Report of the First Global G3ict Forum New York, 26 March 2007 Prepared by Greg Ratta

Report of the First Global Report of the First Global G3ict ForumG3ict Forum

New York, 26 March 2007 New York, 26 March 2007

Prepared by Greg Ratta Prepared by Greg Ratta

24 April 200724 April 2007 G3ict - New York, 26 March 2007G3ict - New York, 26 March 2007 22

IntroductionIntroduction

The first G3ictThe first G3ict ( (Global Initiative for Inclusive Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies) Information and Communication Technologies) Global Forum was held 26 March 2007 at the United Global Forum was held 26 March 2007 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, U.S.A. Nations Headquarters in New York, U.S.A.

This document provides a report of the initial global This document provides a report of the initial global forum to allow the ITU community to be aware of the forum to allow the ITU community to be aware of the matters discussed and to enable possible future matters discussed and to enable possible future actions by that community.actions by that community.


Executive SummaryExecutive Summary

~200 representatives of industry, government, ~200 representatives of industry, government, academia and civil society attendedacademia and civil society attended

organized by the UN Global Alliance for ICT and organized by the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development and the Boston-based Wireless Internet Development and the Boston-based Wireless Internet Institute, in cooperation with the UN Secretariat of Institute, in cooperation with the UN Secretariat of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with DisabilitiesDisabilities

The ITU was represented at this invitation-only event The ITU was represented at this invitation-only event to demonstrate its continued commitment to to demonstrate its continued commitment to providing solutions encouraging access for all to providing solutions encouraging access for all to telecommunications technologies and services.telecommunications technologies and services.


BackgroundBackground

About 18% of people worldwide live with some kind About 18% of people worldwide live with some kind of disability, including those related to agingof disability, including those related to aging

10% - more than 600 million people - live with life-10% - more than 600 million people - live with life-altering disabilities, two thirds of which are in altering disabilities, two thirds of which are in developing countries.developing countries.

WSIS noted that new ICT can worsen the exclusion WSIS noted that new ICT can worsen the exclusion experienced by disabled persons and can also experienced by disabled persons and can also provide extraordinary assistive solutions to empower provide extraordinary assistive solutions to empower them.them.


Setting the StageSetting the Stage Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General: “10% of the world Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General: “10% of the world

population has some form of disability and … only 1 – 2% of population has some form of disability and … only 1 – 2% of disabled children in the developing world received education”disabled children in the developing world received education”

Axel Leblois, G3ict Executive Director: “Industry vendors Axel Leblois, G3ict Executive Director: “Industry vendors should incorporate accessibility features from the start of the should incorporate accessibility features from the start of the product development … tackling the issue of accessibility too product development … tackling the issue of accessibility too late in the product life cycle can lead to a higher cost.”late in the product life cycle can lead to a higher cost.”

Emilie McCabe, Gen’l Mgr, IBM Global Public Sector:Emilie McCabe, Gen’l Mgr, IBM Global Public Sector: “ “by by 2025 it is expected that >20% of the industrialized nations will 2025 it is expected that >20% of the industrialized nations will be over 60 or novice ICT users and that 16% of the 6 Billion be over 60 or novice ICT users and that 16% of the 6 Billion inhabitants have traditional disabilities”inhabitants have traditional disabilities”


Article 9 of the Convention on the Article 9 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with DisabilitiesRights of Persons with Disabilities

1. To enable persons with disabilities to live independently and 1. To enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, participate fully in all aspects of life, States Parties shallStates Parties shall take take appropriate measures to appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with othersan equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to , to the physical environment, to

transportation,transportation, to information and communications, including to information and communications, including

information and communications technologies and systems,information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas. These measures, which shall include the in urban and in rural areas. These measures, which shall include the identification and elimination of obstacles and barriers to accessibility, identification and elimination of obstacles and barriers to accessibility,

shall apply to, inter alia: … shall apply to, inter alia: … (b) Information, communications (b) Information, communications and other services, including electronic services and and other services, including electronic services and emergency services.emergency services.


Article 9, continuedArticle 9, continued2. States Parties shall also take appropriate measures to: 2. States Parties shall also take appropriate measures to:

(a) Develop, promulgate and monitor the implementation of (a) Develop, promulgate and monitor the implementation of minimum standards and guidelines for the accessibility of minimum standards and guidelines for the accessibility of facilities and services open or provided to the public; …facilities and services open or provided to the public; …

(g) Promote access for persons with disabilities to new (g) Promote access for persons with disabilities to new information and communication technologies and systems, information and communication technologies and systems, including the Internet;including the Internet;

(h) Promote the design, development, production and distribution (h) Promote the design, development, production and distribution of accessible information and communications technologies of accessible information and communications technologies and systems at an early stage, so that these technologies and and systems at an early stage, so that these technologies and systems become accessible at minimum cost.systems become accessible at minimum cost.


Case studies and perspectives from Case studies and perspectives from persons with disabilitiespersons with disabilities

This panel examined the pervasive impact of This panel examined the pervasive impact of ICT on all aspects of contemporary life from the ICT on all aspects of contemporary life from the perspective of persons living with disabilities. perspective of persons living with disabilities. Research of accessibility gaps among common Research of accessibility gaps among common ICT products were presented, as well as hands-ICT products were presented, as well as hands-on examples of good practices and challenges on examples of good practices and challenges covering the workplace, home, media, e-covering the workplace, home, media, e-government, and public services applications. government, and public services applications.


