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Accessibility to ICTs: Achieving equitable communications for everyone

​​​​​​​​​​​​15 per cent of the world’s population lives with a disability. This represents about 1 billion people globally. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), such as mobile phones, satellites or the Internet, are a unique infrastructure that expand access to key  public services, promoting digital inclusion. Throughout the world, persons living with disabilities are already benefitting from the advantages of ICT-enabled applications. 
 
But more needs to be done. To extend the benefits of ICTs to all, ICTs have to be made accessible to persons living with disabilities, so these technologies constitute an opportunity and not a barrier. Get involved in ITU activities to make ICT accessible to persons living with disabilities and to achieving equitable communications for everyone.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​​

NEW: ITU Accessibility Policy (adopted by Council in 2021)
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Accessible Europe 2

Accessible Europe 2 

The second edition of the ITU-EC Forum on “Accessible Europe: ICT 4 ALL” took place in St. Julian’s, Malta, on 4 to 6 December 2019. This regional event for Europe was jointly organized by the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and European Commission (EC), and was hosted by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Person with Disability & Active Ageing (PSDAA) of the Government of Malta

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Accessible Americas VII

Accessible Americas III Logo 

 

 


 


 


La Habana, Cuba, 25-27 November 2020. The event will focus on the importance of promoting accessibility policies; motivate policymakers of these policies, regulators and industries; and encourage all the stakeholders concerned to promote ICT accessibility in order to create fair and equal opportunities for ALL citizens, including Persons with Disabilities, Women and Girls, the Elderly, Indigenous and others that are still unserved.

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ITU AND THE UN DISABILITY AGENDA

 

ITU actively contributes to the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities within the UN system. The report “The ICT Opportunity for a Disability-Inclusive Development Framework" was an advocacy tool to encourage mention of ICT accessibility within the outcome document of the High-Level meeting of the General Assembly on Disability and Development (HLMDD), held in 2013. This outcome document explicitly acknowledged the obligation to ensure accessibility “following the universal design approach, by removing barriers to the physical environment, transportation, employment, education, health services, information and assistive devices”. ITU also contributes to the work of the CRPD and of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

For more information: UN Enable- Work of the United Nations on Persons with Disabilities 

ITU Telecom World 2019

ITU Telecom World 2019 was held in Budapest, Hungary, from 9 to 12 September 2019 under the theme "Innovating together: Connectivity that matters". The event featured the session "Accessibility matters: dismantling the barriers of disability with technology", featuring a wide range of speakers from the private and public sector.

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Connect 2030 accessibility target

The ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2018 renewed ITU's mandate in the area of ICT accessibility . The new mandate includes a revision of Resolution 175 and the establishment of the new Connect 2030 agenda, which sets out the vision, goals and targets that ITU and its Member States have committed to achieve by 2023. Connect 2030 includes an ambitious target directed at cultivating an ICT sector that is inclusive to persons disabilities and specific needs:

Target 2.9: Enabling environments ensuring accessible telecommunication/ICT for persons with disabilities should be established in all countries by 2023

ITU RESOURCES FOR ICT ACCESSIBILITY

ITU resources for ICT Accessibility provide a framework for ITU members to develop policies and strategies for mainstreaming digital accessibility at national, regional and international levels in line their requirements under Article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which defines ICT accessibility as an integral part of accessibility rights on par with transportation and the physical environment.

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MAKING ITU ACCESSIBLE

 ITU is committed to becoming a fully accessible organization for staff, delegates and the general public living with disabilities. 

Click here to find out how ITU is working to become an accessible organization

ITU ACCESSIBILITY FUND

 

Resolution 175 instructed ITU to establish a fund to expand ITU's activities in the area of accessible ICTs and to make ITU a more accessible organization. The ITU Accessibility Trust Fund, is open to voluntary contributions from ITU Member States, Sector Members and academia.

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ITU´S ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

  1.   Radiocommunication (ITU-R)
  2.   Standardization (ITU-T)​
  3.   Development (ITU-D)​​

QUICK LINKS

Email us at accessibility@itu.int for additional information on how to get involved in ITU activities

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