The WHO-UNICEF Global Report on Assistive Technology: Moving forward together

Policy session at the ICCHP-AAATE joint conference, 14 July 2022, 14.00-16.00 h.

Organised by AAATE and GAATO, in collaboration with WHO and UNICEF

On the 16^th of May 2022 the first Global Report on Assistive Technology was launched by the WHO and UNICEF. Over 500 experts worldwide have contributed to the writing of this report which was commissioned by the WHO General Assembly in 2018. The report is a landmark in the efforts of the global community of stakeholders to present the global situation and challenges related to access to assistive technology.

But what are the next steps, and how can the different stakeholders contribute in advancing access to AT worldwide? The report makes relevant recommendations that are worth to be discussed and transformed into action.

AAATE, in line with its mission and tradition, and together with its sister organisations united in the Global Alliance of Assistive Technology Organizations (GAATO), aims to play a key role in facilitating the dialogue between stakeholders regarding the global challenges in AT.

During a policy session at the Inclusion Forum of the ICCHP-AAATE joint conference we will discuss the recommendations and explore the priorities for action with a panel of stakeholders. 

The questions central in the debate will be:

• What is the added value of the report and how can it be used by different stakeholders to improve the impact of their work?
• Which actions should be undertaken to implement the recommendations and what are the priorities for further action?

Programme

Moderators: Evert-Jan Hoogerwerf (AIAS Bologna onlus) & Laura Alčiauskaitė (ENIL)

1. Presentation of the Global Report and its recommendations – Johan Borg (lead editor)

2. Prerecorded intervention from Inmaculada Placencia Porrero (EC)

3. Discussion with the panellists:

-Chapal Khasnabis (WHO)

-Dennis C. Søndergård (UNICEF)

-Giampiero Griffo (DPI & EDF)

-Henk Herman Nap (ISG)

-Malcolm MacLachlan (Irish Health Service)

-Jamie Danemayer (UCL/GDI hub)

-Luc de Witte (GAATO)

-Katerina Mavrou (AAATE)

-Thomas Bignal (EASPD)

4. Final considerations and wrapping up by Wei Zhang (WHO) and Luc de Witte (GAATO)

During the session participants will be invited to use their communication devices to express themselves on the recommendations and the next steps. The results will be commented on by the panel.  The outcomes will impact on the strategies of GAATO and AAATE for the next years and the proposals for joint work between GAATO, WHO and others.