IGF 2022 WS #334 Building Digital Capabilities of PWDs in a Connected World

Organizer 1: Osei Manu Kagyah, Ghana Youth IGF
Organizer 2: Judith Hellerstein, Hellerstein & Associates

Speaker 1: Lidia Best, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 2: Muhammad Shabbir, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Reinaldo Ferraz, Technical Community, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)

Moderator

Osei Manu Kagyah, Civil Society, African Group

Online Moderator

Judith Hellerstein, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

Rapporteur

Peter Crosbie, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

Format

Round Table - Circle - 60 Min

Policy Question(s)

1. What are the different policies worldwide regarding PWDs adoption of ICT tools? What has been the shortfalls with such policies
2. What skills are needed by PWDs in the current technological climate to be part of the innovation process
3. What has been the challenges of PWDs in developing countries and what policies change can be adopted in terms of affordability of the internet for PWDs.
4. With regards to skills and work, how can right skills among PWDs be measured? How is the concept evolving in time and what does this evolution mean for policy?

Connection with previous Messages:

SDGs

4.4
4.7
8.1
8.3
10. Reduced Inequalities


Targets: The proposal in line with Sustainable development goal 4- Quality Education - Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. The theme of our proposal underscores the importance of how education should be inclusive and all encompassing and PWDs shoild be included in the education framework. This is central in achieving this sustainable development goal.

Goal 8 – Employment: Promoting inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment allowing persons with disabilities to fully access the job market.

Goal 10 – Social, political, and economic inclusion: Emphasizing the social, economic, and political inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Description:

The rapidly advancing information and communications technologies (ICTs) help in addressing social and economic problems and offer opportunities for learning, skill, and career development. However, marginalized groups and People Living with Disability continue to be left out in the conversation. It is hence necessary to be well-positioned to partake in and leverage these tools for growth. The World Bank reports that two main constraints to mobile broadband adoption across are related to affordability: the high price of mobile services and low purchasing power, as indicated by low household
consumption. PWDs who continue to be at the lower end of the economic spectrum fail to scale up. The aim of the session will explore conversations on how PWDs can build skills and access resources which can translate to innovation and technological solutions to drive development.

Expected Outcomes

Expected outcomes include:
● Improve the knowledge of PWDs in the multistakeholder policy development
process.
● Launch an outcome report capturing PWDs recommendations on various Internet
Governance issues and advance the conversation
● Advance conversations on how digital skills is pivotal and recommend time tested
policies to remedy shortfalls and gaps.

Hybrid Format: We will have a responsive online moderator with the opportunity for input from the participants. A hashtag for this event will be created to keep others engage on social media as quotes from speakers will be shared live for our social media audience. This will create an interactive live session.

Online Participation



Usage of IGF Official Tool.