The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: How Does it Impact the Internet?

1
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities How Does it Impact the Internet?

• Cynthia D. Waddell, Juris Doctor

2
Overview- UNCRPD How Does it Impact the Internet?

• UNCRPD Background
• Equal Access to the Internet
• Accessible Web Design and Implementation
• Best Practices in Government and Procurement
• Resources Available

3
UNCRPD- Background

• UN Convention on Rights of Persons with
  Disabilities Adopted by General Assembly 13
  December 2006
• Addresses Rights of 650 Million Persons with
  Disabilities and Impacts 2 Billion Persons
  including Family Members of Persons with
  Disabilities

4
UNCRPD- Background

• Number of Signatories on Opening Day 30 March
  2007 were Highest in History
• Treaty Entered into Legal Force 3 May
  2008
• 136 Signatories to Convention 79 to the Optional
  Protocol as of November 2008

5
(No Transcript)
6
Equal Access to the Internet

• States Parties Shall Ensure Internet Access for
  Persons with Disabilities, on an Equal Basis with
  Others, by
• Promoting Accessibility Article
  9(2)(g)
• Promoting Accessible ICT or Web to minimize cost
  at early stage in Design, Development, Production
  and Distribution Article 9(2)(h)

7
Accessible Web Design

• States Parties under the General Obligations of
  Treaty Article 4 Are Required To
• Promote Universal Design in Development of
  Standards Guidelines
• Promote Assistive Technologies in Research,
  Development, Availability and Affordability
• Provide Accessible Information about New
  Technologies and Support Services
• Promote Training on the Convention

8
Accessible Web Implementation

• Statistical Data Collection
  Collect Statistical Research Data to Assess
  Convention Implementation and to Identify
  Barriers Data Itself to be Accessible
  Article 31
• International Cooperation
• Facilitate Research Access to Scientific
  Technical Knowledge Provide Technical Economic
  Assistance Technology Transfer Article 32

9
Best Practices for Government

• Mainstreaming Disability Issues for sustainable
  development
• Supporting Cross-Disability Stakeholder
  Engagement
• Accessible Web Sites Documents
• Real Time Captioning
• Accessible Online Conferencing

10
Best Practices in Procurement

• Canada- Accessible Procurement Toolkit at
  www.apt.gc.ca
• Ireland-Accessible IT Procurement Toolkit at
  accessit.nda.ie
• USA- Buy Accessible Wizard at www.buyaccessible.go
  v

11
Resources

• Web Accessibility Web Standards and Regulatory
  Compliance
• By Jim Thatcher, Cynthia Waddell et al
• Published by Apress 2006
• ISBN 1-59059-638-2
• Published in Japanese 2007
• ISBN 978-4-8399-2220-7

12
Resources

• Handbook for Parliamentarians on the
  Convention
• Available Free Online at
  
• www.un.org/disabilities

13
Resources

• Involving People with Disabilities in
  the Standardisation Process
  by Dr. John Gill OBE
  Chief Scientist, Royal
  National Institute of Blind People
• Available Free Online at
  
• www.tiresias.org/publications/
  disabilities_standardisation/ index.htm

14
Contact Information
Cynthia WADDELL Executive Director Law, Policy
and Technology Subject Matter Expert International
Center for Disability Resources on the Internet
(ICDRI) E-mail cynthia.waddell_at_icdri.org Web
www.icdri.org