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Updates of ITU leads efforts to promote implementation of United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
ITU leads efforts to promote implementation of United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, for a fully inclusive Information Society Bangkok, Thailand, 28 August 2009 - The ITU Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Mainstreaming ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, held in Bangkok, Thailand from 25 to 27 August 2009, shared a range of critical policy and regulatory measures to promote accessible information and communication technologies (ICT) for persons with disabilities.
The Forum was hosted by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) of Thailand, and marked the first coordinated effort to promote implementation of the ICT provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). The Convention puts rights to ICT accessibility on a par with well-recognized rights to accessibility to transportation and the physical environment, such as ramps to buildings for those in wheelchairs.
The Forum was opened on behalf of Ranongruk Suwanchawee, Minister of Information & Communication Technology for Thailand, who in her message to delegates called the UN CRPD "a significant step for all of humanity, since its main purpose is to protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity."
It is expected that the UN Convention will make assistive ICT technologies as common as wheelchair ramps and audible signals for traffic lights, which have already become standard in many parts of the world. Assistive technologies include screen readers (which read content from websites out loud for the visually impaired), captioning or sign language on television for the deaf, cell phones that include features such as special volume control, large character touch pads and predictive text features, as well as the adoption of accessible website design by both the public and private sectors.
As of this month, 142 countries have signed the UN CRPD. "The 64 nations that have already ratified the convention represent over two-thirds of the world's population. Gaining the right to ICT access for the 650 million persons living with disabilities around the world has made the legislative, policy and regulatory activities related to digital accessibility a major priority among ITU Member States," said Sami Al-Basheer, Director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau.
The number of persons with disabilities is increasing worldwide, due to aging populations in some countries, as well as war and civil conflict, natural disasters, malnutrition and other causes.
ITU organized the Forum together with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The event welcomed some 140 participants from 21 countries, including policy makers, regulators, operators, industry representatives, NGOs and disabled persons organizations, as well as experts and ICT professionals including disabled persons from across the region and beyond.
It was supported by the National Telecommunications Commission of Thailand (NTC), Australia's Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE), and the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC).
Dr Eun-Ju Kim, Head of the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, said the Forum demonstrated that the Asia-Pacific region is leading the ICT accessibility agenda of the UN CRPD through multi-stakeholder partnership.
"There is significant momentum in the region and a great level of awareness of the need to promote ICT accessibility. This Forum enabled countries in the region to not only provide a platform to all stakeholders but also share their innovative practices," she said.
The Government of Thailand, which has ratified the UN CRPD, is working on implementation by establishing learning centres nationwide that include assistive technologies such as Braille printers and digital talking books for use by the visually impaired. There are also plans to use closed captioning for television programming to promote use by hearing impaired users.
ITU and its partner, the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs (G3ict), recently teamed up to develop an online Toolkit for Policy Makers on e-Accessibility & Service Needs for Persons with Disabilities, to assist national regulators, policy makers and legislators to implement measures and foster national programmes supporting the digital accessibility agenda of the CRPD. At the same time, ITU is a major champion of the role of agreed international standards for ICT accessibility development. ICT accessibility standards applied to different technologies will help manufacturers gain access to global markets and leverage economies of scale in production and distribution. Users benefit through lower costs and the assurance that equipment will integrate and work efficiently with other ICT systems.
Please read full text from : http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2009/20.html
Headline: ICT Access for Everyone
Publication, date: Bangkok Post, August 31, 2009
Synopsis: The coverage is about the purpose of the release of toolkit and the importance of ICT accessibility for not only disabled person but older people with quote from Dr. Eun-Ju Kim and Prof Prasit Prapinmonkolkarn.
