The Health and Disabilities Discussion and Text in the Context of WSIS / ICT. ( also [WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: [WSIS-CT] almost final version 4.3 of WSIS CS statement)

[Respectful_Interfaces at att.net]

Dear all:

The points made are illuminating from all perspectives.  What then is the fall-out or repercussions for ICT as we frame it now, looking toward a vast future past our first baby steps (?)

That is,  keeping our focus on a Civil Society, rights based approach to ICT presently, and  whether it is thought that 
(a) something may be overlooked if not expressly mentioned, 
or (b) have too much influence if expressly mentioned, or (c) ...** etc.

Still -   whatever the resolution  on present Health issues now and in the long run, it would seem unwise / unrealistic  to underestimate the huge, disproportional  impact of access difficulties of all sorts for persons with disabilities  - barriers both to retrieving and indeed creating and influencing information content and flow in computational contexts..

Therefore, whatever the Health section outcome, it is difficult to see why the Disabilities statements would need be diminished either "in equity" as a prior post suggested, or for any pragmatic, real-world day to day reasons.

Best wishes, LDMF.
Dr. Linda D. Misek-Falkoff
* Respectful Interfaces. *

** Note from above:  e,g, there seem not  too many options nominated here so far for the Health Statement, such as:

 "health"
"mental and physical health"
"physical and mental health"

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