the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs (G3ict), through its Global Policy Center and Smart Cities for All global initiative, is pleased to announce the appointment of three new Country Advisors - Derick Omari (Ghana), Ariunzul Liijuu-Ochir (Mongolia), and Ronald Kasule (Uganda). G3ict’s global network of disability and accessibility leaders now extends to 40 members worldwide, all working to promote in their countries the goals and objectives of G3ict, SC4A, and the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).

Smart Cities for All and other G3ict initiatives benefit from a global Country Advisory Network. This network includes unpaid advocates that promote G3ict/SC4All mission through collaboration with local and national governments, civil society, and private sector stakeholders in making global cities more inclusive in the context of the UN SDGs (#11), the UN Habitat III New Urban Agenda, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Since 2019, G3ict and Smart Cities for All have worked to grow and strengthen the unique network of accessibility leaders and experts to shape ideas and influence accessibility policy in their countries.

"G3ict’s Global Policy Center and our inclusive cities initiatives are defining and measuring progress on a more inclusive digital transformation of cities and society,” said James Thurston, G3ict Vice President and Managing Director of Smart Cities for All. “This unique network of global experts and advocates further extends our impact into every region of the world."

The Country Advisors bring to their countries the global work of G3ict and Smart Cities for All and a broad understanding of accessibility and universal design for technology, transportation, and built environments. Each Country Advisor will leverage valuable technical expertise and use their experiences to play an important role in expanding the global impact of the G3ict and its Smart Cities for All Country Advisory Network.

"In a post-covid world, a network of experts with a common agenda to advance accessibility in cities and facilitate access to inclusive ICTs for persons with disabilities has become crucial for an accessible world," said Derick Omari. "I am even more honored to be invited to represent Ghana to lead collaboration with local and national governments, civil society, and the private sector in making Ghana more inclusive."

Derick Omari is an award-winning social entrepreneur and accessibility consultant with a Master of Science in Disability, Design, and Innovation from University College London. He leads Tech Era, a technology-based social enterprise in Ghana to provide digital skill training for persons with disabilities, accessibility consultancy to organizations and develop accessible and assistive technologies for persons with disabilities. Derick is a certified Google Chrome Accessibility Expert. His work has earned him several awards including the Queens Young Leaders Award from Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. Derick is a leading change scholar from Cambridge University in the UK and a Chevening Scholar. 

"Accessibility in ICT, the term itself, is quite a new notion in Mongolia and therefore, we have very few professionals in this field," said Ariunzul Liijuu-Ochir. "I hope, with the global network and professional support from G3ict, I could contribute more to raising awareness on ICT accessibility among decision-makers and communities that I work with."

Ariunzul Liijuu-Ochir is a co-founder and a board member of the Adina - Equal Opportunity NGO aiming to improve educational and employment accessibility for persons with disabilities. She currently works as a research team leader on assessing the internet environment in Mongolia collaborating with joint researchers and UNESCO Beijing Office. She has been working for equal and quality education for children in Mongolia since 2013. For the last several years, she was focusing on accessibility, inclusion and diversity in education and ICT by advocating for parents, schools, civil societies, and decision-makers. Ariunzul has recently got a Master’s degree in Inclusive and Special Needs Education from the School of Education of the University of Bristol in the UK.

"While Uganda has provided such a favorable policy environment for an inclusive digital and physical environment, as a disability community, we have been struggling to have this translated into practice," said Ronald Kasule. "I sought to join G3ict to tap into this global expert resource for more accessible environments and facilities in Uganda."

Ronald Kasule is a disability rights activist with a passion to facilitate the effective participation of persons with disabilities in the mainstream of community life. He is the CEO of Dasuns, a social enterprise company that facilitates access to professional support services for persons with disabilities. He is also supporting disability inclusion within the UN system in Uganda with over 15 years of experience working with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) at international, regional, and local levels, as well as working with different governmental MDAs on disability issues.