[WSIS CS-Plenary] Disability Caucus Chapter for CS Statement

[Hiroshi Kawamura]

$B%V%i%s%/(BDear Ralf:

Thank you very much for your patience.
Please find attached text of WSIS Disability Caucus for Section III of the 
CS Statement.

Best regards and a Happy New Year

Hiroshi Kawamura
WSIS CS Disability Focal Point

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Universal Design and Assistive Technologies

We are pleased to note that WSIS has identified the fact that ICT Design is 
the core issue of Digital Divide of persons with disabilities. The Tunis 
Agenda for the Information Society clearly states in its paragraph 90e 
$B!H(Bpaying special attention to the formulation of universal design concepts 
and the use of assistive technologies that promote access for all persons, 
including those with disabilities$B!I(B.  With great efforts of all stake 
holders, in particular of those with disabilities, we recognize significant 
advancement in the common understanding on the Digital Divide of persons 
with disabilities and strategies to achieve the targets set out in the 
Geneva Plan of Action to be achieved by ICT development with Universal 
Design Concept in combination with Assistive Technologies that meet specific 
requirements of persons with disabilities to make Digital Opportunities a 
reality.

 In terms of equal opportunities of participation of persons with 
disabilities in WSIS process of that was addressed in the Declaration of the 
Global Forum on Disability in the Information Society in Geneva, we are 
grateful for all efforts extended by the Tunisian Civil Society and the 
Tunisian Organizing Committee, WSIS Executive Secretariat who established 
the focal point for participants with disabilities at the last stage, and 
WSIS Disability Caucus. However, there are still a lot to do to ensure equal 
participation of persons with disabilities in the WSIS Action Plan 
implementation stage.

 The second phase Global Forum on Disability in the Information Society 
successfully concluded in Tunis with a declaration that reiterates strategy 
set out by Tunis Agenda with emphasis on equal partnership of persons with 
disabilities as contributors in the society.
Through the Tunis Declaration, all participants of the Forum and persons 
with disabilities across the world;
1. Call upon all governments, private sectors, civil society and 
international organizations to make the implementation, evaluation and 
monitoring of all WSIS documents, both from the first and second phase, 
inclusive to persons with disabilities;
2. Strongly urge that persons with disabilities and our needs be included in 
all aspects of designing, developing, distributing and deploying of 
appropriation strategies of information and communication technologies, 
including information and communication services, so as to ensure 
accessibility for persons with disabilities, taking into account the 
universal design principle and the use of assistive technologies;
3. Strongly request that any international, regional and national 
development program, funding or assistance, aimed to achieve the inclusive 
information society be made disability-inclusive, both through mainstreaming 
and disability-specific approaches;
4. Urge all governments to support the process of negotiation, adoption, 
ratification and implementation of the International convention on the 
rights of persons with disabilities, in particular through enactment of 
national legislation, as it contains strong elements concerning information 
and communication accessibility for persons with disabilities.

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