UNESCO Global Report: Opening New Avenues for Empowerment - ICTs to Access Information and Knowledge for Persons with Disabiltiies

Building on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Global Report addresses strong recommendations to all stakeholders – from decision-makers to educators, civil society and industry – on how concretely to advance the rights of people living with disabilities. These recommendations draw on extensive research and consultations. Studies launched in five regions have allowed UNESCO to understand more clearly the conditions and challenges faced by persons with disabilities around the world. UNESCO Report published in February 2013

The overall aims of this report are:

• To provide governments, civil society, industry, academia and other groups with an insight into the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by persons with disabilities to access information and knowledge around the world;
• To present an overview and critical assessment of existing information policies and strategies as well as challenges and advantages in using ICTs to access information and knowledge for persons with disabilities;
• To identify practices at local, national and global levels on effective application of ICTs by persons with disabilities to access information and knowledge;
• To foster future frameworks on the use of ICTs to access information and knowledge of persons with disabilities (PWD); and
• Based on the best available information and analysis, to make recommendations for strategy formulation, action-oriented initiatives and new synergies at national, regional and international levels.