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Connected or r Left behind! Frontier Technologies and Innovation for Inclusive, Sustainable and Resilient Smart Cities Martine Abel-Williamson World Blind Union Treasurer and Strategic Lead, access to the built environment, transport and
Frontier Technologies and Innovation for Inclusive, Sustainable and Resilient Smart Cities – Martine Abel-Williamson – World Blind Union Treasurer and Strategic Lead, access to the built environment, transport and technology
Changing What It Means to be Blind!
Who is the WBU?
The World Blind Union (WBU) is the internationally recognized organization, representing the 253 million blind and vision impaired persons in 190 member countries. We are the Voice of Blind people, speaking to governments and international bodies on issues concerning blindness and vision impairments in conjunction with our members.
Changing What It Means to be Blind!
Exciting yet sobering statistics: ❖ While digitalization has brought many positive results they are too unevenly spread: ❖ Persons with disabilities represent 15% of the world’s population, yet 80% of them live in poverty and continue to face considerable barriers to participation in society; barriers that are exacerbated because of inaccessible physical, digital, cultural and social environments; ❖ More than 50 per cent of the world’s population is now connected to the internet, and since 2018 there have been more mobile phone subscriptions than people;
Changing What It Means to be Blind!
Exciting yet sobering statistics:
❖ Only about 15 per cent can afford access to broadband internet and nearly 2 billion people do not own a mobile phone; ❖ Worldwide, nearly 21 per cent of households in the bottom 40 per cent of their countries’ income distribution don’t have access to a mobile phone and 71 per cent don’t have access to the internet; Women are less likely than men to use digital technologies; Changing What It Means to be Blind!
Exciting yet sobering statistics:
❖ In the US disabled persons and their close family and friends do have a disposable income of $8 trillion USD, which boosts the economic call for increased accessibility and inclusion; ❖ At present 46 per cent of older persons are disabled; ❖ By 2030 1 billion people with disabilities will live in cities; ❖ By 2050 more than 20 per cent of people will live with some impairment; Changing What It Means to be Blind!
What is technological access?
❖ When it comes to ICT more specifically, accessibility is generally accepted as being the quality of a mainstream technology such as a computer, mobile phone, self-service kiosk, or piece of software, to be used by the widest range of users possible, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Changing What It Means to be Blind!
What is public procurement?
❖ Public procurement generally concerns the purchase of goods and services from private sector contractors and vendors in a transparent and competitive bidding process. Public procurement policies set the expectations, criteria, and limits for how goods, services, and infrastructure development will be purchased. Changing What It Means to be Blind!
What are policies for the public procurement of ICT accessibility?
❖ Public procurement processes have gained increased attention as an effective policy tool to promote the accessibility of ICT equipment, software, applications, and services purchased by governments or government-funded programs. It is common practice today for governments to promote ICT privacy and security by including them as part of their procurements. ICT accessibility can be added in a similar way. Changing What It Means to be Blind!
Important resources from G3ICT and their Smart Cities for All program :
Smart Cities for All Toolkit: ❖ This toolkit contains resources to help Smart Cities worldwide include a focus on ICT Accessibility and digital inclusion of persons With disabilities and older persons. ❖ The toolkit supports a range of organizations and Roles related to Smart Cities, including program Managers, policy makers, Chief Information Officers (CIOs), IT professionals, academics, procurement Officials, accessibility experts, technology suppliers to Smart Cities, developers who design Smart City Apps and solutions, and disability organizations and Advocates. Changing What It Means to be Blind!
❖ Guide to Implementing Priority ICT ❖ Accessibility Standards ❖ Accessible information and communications Technology (ICT) standards are key to designing a more inclusive approach to Smart Cities. ❖ This tool contains checklists that city leaders can use. ❖ It provides The business, human rights, and technical Arguments for stronger commitment to digital Inclusion of persons with disabilities and can be Used to help socialize the idea that a Smart City Must also be an accessible city with a variety of stakeholders. Visit www.smartcities4all.org and download additional tools Changing What It Means to be Blind!
Database of Solutions (Alpha version)
❖ This tool is being designed to showcase existing Products and solutions that can be deployed by Smart Cities to positively impact citizens in critical areas, such as independent living, public Safety, transportation, employment, and online Public services, etc. The database is being launched in Alpha version, including a proof of Concept note, roadmap for testing, examples of the more than 350 solutions currently in the DB, and a call to action to continue growing the Database as we move it to beta version. Contact: info@smartcities4all.org Changing What It Means to be Blind!
Mainstream technologies in use:
❖ Amazon’s Alexa and Alexa Show, ❖ Google Home, ❖ Mobile Apps in areas such as: ❖ GPS identification, ❖ Disaster risk reduction (DRR) and early warning systems, ❖ E-Purchasing.
Changing What It Means to be Blind!
Changing What It Means to be Blind!
The digital divide and barriers to inclusion:
❖ Are there accurate Apps to identify accessible rest room and toilet facilities, ❖ Are DRR apps inclusive to Deaf persons who’d require visual rather than audible warning signals (hence the need for Disability Inclusive DIDRR, ❖ Can Google, Amazon and other smart speakers provide plain language and pictorial explanations and answers, ❖ Lack of e-connectivity, ❖ Lack of electricity, solar and other modalities of power. Changing What It Means to be Blind!
The digital divide and barriers to inclusion:
❖ Transfer of affordable mainstream technologies, power source options and accessible product and service design to be promoted to bridge this inequality and prevent lost opportunities. ❖ We still need environments to be physical accessible. ❖ Technology is not the magic bullet. ❖ Accessible technology without accessible physical environments will lead to people being connected, yet isolated from peers in terms of face-to- face contact and ability to enjoy outdoor public spaces. ❖ “There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about” – Margaret Wheatley and we want you all to be a part of that community – and then to be part of the change! Changing What It Means to be Blind!