25 September 2013 - A Philippines-sponsored event at the United Nations (UN) highlighted the important role of technology in “opening doors” for persons with disabilities throughout the world and in ensuring “truly inclusive growth and development through empowerment.”
At the event “Assistive Technology Opens Doors” held at the sidelines of the first-ever High-Level Meeting on Disability and Development on September 23, representatives from governments, the UN system, civil society and the private sector engaged in productive discussions on the need to harness technology to benefit and empower persons with disabilities.
Justice Undersecretary Leah Armamento and Shin Young-Soo of the World Health Organization (WHO) delivered the opening remarks at the well-attended event.
WHO Director Etienne Krug provided an overview of the global situation on assistive technologies and moderated the discussion. Filipino national Raissa Laurel, a double amputee, shared her personal experiences with assistive technology.
A lively panel discussion on global cooperation on assistive technology followed, led by Venus Ilagan, Secretary General of Rehabilitation International; Josephine Bundoc, In-Country Director of Walk Free Philippines; Suichi Ohno, Executive Director of The Nippon Foundation; Rob Horvath, Manager of Programs for Vulnerable Populations, USAID; and Geir Jensen of the International Disability Alliance.
The closing remarks were delivered by Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Innovation.
The event, which was also co-sponsored by WHO and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and supported by Cambodia Trust, International Disability Alliance, International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), Nippon Foundation, Rehabilitation International, USAID, UNICEF, and Walk Free Philippines, offered a unique multi-agency perspective on the value and importance of assistive technology as a tool for facilitating the global implementation of a disability-inclusive development agenda.
The historic high level meeting on disability and development stems from the Philippine initiative at the UN to mainstream disability in the millennium development goals and other internationally-agreed development goals towards 2015 and beyond. END