News releases

On 13 June 2022 the WHO, together with UNICEF, ATscale and GDI Hub, co-hosted a side event to the 15th Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Introduced by WHO’s Mariângela Simão, Assistant Director General, Access to Medicines and Health Products and UNICEF’s Eva Kadili, Director of Supply Division, panelists including Fernando Botelho from UNICEF, Firoz Alizada from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit, Kartik Sawheny from the Network of Young People with Disabilities and Bernard Chiira of Innovate Now introduced the Global Report on assistive technology from their perspectives. Moderated by disability youth advocate Dido Manolov, this event provided a unique opportunity to ask questions about the report and share in a discussion about next steps, looking further at how governments, business, decision makers, academics and individuals can be drivers to change, in this hugely underestimated sector.

The first-ever Global Report on assistive technology, prepared by the WHO and UNICEF, was launched in May. It provides the latest population data, a global snapshot of access to AT and covers policy, product and workforce availability, and service delivery. The Global Report clearly shows the significant unmet and growing need, which is most pressing in low- and middle-income countries. Ten key recommendations in the report highlight the way forward.

Event recordings:

Speaker view

Side-by-side view (for international sign language)

Other languages:

Arabic

French

Spanish