COVID-19 and ICT Accessibility:

Digitial Resilience for Guaranteeing an Inclusive Society 

Background

With the onslaught of COVID-19, digital technologies have become more salient than ever and have been utilized more vigorously in various areas like health, economy, social, education, etc. In keeping with the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy[1], however, efforts towards sustainable and transformative progress in the pillars of peace and security, human rights, and development should ensure inclusivity of all people, including those with disabilities. Ensuring ICT accessibility for all is an important assignment posed to the international community in its effort to combat the COVID-19. Access to digital technologies will be essential in ensuring that everyone is included in the pathway towards sustainable development.

In line with Article 21 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities[2], digital technologies need to be fully utilized to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to information. In this regard, it is required that the public and private sector explore the various opportunities that digital technologies bring. As the key means to implementing the sustainable development goals, Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) should be a key element in realizing SDGs, particularly for disaster risk reduction and for enhancing resilience for climate change.

This capacity building online program aims to help raise participants’ awareness on the criticality of digital accessibility in establishing inclusive communities, and provide a platform for participants to share best practices regarding the facilitation of digital accessibility in creating an inclusive society. 

Event details

● Event type      Online webinar (Interactive online participation is free and will be provided in English using the video conferencing platform Zoom)

  ● Date               29 September 2020 (Tuesday)

Target audience

This online event is open to government officials and personnel from non-profit, civil, and private sectors in Asia and the Pacific region, including focal points for: 

●  ICT and digital government, disaster/emergency management, social protection, disaster risk reduction, and think tanks actively engaged in coordinating and implementing inclusive societies in the context of ICT for building resilience. 

Program

●  Opening

●  Module 1: The role of digital technologies during COVID-19: opportunities and challenges in creating an inclusive society

●  Module 2: Leaving no one behind in the global crisis: disability inclusion strategies and digital accessibility policies

●  Module 3: Accelerating ICT accessibility: the role of partnerships

● Closing and way forward

Application and deadline

●  Apply by 24 September 2020 (Thursday) at: shorturl.at/nwyJL   

●  Kindly note that only selected applicants will be notified individually