Global Government Spending Can Close the Digital Divide

TOKYO (June 26, 2017) —

G3ict – an international nonprofit with extensive experience promoting the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities worldwide – announces the launch of a new web portal, Buy ICT for All, to guide government spending on ICTs. The announcement aligns with a symposium of the Information and Communication Policy Forum (ICPF), a Japanese non-profit organization studying and promoting the use of ICTs in Japan. The symposium convened disabled persons organizations to develop a framework for accessibility legislation in Japan.

Dr. Hajime Yamada, Chair of Japan’s Information and Communications Policy Forum, applauded the launch saying that "this new portal will contribute to the efficiency of public procurement and the improvement of accessibility worldwide."

In 2015, G3ict and accessibility leaders worldwide launched a Global Procurement Charter that called on governments at all levels and around the world to promote the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities and older persons by adopting ICT public procurement policies that include requirements for accessibility. That call to action built on the release in 2014 of the Model ICT Accessibility Policy Report, published jointly by G3ict and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The policy report was the first available comprehensive framework for national policy-makers and regulators creating their own Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) accessibility policies and programs. It includes a model policy for the public procurement of accessible ICTs.

“Our goal with the Buy ICT for All portal is to help more and more countries adopt policies and legislation like Section 508 in the US and the 2014 Revised Procurement Directive in the European Union,” said James Thurston, Vice President for Global Strategy and Development at G3ict and a keynote speaker at the Tokyo ICPF event. “We are pleased to be announcing the launch of the new online resource here in Japan, a country with a leading technology sector and a strong commitment to the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities and older persons.”

The new Buy ICT for All web portal provides quick access to—and introductory descriptions for—the most relevant and useful resources in public procurement of accessible ICTs. The portal includes national and international resources from subject matter experts in governments, industry, and civil society organizations. It provides curated learning pathways for different kinds of users, including those who need just an introduction to the topic and those who are ready to implement ICT accessibility standards. The Buy ICT for All portal tracks the latest activities and trends related to public procurement and ICT accessibility by presenting expert blogs and links to news items from around the world.