5 December 2014Dr Irmgarda Kasinskaite-BuddebergKnowledge Societies Division, Communication and Information Sector

UNESCO’s Headquarters in Paris, France

Future Outlook on Information Accessibility Policy

28 May 2015, ICT4IAL Dissemination Conference, Riga, Latvia

Policy Panel – key questions:

• How does international policy foster the implementation of information accessibility measures?

• What are future plans / ongoing initiatives at the international level to create incentives for the provision of accessible information?

Information accessibility encompasses the many issues surrounding availability, accessibility and

affordability of information, such as multilingualism, metadata, interoperability, open source software, open

content, Creative Commons licences as well as addressing the special needs of people with disabilities.

UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Information for All Programme (IFAP)

UNESCO’s vision is a creation of knowledge societies that are inclusive, participatory, diverse and pluralistic for all citizens which is in line with relevant international instruments such as

• UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)• UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Promotion and Use

of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace (2003) • The New Delhi Declaration on Inclusive ICTs for Persons with

Disabilities: Making Empowerment a Reality (2014) • Elaboration of inclusive post-2015 sustainable development

framework and other normative documents

Normative Framework

Within UNESCO’s five areas of competence:

Education, Natural Sciences,

Social and Human Sciences,Culture; and

Communication and Information

Guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)

Accessibilit

y-specif

ic programm

es

Accessibilit

y- mainstream

ing

Integration Mainstreaming and programing

Monitoring and evaluation

UNESCO’s work is based on a two-pronged approach

Information Accessibility-specific initiatives

Information Accessibility- mainstreaminginitiatives

Some examples Information Accessibility-specific initiativesInformation Accessibility-specific programmes aim to reduce specific inequalities faced by women or men, girls or boys with disabilities, in a particular situation. The aim of this approach is to address specific and significant instances of discrimination andto reduce inequalities and existing barriers to access information and knowledge using ICTs through support to a particular group.

UN Expert Group Meeting on Disability data and statistics, monitoring and evaluation: the way forward, a disability inclusive development agenda towards 2015 and beyond

A group of leading experts from around the world, representatives of the United Nations agencies, disabled people organizations as well as public and private organizations gathered from 8-10 July 2014 at UNESCO’s Headquarters in Paris to discuss existing data gaps and revised methods of data collection, synthesis and reporting, with a view to improve coverage of topics, timeliness and data comparability taking into consideration the specific situation of persons with disabilities.

The meeting contributed to the formulation of a policy brief that provides an informed overview of the current status of disability statistics and formulate recommendations to improve data collection so as to encourage the implementation of evidence-based policy-making.

Final meeting report is available: http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/egm2014/EGM_FINAL_08102014.pdf

UN Disability Data and Statistics

Within the framework of the Rwanda Joint Flagship on Youth and Women Employment, UNESCO supports formal training institutions to provide digital educational materials for young people living with disabilities. UNESCO works in close cooperation with the National Council of Persons with Disabilities and some of the activities are in direct support of the council’s Strategic Plan and its Operational Plan. The activities foreseen within the framework of the 4 year project will focus on three tracks: One track will focus on the policy environment of ICTs for people living with

disabilities in Rwanda. A policy brief on ICTs and Disabilities will be produced to inform all policy interventions. Furthermore, the guidelines will be produced on ways in which government ICT programmes can be adapted to people living with disabilities.

The second track will focus on capacity development in the field of inclusive technologies. Training of officials from the Rwanda will focus on transforming educational material into accessible material and training of sessions.

The third track of the activities will focus on supporting the establishment of a National Resource Centre which provides information relevant to people living with disabilities and training facilities, based on the UNESCO Inclusive Learning Lab (i2Lab).

Inclusive Economic Transformation in Rwanda by targeting Youth living with disabilities

Some examples Accessibility-mainstreaming initiatives

The goal of mainstreaming is to fully integrate Information Accessibility considerations into the programme strategies and activities

including policy advice, advocacy, research,normative and standard setting work, capacity

development, monitoring and evaluation/ assessment and any other technical assistance work.

• UNESCO is developing guidelines on the inclusion of students with disabilities in open and distance learning using open solutions.

• The document will reflect on role and obligations of all stakeholders associated to the open and distance learning (policy and decision makers, distance learning institutions, quality assurance and recognition bodies, institutions, teacher associations, civil society dealing with disability issues, families and not the least, persons with disabilities).

• Central to these guidelines will be how open solutions (Open Educational Resources – OER; Free and Open Source Software – FOSS; Open Data and Open Access to scholarly data - OA) can ensure that technological developments, new pedagogical approaches, software and course content provided in diverse formats, including open and distributed via open communication channels can be best harnessed.

Guidelines for Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Open and Distance Learning using Open Solutions

The focus of the model policy is upon the use of ICTs to support the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD, 2006), specifically:

• Article 9: Accessibility;• Article 21: Freedom of Expression and

Opinion, and Access to Information;• Article 24: Inclusive Education.

The model policy may serve as a resource for developing the contents of new national policy documents, complement existing policy documents, or individual sections or annexes could be used as resources for auditing or implementing existing policies.

The model policy may also be used as a platform to raise awareness and engage in national level dialogue with multiple stakeholders.

In 2006 the Government launched a National ICT Policy Framework that envisioned Uganda where national development broadly and human resource development more specifically would be achieved and sustained through efficient application of digital literacy. The goals of the project will be achieved by a two track approach:• One track will focus on strengthening the policy environment through

the development of relevant policies and guidelines as well as the establishment of an appropriate governance structure.

• The second track will focus on the development of educational materials in accessible formats (DPOs, government officials, teachers, information professionals and publishing companies into a multi-stakeholder coalition) for persons with visual and hearing impairments in Uganda.

Building favorable legal and educational environment in Uganda

China has more than 85 million men and women with disabilities. According to the latest available data, 80% of persons with disabilities live in poverty, only 21 million persons with disabilities are employed. 28% of disabled school-aged children are not participating in nine-year compulsory education; 43% of persons with disabilities are illiterate at the age of 15.

It has formulated over 60 laws and regulations on the protection of rights of persons with disabilities. However, these regulations, laws and policies lack implementation mechanisms.

This project focuses on strengthening the capacity of policymakers, civil servants, DPOs staff, and service providers to undertake their roles in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities, through a dual-track approach seeking to

• Strengthen the institutional capacity of the DPOs to advocate and improve their partnership with national and local authorities in promoting disability inclusiveness, based on internationally agreed development goals;

• Strengthen the capacity of key government agencies and professional categories on the rights, entitlements and legal protections afforded to persons with disabilities (including rights to education, employment, and social participation).

Support to the Rights and Entitlements of Persons with Disabilities in China

Dr Irmgarda Kasinskaite-BuddebergProgramme SpecialistKnowledge Societies Division Communication and Information Sector UNESCO

i.kasinskaite@unesco.orgwww.en.unesco.org