Core areas of opportunity to foster Core areas of opportunity to foster greater accessibility of ICTgreater accessibility of ICT

This panel examined the potential for ICT This panel examined the potential for ICT industries that develop inclusive products and industries that develop inclusive products and services from a market and industry perspective. services from a market and industry perspective. Strategies that can best support the development Strategies that can best support the development of accessible and assistive features for ICT of accessible and assistive features for ICT products were discussed, including through products were discussed, including through Private-Public Partnerships. Core areas of Private-Public Partnerships. Core areas of opportunities were identified, as well as specific opportunities were identified, as well as specific funding and R&D collaborative methods from funding and R&D collaborative methods from which industry could benefit.which industry could benefit.


Harmonization and standardization of Harmonization and standardization of accessible and assistive technologiesaccessible and assistive technologies

This panel focused on the role of industry consortia, This panel focused on the role of industry consortia, NGOs, standardization organizations, and international NGOs, standardization organizations, and international institutions in tackling some of the core areas of institutions in tackling some of the core areas of opportunities discussed during the earlier sessions. The opportunities discussed during the earlier sessions. The panel reflected on recent global standardization success panel reflected on recent global standardization success stories and current efforts by standardization stories and current efforts by standardization organizations to determine which success factors could organizations to determine which success factors could be leveraged to foster harmonization and be leveraged to foster harmonization and standardization of key categories of accessible and standardization of key categories of accessible and assistive ICT.assistive ICT.


Legislation, regulations, procurement Legislation, regulations, procurement rules, and enforcementrules, and enforcement

This panel included government representatives This panel included government representatives from around the world. Each panellist presented from around the world. Each panellist presented his or her perspective with best practices his or her perspective with best practices examples and suggested recommendations for examples and suggested recommendations for legislative and regulatory enforcement. The legislative and regulatory enforcement. The framework of the Digital Inclusion Index, framework of the Digital Inclusion Index, measuring countries’ inclusiveness from an ICT measuring countries’ inclusiveness from an ICT standpoint, was described at the end.standpoint, was described at the end.


Next StepsNext Steps

The organizers are preparing a book to document the The organizers are preparing a book to document the Forum, which they expect to publish by June 2007.Forum, which they expect to publish by June 2007.

Several future global and regional meetings are Several future global and regional meetings are planned, including one early 2008 in Geneva. (See planned, including one early 2008 in Geneva. (See next slide.)next slide.)

There are four Working Groups in the Initiative, one There are four Working Groups in the Initiative, one of which is focused on Standardization and of which is focused on Standardization and Harmonization.Harmonization. Volunteers are sought to populate Volunteers are sought to populate these Working Groups and continue the work started these Working Groups and continue the work started at this Forum.at this Forum.


Planned Events of the G3ictPlanned Events of the G3ictMarch 26, 2007March 26, 2007 1st Global Forum1st Global Forum United Nations Headquarters, NYUnited Nations Headquarters, NY

May 22-23, 2007May 22-23, 2007 Wireless Opportunities for Disabled Wireless Opportunities for Disabled Persons Roundtable, Wireless Internet Persons Roundtable, Wireless Internet Institute (W2i) Digital Cities Institute (W2i) Digital Cities ConferenceConference

Chicago, ILChicago, IL

September, 2007September, 2007 Regional ForumRegional Forum Cali, ColombiaCali, Colombia

October 2007October 2007 Fostering Innovation, R&D and Fostering Innovation, R&D and Venture Capital in Support of Assistive Venture Capital in Support of Assistive TechnologiesTechnologies

New York, NYNew York, NY

November 2007November 2007 Regional ForumRegional Forum Johannesburg, South AfricaJohannesburg, South Africa

February 2008February 2008 2nd Global Forum2nd Global Forum Palais des Nations, GenèvePalais des Nations, Genève

2Q 20082Q 2008 Regional ForumRegional Forum New Delhi, IndiaNew Delhi, India

3Q 20083Q 2008 Regional ForumRegional Forum Chengdu, ChinaChengdu, China

4Q 20084Q 2008 Regional ForumRegional Forum Tunis, TunisiaTunis, Tunisia

1Q 20091Q 2009 3rd Global Forum3rd Global Forum United Nations Headquarters, NYUnited Nations Headquarters, NY


SummarySummary

Emphasized the importance of technical standards Emphasized the importance of technical standards and the need for legislative action to encourage the and the need for legislative action to encourage the use of those technical standards.use of those technical standards.

Input was provided by several individuals to highlight Input was provided by several individuals to highlight the perspective of those with various disabilities.the perspective of those with various disabilities.

Identifying core areas of opportunity to foster greater Identifying core areas of opportunity to foster greater accessibility of ICT for persons with disabilities was accessibility of ICT for persons with disabilities was a major objective of this Forum.a major objective of this Forum.

Documents

Report of the First Global G3ict Forum New York, 26 March 2007 Prepared by Greg Ratta