[bcab] E-accessibility to be Theme for International Day of Disabled Persons

United Nations 
MEDIA ADVISORY 


E-ACCESSIBILITY TO BE THEME FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY 
OF DISABLED PERSONS 2006



UNITED NATIONS, 26 July -- 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 today. 

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 Department of 
Public Information, 212-963-8275, bellando@xxxxxx <mailto:bellando@xxxxxx> .

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