A Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs (information and communication technologies) was held at the United Nations in New York City on Monday December 4, 2006 as part of the Celebration of International Day of Disabled Persons. It was organized by the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID), in partnership with W2i, the Wireless Internet Institute. As a first step to implementing Article 9 "Accessibility" of the full "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities," two expert sessions were held.

The first panel on "E-Accessibility" focused on accessibility barriers on the Internet and mainly addressed difficulties for persons with vision disabilities, although captioning of audio for persons with hearing disabilities was also mentioned as an important consideration. Case studies were presented about GE�s web site accessible design process, about IBM�s ecosystem usability/human factors approach. A UK report summarized the findings of a survey of accessibility of 100 web sites in 20 countries that found minimal accessibility of websites overall.

A second session created a Steering Committee that presented next steps and directions for a two-year "ICT Flagship Initiative" which will establish goals or targets to be reached. AAPD representative Jenifer Simpson, Director of Telecommunications and Technology Policy, encouraged the steering committee to address the linkage between employment and lack of accessible and available technology for persons with disabilities as among these goals. Other representatives highlighted the need for UN development projects to be inclusive of people with disabilities and about the need to be sure to address the needs of persons with hearing disabilities. Significantly, a representative from the International Parliamentary Union stated that "[disabled people are] a silent constituency that is becoming loud" and noted that worldwide "there are half a billion voters that need to be paid attention to by politicians."

As a result of the event, immediate tools to be created are likely to be a website for resources for this Global Alliance for Inclusive Communications Technology, development of a Digital Inclusion Index to measure accessibility, materials for dissemination and several more conferences.

UN Convention document on Rights of Persons with Disabilities

UK Internet Accessibility Report

UN Fact sheet about Persons with Disabilities