G3ict Releases Preliminary Findings from ICT Report

September 2013 – Disabled People International (DPI) and the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communications Technology (G3ICT) have release preliminary findings from the upcoming third edition of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Progress Report on the accessibility of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT). The report outlines the actions taken by 72 States Parties to implement the accessibility provisions of the CRPD that relate to ICT. Findings from the report highlight that while in 2013 50% of countries “have a definition of accessibility which includes ICTs or electronic media in their laws or regulations,” only 25% actually monitor accessibility standards for ICTs.  In addition, only 31% of countries report that they have created programs to ensure the ICT they purchase is accessible.  Of the preliminary findings, DPI Chairperson Javed Abidi noted, “Depriving persons with disabilities from equal access to essential ICT-based applications and services violates the core dispositions of Article 9 of the CRPD and creates an unsustainable economic and social development gap in our digital age.”  The full report will be released November 15, 2013 and will be available to download from G3ICT and DPI.