[WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: [Pwd] Disability Caucus Intervention for 23rd

[l.d.misek-falkoff]

Dear Hiroshi:

Thank you for sharing this intervention.  It seemed like universal design
principles were set to be included, and it is excellent that you are making
this point with emphasis.

We do know some business realities, but the WHAT surely must be mapped out
before the HOW is developed.

Best wishes, LDMF.

------------
L. D. Misek-Falkoff, Ph.D., J.D..
Today's Signature Line note:  New:  join
www.yahoogroups.com/groups/pwpi-portal   People with Pain International /
and / HRPP Human Rights of People with Pain.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hiroshi Kawamura" <h3kawa at yahoo.co.jp>
To: <pwd at wsis-cs.org>
Cc: <plenary at wsis-cs.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 5:56 AM
Subject: [Pwd] Disability Caucus Intervention for 23rd


> Please find CS Disability Caucus intervention in writing that replaces
previously distributed text of
> my potential intervention for 3 minutes at the plenary today. Actually,
the speaking slot for today
> was cancelled but my written intervention is permitted to be circulated to
government delegates.
>
> Best
>
> Hiroshi Kawamura
> CS Disability Caucus Focal Point
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------
>
> Intervention from Civil Society Disability Caucus on Political Chapeau
paragraph 5
>
> Hiroshi Kawamura
> CS Disability Focal Point
> The DAISY Consortium
> Contact address:
> National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities Research
Institute
> 4-1 Namiki, Tokorozawa-shi 359-8555
> Japan
> hkawa at attglobal.net
>
>
> On behalf of the Disability Caucus of Civil Society, I would like to
suggest as follows.
>
> In the Political Chapeau paragraph 5, I am afraid that one of the most
important key principles to
> bridge the digital divide is missing. Geneva Declaration of Principles
paragraph 25 identifies
> $B!H(Buniversal design and the use of assistive technologies$B!I(B as one of the
key principles. This is the
> design goal of ICT development to guarantee the digital opportunity for
all of us including persons
> with physical, cognitive/intellectual or mental disabilities.
>
> Everybody has special needs to be met by assistive technologies and
universally designed ICT as part
> of whole life. It is always very important to develop use scenarios or use
cases to develop
> Information and Communication Technologies.
>
> For example, Tsunami alerting system must deliver information to those who
cannot hear, see and have
> difficulty to understand in the language used. People need to be well
informed and trained to evacuate
> safely with neighbors who may not able to evacuate by themselves with
various reasons. Signs and
> symbols in accessible format must clearly indicate where to go and what to
do in the event of
> disasters.
> Based on realistic use scenarios, we will be able to develop ICT
applications that will  support safe
> evacuation of all people in the region.
>
> We learned a lot from those victims of disasters, who lost their lives or
injured physically and
> mentally, to identify the requirements to develop universally designed
early warning system that is
> accessible and easy to understand for everybody. Persons with disabilities
are best collaborators to
> identify use scenarios from different point of views to develop not only
assistive technologies but
> also inclusive ICT design for all.
>
> Therefore, in order to stipulate such principle design goal for ICT
development for everybody and
> guarantee participation of persons with disabilities as equal partners in
ICT development process, I
> propose to insert
> $B!H(Bpromote universal design and assistive technologies$B!I(B in the paragraph 5
of political chapeau.
> The Civil Society Disability Caucus will be very pleased to collaborate to
implement this design
> principle throughout the implementation process of action plan to be
adopted in Tunis as one of stake
> holders.
>
>
> [Annex: proposed revised text of Political Chapeau paragraph 5]
>
> 5. We reaffirm our resolution in the quest to ensure that everyone can
benefit from the opportunities
> that ICTs can offer, by recalling that governments, as well as private
sector, civil society and the
> United Nations and other international organizations, should work together
to: improve access to
> information and communication infrastructure and technologies as well as
to information and knowledge;
> build capacity; increase confidence and security in the use of ICTs;
create an enabling environment at
> all levels; develop and widen ICT applications; foster and respect
cultural diversity; recognize the
> role of the media; address the ethical dimensions of the Information
Society; promote universal design
> and assistive technologies; and encourage international and regional
cooperation. We confirm that
> these are the key principles for building an inclusive Information
society, the elaboration of which
> is found in the Geneva Declaration of Principles.
>