UNITED NATIONS – E-accessibility to be theme for the 2006 International Day
of Disabled Persons



Improving access to new information technology for persons with disabilities
will be the focus of this year’s International Day of Disabled Persons, the
United Nations announced on 26th July.



The Day, which is marked on 3 December, seeks to promote the integration of
people with disabilities into society.



Although access to information and communication technology (ICT) has
created opportunities for everyone, these advances have been particularly
meaningful for persons with disabilities, allowing them to overcome the
societal barriers of prejudice, infrastructure and inaccessible formats that
stand in the way of participation.



But, many persons with disabilities remain unable to take full advantage of
the Internet, because most websites are inaccessible to the blind and
visually impaired, heavily dependent on using the mouse, and because
training is often conducted in inaccessible formats and venues. Most
persons with disabilities do not have access to new information technology
at all.



“The new computer-based information technologies have the potential for
opening up a world of new opportunities for persons with disabilities,” said
Sarbuland Khan, Executive Coordinator of the Secretariat of the Global
Alliance for ICT and Development. “The problem is that new obstacles are
preventing many of these people from reaching their potential. We want to
promote good website design that allows all people to benefit from the new
technology, and we want product developers to consider the needs of the
disabled in their new designs.”



Governments, at the first World Summit on the Information Society in 2003 in
Geneva, committed themselves to building a people-centred, inclusive and
development-oriented information society, where everyone can create, access,
utilize and share information and knowledge. By focusing on e-accessibility,
this year’s Day of Disabled Persons is intended to mobilize action to allow
persons with disabilities to participate in that global vision.



Persons with disabilities are at a considerable disadvantage by not being
able to access information technology. For instance, as education becomes
increasingly dependent on information technology, not being able to access
the Internet limits the learning potential of persons with disabilities.



Several places already have legislation and regulations requiring websites
to be fully accessible. Global standards and guidelines on website
accessibility are being developed. Once adopted and ratified, the
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will
require that persons with disabilities can access information technology. It
specifies that certain measures should be introduced to eliminate obstacles
and barriers to information and communication, and to promote access for
persons with disabilities to ICT, including the Internet.



“Making information technology available to persons with disabilities is not
only a matter of human rights -- it also makes good business sense,” Mr.
Khan said. “Studies suggest that accessible websites appear higher up the
page rankings of search engines and can save costs on web maintenance.”



But many websites remain inaccessible for the visually impaired and the
blind. A recent study of the FTSE 100 companies in the United Kingdom
showed that around three quarters of company websites did not achieve basic
levels of accessibility. By not making their websites accessible, British
companies are forfeiting £80 million a year ($147 million) in lost revenue.



For further information, please contact Edoardo Bellando at the UN
Department of Public Information, <mailto:bellando@...> bellando@...





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