Tag: United Nations

Live Webcast on Dec 3 from the UNITAR/G3ict Seminar at the UN

Karen Mardahl on

Follow a live webcast from the United Nations on Dec 3rd from 9:30 – 13:30 ET on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities!

The event is "Implementing the Digital Accessibility Agenda of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities for Signatory States". It is the Third Global Forum – a UNITAR/G3ict Seminar – being held at the UN Headquarters in New York City.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will be giving the opening remarks at the seminar.

G3ict, the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies, is hosting the event. See the Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) series and the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  Updated

Read the agenda, or register at the UNITAR Web site. The webcast will be aired live at https://webtv.un.org/.

Why should you follow the webcast? From the email announcement of the seminar:

On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the seminar aims to contribute to the rapid and effective implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in general and its digital accessibility agenda by:

  1. Providing an overview over the provisions and the status of the Convention
  2. Introducing participants into the Digital Accessibility Agenda of the Convention
  3. Reviewing the practical implications for signatory states with regard to provisions pertaining to digital accessibility
  4. Sharing knowledge among key stakeholders on how ICT accessibility mandates can be best met, and the role that ICT vendors, users and policy makers can play in support its implementation
  5. Presenting tools and resources available to policy makers and civil society to monitor and implement the Digital Accessibility Agenda of the Convention.

Share your experience of the webcast here in the comments section of this blog entry.

International Disability: Australia and New Zealand

Cynthia A. Lockley on
  • Disability and Carers Programs and Services within the Austrailian Government Department of Social Services.  New
  • Digital Access Consulting at Vision Australia is recognised internationally as an industry leader in the provision of digital accessibility services, equally addressing the needs of all disability groups. Specialising in web accessibility consultancy, training and testing, our services are expertly designed to help our customers make their digital presence accessible to all. [Australia]
    • Colour Contrast Analyser for Web Pages The Colour Contrast Analyser is compatible with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2 (WCAG 2.0). It is primarily a tool for checking foreground and background colour combinations to determine if they provide good colour visibility. It also contains functionality to create simulations of certain visual conditions such as colour blindness. The contrast ratio helps determine whether or not the contrast between two colours can be read by people with colour blindness or other visual impairments. [Australia]
    • Web Accessibility Toolbar for IE – 2012 can assist in evaluating a web page for compliance to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0 (WCAG 2.0). The WAT was developed by Steve Faulkner in a collaboration between Vision Australia, The Paciello Group (Europe) and Jun of the Web Accessibility Tools Consortium. [Australia]
  • Delta Therapy Dogs the human-animal bond improves quality of life. We believe in the social, emotional and physiological benefits of positive interaction between people and therapy animals. Our programs include visits to hospitals, aged care facilities, mental health facilities, dementia wards, palliative care, disability services, health clinics, schools, correctional facilities and workplaces.
  • The The Delta Centre – is the National Resource Centre for Participation and Accessibility for persons with disabilities.
  • Web Accessibility Laws & Policies: Australia lists governmental policies related to web accessibility.
  • Australian Centre for Disability Law
  • ARATA – Australian Rehabilitation & Assistive Technology Association "ARATA is a national association whose purpose is to serve as a forum for issues in rehabilitation and assistive technology." [Australia]
  • The Australian Muscular Dystrophy Association [Australia]
  • Australian Network on Disability (AND) is a not-for-profit organisation resourced by its members to advance the inclusion of people with disability in all aspects of business. We help our members and clients to welcome people with disability as employees, customers and suppliers. We are not an employment agency, and do not find jobs for people with disability. Rather, we work with our member organisations so that they become more confident and prepared to welcome people with disability into their organisations. [Australia]
  • Australian Resuscitation Council [Australia]
  • Australasian Sleep Association (ASA) [Australia]
  • Assistive Technology Help Ministry of Education [NZ] [New Zealand]
  • Disability Rights policy and projects within the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission [Australia]
  • e-Bility is a one-stop accessible marketplace for all new and used disability equipment and products. Established in 1998, eBility is owned by IDEAS, the knowledge experts in fact-checked verified disability information and connection. [Australia]  Updated
  • Intellectual Disability Rights Service (IDRS) of New South Wales (NSW) is a specialist legal advocacy service for people with intellectual disability in New South Wales. We work with and for people with intellectual disability to exercise and advance their rights. [Australia]
  • International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) a United Nations sanctioned day aimed at increasing public awareness, understanding and acceptance of persons with disability and in celebrating the achievements and contributions of people with disability. [Australia]
  • NV Access home of the free NVDA screen reader. NVDA software enables blind and vision impaired people to use a computer by communicating what is on the screen using a synthetic voice or braille. [Australia]
  • Media Access Australia is Australia's only independent not-for-profit organisation devoted to increasing access to media for people with a disability. Access to media, enabled through technology, empowers people to be independent, gain knowledge, make their own choices and be active members of our society. We promote inclusion by providing information and expertise on the accessibility of mainstream technologies to government, industry, educators, consumer organisations and individuals. Captions and audio description can be used to enhance access to cinema, theatre, video, exhibits at museums and galleries, even architecture and historical sites.
  • Special Education Ministry of Education [New Zealand]  Updated
  • Ministry of Education, Special Education Services and Support, Assistive Technology [New Zealand]
  • Solve TAD (formerly TADVIC) is a not-for-profit disability solutions organisation that makes and modifies equipment for people with disabilities whose needs cannot be met commercially. TAD provides personalised technology, equipment and services for people of any age and disability. Their core workforce are skilled volunteers who design and build custom equipment to help people achieve their goals. [Australia]  Updated
  • Website Accessibility in Australia: A Definitive Guide (2023) [Australia]  New