1. Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo Senior Operations Officer The World Bank
Accessible ICT: International Trends and Implications for World Bank Operations
Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo
Senior Operations Officer
The World Bank

2. The CRPD
It presents a comprehensive and pragmatic framework for achieving inclusive development.
With it’s inclusive development mandate it stands to trigger the social inclusion of people with disabilities into mainstream society.
Today development practices by and large exclude people with disabilities.
C McClain-Nhlapo, 12/04/08

3. An International Benchmark
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Art. 4 General obligations
Art. 9 Accessibility
Art. 21 Freedom of expression, opinion and access to information
Art. 32 International Cooperation
14 out of the 32 non procedural articles are linked to ICT applications.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the current international benchmark, it is a legally binding instrument with comprehensive protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. .
Approved by the UN General Assembly on December 13, 2006
Entered into force on May 12, 2008,
As of December the Convention has been
signed by 136 Countries /ratified by 41 Members
Relevant articles:
(Article 4) General obligations – (f) undertake & promote research & development of universally designed goods, services, equipment and facilities ; (g) undertake & promote research and development of and availability and use of new technologies, including information and communication technologies ….. (h) to promote accessible information …
On the fundamental issue of accessibility (Article 9), the Convention requires countries to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers and ensure that persons with disabilities can access their environment, transportation, public facilities and services, and information and communications technologies
Countries are to promote access to information by providing information intended for the general public in accessible formats and technologies, by facilitating the use of Braille, sign language and other forms of communication and by encouraging the media and Internet providers to make on-line information available in accessible formats (Article 21).
International Cooperation (Article 32) States Parties …………. in partnership with relevant international and regional organizations …………..
(a) Ensuring that international cooperation, including international development programmes, is inclusive of and accessible to persons with disabilities;
(b) Facilitating and supporting capacity-building, including through the exchange and sharing of information, experiences, training programmes and best practices;
(c) Facilitating cooperation in research and access to scientific and technical knowledge;
(d) Providing, as appropriate, technical and economic assistance, including by facilitating access to and sharing of accessible and assistive technologies, and through the transfer of technologies.
Research and access to knowledge. Article 32 (1)(c) calls for "(f)acilitating cooperation in
research and access to scientific and technical knowledge." The UN system will strengthen its
efforts on data collection and analysis of information collected by the UN system, and will share
knowledge on the Convention through publications and documents. Furthermore, members of the
IASG will, in their areas of expertise, promote and/or support the research and access of knowledge
by States, organizations of persons with
disabilities and other private or public
bodies.
Accessibility. Article 32(1)(d) stipulates
"providing, as appropriate, technical and
economic assistance, including by
facilitating access to and sharing of
accessible and assistive technologies, and
through the transfer of technologies." The
UN system will provide persons with
disabilities within and outside the UN
system with the assistance necessary for
reasonable accommodation to UN
facilities, programmes, and information.
Removing barriers and increasing
accessibility are key components of
reasonable accommodation. Members of the IASG will work within their respective entity to
recommend approaches to support reasonable accommodation requirements of staff members,
visitors, delegates, and all others who work with the United Nations system. Members of the IASG
will ensure that within their respective entity, reasonable accommodation is made in terms of
recruitment, website, materials, facilities, and in other regards. Each entity will consult with persons
with disabilities during the process of proposing and implementing the changes required to provide
reasonable accommodation. 􀁺
Christian Creutz/World Health Organization (WHO)
C McClain-Nhlapo, 12/04/08

4. The CRPD Entered into force on the 3 May 41 ratifications
136 signatories
It presents a panoply of civil, political, cultural, economic and social rights.
And codifies these Human Rights norms using a disability lens.
C McClain-Nhlapo, 12/04/08

5. UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
CRPD in force May 3, 2008; signed by 136 countries, ratified by 41countries
Ratified CRPD and protocol
Ratified CRPD
Signed CRPD and protocol
Signed CRPD
Not Signed
Source: of August 20, 2008
C McClain-Nhlapo, 12/04/08

6. Accessibility It both a vehicle as well as an objective of the CRPD.
It is also increasingly an issue in law review and reform.
It is both a principle and a right in the CRPD.
Is an essential tool for the inclusion of people with disabilities.
C McClain-Nhlapo, 12/04/08

7. At a national level
There are as few as 39 UN Member States that have adopted non-discrimination or equal opportunity legislation that is disability specific.
And even fewer have put in place any guidelines or regulatory frameworks to promote accessible ICT.
Often implementation is patchy.
C McClain-Nhlapo, 12/04/08

8. Way forward. National coordination Standardization for accessible ICT
Address the issue of Affordability
Identify low hanging fruit.
Already we are seeing some regional approaches- the EU and UNESCAP .
C McClain-Nhlapo, 12/04/08

9. Conclusion Accessible ICT is a gateway to other rights in the CRPD.
Accessible ICT is not a luxury it is a right for people with disabilities.
C McClain-Nhlapo, 12/04/08