PROGRAMME FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DISABLED PERSONS TO STRESS NEED FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

Press Release

PROGRAMME FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DISABLED PERSONS TO STRESS NEED FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

The theme of this year's International Day of Disabled Persons -- to be observed on Sunday (3 December) -- will be "Making information technologies work for all."

To mark the observance, the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs are to hold a special non- governmental organizations (NGOs) briefing tomorrow (30 November). It will take place in Conference Room 4 at 10:30 a.m. and will be open to delegations and media.

Concern is mounting that the world's 600 million disabled persons -- or 10 per cent of the world's population, who stand to benefit the most from new technologies -- may be left behind. New technologies can greatly enhance the lives of disabled people. Through the Internet, for example it is possible for disabled persons to communicate and interact on a virtually level playing field -- if they have access to the appropriate technologies.

At the moment, most disabled persons do not have that type of access. In fact, 80 per cent of the world's disabled persons live in developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that they tend to be poorer and less educated than their neighbours.

Having access to the Internet still does not mean that disabled persons have access to information, because much Web design is not disabled person friendly, and many Web pages fail to provide information in alternative form for those who are disabled.

Leaders from 117 countries agreed at the 1995 World Summit for Social Development, and again at a General Assembly special session this year, to review progress. It was determined that special efforts were needed to enhance the opportunities of disabled persons to fully participate in society. Nevertheless, many NGOs report that progress has been extremely slow.

Speaking at tomorrow's briefing will be Clinton Rapley, of the Division for Social Policy and Development in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs; David Henderson, Secretary-General of Rehabilitation International, an NGO in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and associated with the DPI, and Avraham Rabby, Senior Advisor at the United States Mission to the United Nations.

For more information, please contact Dan Shepard, United Nations, DPI, Public Affairs Division – tel: (212) 963-2191, fax: (212) 963-1186 or e-mail: shepard@un.org.

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