Please read from : http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/23002/ict-access-for-everyone
Headline: IT for Persons with Disabilities
Publication, date: Matichon, August 24, 2009
Synopsis: The coverage featured the importance of Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which Thailand has ratified since July 29, 2008 and. It also highlighted the concepts of equal society pointed by senator, Monthien Buntan, and the details of 'Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Mainstreaming ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities' organized by ITU and ESCAP, hosted by MICT during 25-27 August, 2009, inclusive of the objectives of the event and three-day programme highlights. The story has mentioned viewpoints from Dr. Eun-Ju Kim, head of ITU about the importance of CRPD that has been signed by 142 countries including Thailand. This is the first time for the forum to be hosted in Asia-Pacific with the introduction of e-Accessible Policy Toolkits for PwDs.
Please read from : http://www.matichon.co.th/matichon/view_news.php?newsid=01pra01240852ยงionid=0131&day=2009-08-24
Headline: Telecom Union Urges Access for Disabled
Publication, date: The Nation, August 25, 2009
Synopsis: The coverage written from email interview between The Nation and Dr.Eun-Ju Kim, talking about the urge in ICT accessibility for PwDs, and ICT accessibility policies and toolkit also with quote from Dr.Kim.
Please read from : http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/read.php?newsid=30110578&keyword=ITU
Headline: ICT opens rooms for Persons with Disabilities to access technology
Publication, date: Thairath Online, August 25, 2009
Synopsis: MICT teamed with ITU and UNESCAP hosted regional forum to urge equal ICT access. Nimit Damrongrat, Advisor to the Minister of MICT said the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Mainstreaming ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities has been hosted to allow stakeholders such as state policy makers and other parties to exchange viewpoints and experiences in support to ICT access for PwDs. The toolkit for policy makers developed by ITU and G3ict will also provide framework for the implementation of the agenda of the CRPD signed by 142 countries. The forum will be beneficial for PwDs in terms of ICT access such as public phone, mobile phone, web, Internet and broadcast.
Please read from : http://www.thairath.co.th/content/tech/28679
Headline: Forum - ICT Access for Persons with Disabilities
Publication, date: MCOT, August 25, 2009
Synopsis: MICT, ITU and UNESCAP hosted 'Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Mainstreaming ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities' during 25-17 August at Bangkok. Nimit Damrongrat, Advisor to the Minister of MICT said the forum aims to support ICT access for PwDs such as public phone, ATM, SMS and relay services by operators which the government is now working on some projects. At the forum, ITU and related organizations has introduced toolkit for policy makers to address ICT accessibility and its implementation at country level.
Please read from : http://news.mcot.net/social/inside.php?value=bmlkPTExMTQwNCZudHlwZT10ZXh0
Headline: ICT teams with international organizations host forum on IT Access for Persons with Disabilities
Publication, date: ASTV Manager Online, August 25, 2009
Synopsis: MICT, ITU and UNESCAP hosted 'Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Mainstreaming ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities' during 25-17 August at Bangkok. Nimit Damrongrat, Advisor to the Minister of MICT said the forum aims to support ICT access for PwDs such as public phone, ATM, SMS and relay services by operators which the government is now working on some projects. At the forum, ITU and related organizations has introduced toolkit for policy makers to address ICT accessibility and its implementation at country level.
Please read from : http://www.manager.co.th/Home/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9520000096731
Headline: IT access for Persons with Disabilities
Publication, date: MSN, August 26, 2009
Synopsis: Representatives of PwDs from many countries
to participate regional forum to address online information accessibility for PwDs in the region. The Gala Dinner was hosted on the evening of 25 August to welcome all participants of 'Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Mainstreaming ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities' attended by Dr. Eun-Ju Kim, head of ITU, H.E. Dr. Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, Minister of Science and Technology.
Please read from : http://news.impaqmsn.com/articles.aspx?id=279635&ch=gn1
Headline: ICT access for Persons with Disabilities
Publication, date: TechXcite.com, August 26, 2009
Synopsis: ITU and UNESCAP hosted 'Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Mainstreaming ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities' during 25-27 August 2009.
Please read from : http://www.techxcite.com/content.php/2/1976/
Additional Information
Country: Thailand
Website: N/A
Email: N/A
Phone: N/A
Contact Person: N/A
Source: eun-ju.kim@itu.int
When: 14/9/2009
