By IDA

 - May 24, 2022

Ruth Warwick, President, International Federation of Hard of Hearing People, First Vice President, International Disability Alliance - Speech

The International Disability Alliance and the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People welcome the launch of this landmark report, the first Global Report on effective access to Assistive Technology. We commend the WHO and UNICEF on an inclusive and participatory process in the development of this report, ensuring that the perspectives of persons with disabilities were included, and providing important information and recommendations to increase access to assistive technology for everyone. We hope that States and other stakeholders will implement the recommendations fully, and help generate the transformational change in access to assistive technology that the world needs. 

Assistive technology has undoubtedly contributed positively to the enjoyment of the rights of persons with disabilities and helped them participate in society on an equal basis with others. Advances in technology have improved the lives of persons with disabilities in many areas, including by facilitating communication, and physical & informational accessibility. Access to appropriate Assistive Technology (AT) enables people to participate more in education, work, family, and community life. Increasing accessibility and affordability of AT unlocks unrealized economic potential and provides socioeconomic benefits for individuals, families, and countries. The future is exciting, and I am hopeful that the situation for persons with disabilities will continue to get better.

Assistive technology is of course only one part of the picture – disability is after all a social construct, and at the same time we must continue to accelerate changes in attitudinal, environmental, and other barriers. We should not see assistive technology as the only solution, but rather a part of the solution. It is society that must be ‘fixed’, not persons with disabilities.

As technology develops, it is important to ensure that it truly responds to the needs and preferences of persons with disabilities, and we must ensure equal access to such technology. Today, over 1 billion people need at least one form of AT, but over 90% do not have access to the AT they require. With the right development of and investment in assistive technology, and the creation of an enabling environment, we can ensure that assistive technology continues to contribute to inclusive equality for persons with disabilities, leaving no-one behind.

The International Disability Alliance is proud to play an active role in ATScale, the cross-sectoral Global Partnership for Assistive Technology. ATscale is a was launched in 2018 at the Global Disability Summit, with the ambitious goal of catalyzing action to reach 500 million more people with life-changing assistive technology by 2030. Building on this, many concrete commitments on AT came from States at the 2022 Global Disability Summit, which in many respects reflect the recommendations and aspirations of this Global Report on effective access to Assistive Technology.

ATScale is addressing barriers such as the lack of an enabling ecosystem - a wide range of systemic, underlying environmental challenges and cross-cutting factors contribute to the challenge in matching appropriate supply and demand for AT such as:

  • inconsistent political will;
  • lack of understanding;
  • lack of commercial focus; and
  • significant gaps in resources and investment.

Furthermore, market barriers limit both supply and demand of AT. Lack of demand may be from users, service providers, or country governments because of lack of awareness, stigma and discrimination, insufficient and inadequately trained providers, lack of inclusion in insurance schemes and fragmented procurement systems. On the supply side there are limitations on AT products related to availability, affordability, appropriate design, and assured quality.

Funding on assistive technology can be considered a useful indicator of the broader situation for persons with disabilities, and shockingly only 10% of AT users have access to the products that they need, with the global south most affected by this unmet need. This failing is a large-scale violation of the rights of persons with disabilities and tragic loss of human potential.

The challenge is not a small one, by harnessing the power of the private sector, increased investment and political-will, we can ensure that every person with disability has the assistive technology that they need and want. There are good reasons to be optimistic about the role of technology in improving the lives of persons with disabilities. The future is bright, and by leveraging the The Global Report on effective access to Assistive Technology together we can ensure that societal change keeps pace with technological developments and realize the potential of the lives of all persons with disabilities around the world.

The International Disability Alliance and the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People welcome the launch of this landmark report, the first Global Report on effective access to Assistive Technology. We commend the WHO and UNICEF on an inclusive and participatory process in the development of this report, ensuring that the perspectives of persons with disabilities were included, and providing important information and recommendations to increase access to assistive technology for everyone. We hope that States and other stakeholders will implement the recommendations fully and help generate the transformational change in access to assistive technology that the world needs. 

See the summary of the launch.