Accessibility with Reasonable Adaptation

ESCWA Launches Specialized Website at Meeting on Information and Communication Technology for Persons with Disability

Beirut, 25 May 2004 (United Nations Information Service)-- A specialized website for the disabled in the Arab world was unveiled by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA) at the opening of an expert group meeting on "Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Persons with Disabilities", which began today at the UN House and will continue until 26 May.

An introduction and briefing were provided on the new website for the visually impaired, including a demonstration of the use of the "Net Forum for the Visually Impaired". The website is part of a field project entitled: "Homepage-Based Online Braille Documentation Center and Dissemination of Information about the Latest Accessible Information and Communication Technologies for Visually Impaired End-Users". It represents the second phase of an expanded project entitled: "Braille Computer Training for the Visually Impaired". Both projects have been implemented by UN ESCWA in cooperation with the Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND), and the New York-based UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), who helped fund them.

The meeting was inaugurated by Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Asaad Diab, who was joined by ESCWA Deputy Executive Secretary Mariam Al-Awadhi and President of the Arab Organization of Disabled People Nawaf Kabbarah.

Minister Diab said the issue of the disabled was a vital one that the world was taking very seriously. "If we manage to unite our efforts and capabilities," he said, "then we can reach solutions agreeable to all." He considered the meeting to be an uplifting case of Arab brethren coming together to serve the needs of disabled people in ICT, which has become part of their daily lives. "The digital community has become a necessity and we must be aware of that," noted Diab, "or else we will not be able to progress and advance."

The minister also believed that cooperation and sharing of knowledge might best serve the interests of this segment of the population. He called for a comprehensive survey of disability in the region; establishing a network to link concerned individuals and groups over the Internet, and try to have continuous training. "We are in an afflicted region," Diab said, "Most of the disabilities we suffer from are the result of unjust wars. The impairment in psyche, justice and humanity are much greater problems than physical disability, for which solutions can be found."

For her part, Al-Awadhi assured participants that ESCWA invested great importance in the role of specialized technology in enhancing and developing the capacities of those with special needs and improving their life. "The concept of specialized technology represents a new environment for them to interact and participate in," said Al-Awadhi, "It is a work environment conducive to opening new horizons for them in training; studying; long-distance education; information-gathering; finding new job opportunities; empowerment; national, Arab and international networking; merging, knowledge-building, closing the digital divide between those who are impaired and those who are not; e-commerce; and internet surfing." According to Al-Awadhi, this was the reason behind ESCWA's move, within civil projects, to implement a number of activities aimed at self-reliance. These activities include computer training using Braille and physio-Braille, which enable the visually impaired to read electronic text on Braille-enabled monitors; transfer of information from the Internet to computers where it can be read or Braille-printed; reading online newspapers, and surfing the Internet.

Kabbarah said it was clear to everyone that ICT had made intellectual creativity a cornerstone of economic progress and a gateway to getting jobs in today's globalized world. "In this framework," he said, "Such progress has allowed the disabled to compete with the rest of society in programming, computer work, and intellectual production. What we need today is to work as rapidly as possible to insure that disabled persons gain knowledge in this domain and take advantage of the new energy available to us by making it accessible to all so that its benefits might be enjoyed by all." Kabbarah said, "We, in the Arab Organization of Disabled People, support convening this expert group meeting and look forward to reaping its benefit in terms of making technological knowledge known to all the disabled, especially the visually impaired, since it is they who suffer, who have the right to job opportunities that wipe away their despair and depression."

Organized by UN ESCWA in cooperation with UN DESA, the meeting aims at further equalization of opportunities for disabled persons in social life and development by promoting the use of appropriate information and communication technology (ICT). Towards achieving this goal, the meeting will focus on issues such as the exchange of information and awareness-building concerning available technologies for the visually impaired in developed and Arab countries; review of the existing situation regarding accessibility to and use of computer technology in Arab countries especially with regard to visually impaired Arab men and women; the impact of ICT accessibility on improving their quality of life; and the policy guidelines for special needs provision in terms of specialized technology for the visually impaired/blind in Arab countries.

Participants in the meeting include representatives of Arab governments, non-governmental organizations, international and regional organizations specialized in disability, representatives of United Nations bodies and specialized agencies, private sector companies specialized in technology for the visually impaired, civil society, Arab experts in the field, as well as participants with visual and hearing impairment.

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