Agenda

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the shortcomings and inequalities in the education, and persons with disabilities appeared in the most vulnerable situation. The information society provides persons with disabilities with significant opportunities for lifelong learning and also, through obtaining relevant digital skills (SDG4, target 4.4), for employment. In this context, ICT-accessibility plays a critical role. Strengthening digital skills and practical means to achieve real digital inclusion is set as a priority topic for the UNECE countries at the forthcoming ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference (June 2022).

In 2021, ITU Regional Office for CIS conducted a holistic overview of the ICT accessibility policy and regulatory frameworks in European and Central Asian countries of the CIS region, which serves to provide advice to policy-makers and stakeholders throughout the region in the form of good practices and recommendations to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers to accessibility, notably to information, communications and other services, including electronic services and emergency services.

The latest UNESCO IITE policy brief on impact of the pandemic on persons with disabilities in education places special emphasis on the feasible approaches, means and solutions to maintain continuity of and achieve authentic inclusion in the education of persons with disabilities through alternative delivery modalities, most notably via open and distance learning.

As digital means are not only a solution to an emergency, but a long-term investment towards inclusion, sustainability and resilience, this event provides a platform for Member States and other stakeholders to discuss challenges, opportunities, and necessary policy actions, as well as practical issues of digital inclusion and educating persons with disabilities in digital skills.

Agenda 
timing is expressed in CEST (UTC+2)

08:30 – 08:35 Opening remarks

08:35 – 08:45 ICT accessibility study for CIS region, ITU

08:45 – 08:55 Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on PWD in education, UNESCO IITE

08:55 – 09:40 Interactive panel discussion

Question 1: What are the challenges and what activities you undertake to foster digital skills development for PWD? How do you see it supports eliminating obstacles and barriers to accessibility in education?

Question 2: How the potential of digital technology can further galvanize digital inclusion in the near future?

09:40 – 09:45 Wrap-up