Page 25 - Procurement guidelines for smart sustainable cities - A U4SSC deliverable

Figure 2: UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was passed by the UN General
Assembly on 13 December 2006, and entered into force on 3 May 2008. It enshrines the principle
that persons with disabilities must be able to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms on an
equal basis with others. It is the first international human rights treaty requiring that information and
communications technologies and systems be accessible as a necessary condition for persons with
disabilities to live independently and with dignity on an equal basis with others. As of May 2022,
185 countries have ratified the CRPD, which represents more than 95 per cent of the countries
in the world. A total of 164 countries have signed the CRPD, which means they are willing to be
bound by its commitments.

Article 9 of the CRPD relates specifically to accessibility. It refers to transportation, the built
environment and ICT accessibility. Therefore, this article is also relevant in building smart cities.
The article states: “To enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in
all aspects of life, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities
access, on an equal basis with others to the physical environment, to transportation, to information
and communications, including information and communications technologies (ICTs) and systems
and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, in urban and in rural areas.”

Furthermore, to achieve this, Article 9 requires, “the identification and elimination of obstacles
and barriers to accessibility…” and that this elimination of barriers shall apply to “Information,
communications and other services, including electronic services and emergency services”.

Article 9 also requires that accessibility be included as a consideration at the earliest stages during
the design and development of ICTs (Art 9.2(h)). One practical way in which this can happen is that
governments include accessibility as mandatory requirements when procuring ICTs.

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