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With audio description in English

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qretWnmHP50

With audio description in French

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkShnJHXyKM

With audio description in Spanish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7VgqokpS_o

This 45 second film shows Times Square on 23 September 2024 as campaigners came together to call on decision-makers, gathered In New York for the United Nations General Assembly, to prioritize policies that will improve the lives of hundreds of millions of people, including those with disabilities, chronic health conditions, physical impairments, and older people around the world. Huge billboards in Times Square unveiled a giant eye test, believed to be the largest ever displayed. The eye test transformed into a powerful message: “Need Glasses? one billion people around the world do today”, highlighting one of several life-transforming assistive products campaigners are calling for better access to.

Currently, more than 2.5 billion people need one or more assistive product, such as wheelchairs, prostheses, glasses, hearing aids and digital devices, worldwide – expected to rise to 3.5 billion by 2050 if policymakers continue to neglect the issue and choose not to increase investment. It is low-middle income countries that shoulder the highest burden, with only 10% of people in low-income countries able to access the products they need, leading to hundreds of millions of people today effectively ‘locked-out’ of education and the workforce. Find out more here: https://unlocktheeveryday.org/press-release/ 

🎉Let’s unlock the everyday for everyone, everywhere. 

#UnlockTheEveryday #SummitOfTheFuture #UNGA79 

 

UN warned it won’t achieve Sustainable Development Goals without increasing access to assistive technology 

Campaigners call for policies that will enable millions more to access education and employment 

Listen to the audio description of what happened in Times Square:

In English: LINK

In French: LINK

In Spanish: LINK

Campaigners took over Times Square yesterday to call on decision-makers gathering for the United Nations General Assembly to prioritise policies that will improve the lives of millions of people, including those with disabilities, chronic health conditions, physical impairments, and older people around the world.

Campaigners from the US, Europe and Africa and local community groups in New York to send a strong message to the policymakers gathered for the UN’s landmark Summit of the Future, part of this year’s General Assembly. We won’t achieve the SDGs without increasing access to assistive technology!

Without increased investment and national policies to improve access to assistive technology, they warn that it will be impossible for UN Member States to meet the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – especially overcoming poverty (goal #1), good health and well-being (goal #3) enabling quality education (goal #4), gender equality (#5), reducing equalities (goal #10), and unlocking decent work and economic growth (goal #8).

The Times Square take-over saw advocates unveil a giant eye test, believed to be the largest ever displayed. The eye test transformed into a powerful message: “Need Glasses? one billion people around the world do today”, highlighting one of several life-transforming assistive products campaigners are calling for better access to. 

Currently, more than 2.5 billion people need one or more assistive product, such as wheelchairs, prostheses, glasses, hearing aids and digital devices, worldwide – expected to rise to 3.5 billion by 2050 if policymakers continue to neglect the issue and choose not to increase investment. It is low-middle income countries that shoulder the highest burden, with only 10% of citizens in low-income countries able to access the products they need, leading to millions of people today effectively ‘locked-out’ of education and the workforce.

The Times Square event was organised by Unlock The Everyday, a campaign backed by health and development organisations from around the world, including WHO, UNICEF, CHAI and ATscale, the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology. ATscale’s research has found that for a child in a low- or middle-income country, access to assistive technology can later make a difference of US$100,000 in lifetime income.

Sara Minkara, Special Advisor, Office of International Disability Rights, US Department of State, attended the campaign events in New York and commented:

“In the disability community, we talk about how we not only need to bring our voices to the table, but how that table needs to be made accessible. Assistive technology (AT) is one way we can make that table accessible. When informed by universal design, accounting for the expertise and requirements of the disability community, we can remove the barriers for new generations of policymakers, business leaders, and educators. What ATscale is doing through its Unlock the Everyday campaign is keeping accessibility at the center of the discussion so that anyone who needs assistive technology has access to it. 

“I am a proud user of AT. With AT, I can read my crime thrillers, keep up to date with friends and family, and collaborate with my colleagues from around the world. However, if the technology I’m using isn’t being developed with persons with disabilities in mind, suddenly I am excluded from a world I enjoy. That is what happens to the nearly 90% of people in developing countries who don’t have access to AT. Accessibility, whether it’s establishing AT access or incorporating accessibility into AT products, can be what makes the difference in someone leading an enriching and fulfilling life.”

Others gathered for the Times Square take-over and evening reception included:

  • Christophe Tocco, Acting Assistant to the Administrator in the Bureau for Planning, Learning and Resource Management, USAID 
  • Representatives from ATscale, including CEO Pascal Bijleveld
  • Anne Wafula Strike MBE – British Paralympian and disability rights advocate
  • Giles Duly, the first United Nations Global Advocate for persons with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations and CEO of the Legacy of War Foundation
    • Nigerian poet/advocate and influencer Maryam Bukar Hassan
  • Members of New York organisations for people with disabilities and members of the public who use assistive technology.

Pascal Bijleveld, CEO at ATscale, who was at Times Square, commented:

“The central promise of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is to ‘Leave No One Behind’’. As delegates agree upon this year’s Summit for the Future, we remind them that it is impossible to keep this promise without universal access to assistive technology.”

“Gathering together in Times Square, the Unlock The Everyday campaign and its supporters sent a vital message to decision-makers to prioritise funding and policy change to reduce this gap in access, and help to transform millions of lives around the world from a life of dependency to a life of opportunity. We hope they have heard us loud and clear.”

As well as the Times Square event, ATscale hosted a session at UNGA’s Summit of the Future Action Day on 20 September, which focused on exploring how multi-stakeholder partnerships in education and assistive technology can transform education and employment opportunities for children and young people with disabilities.

More information about the Unlock The Everyday campaign can be found here: www.unlocktheeveryday.org 

Assistive technology: Key facts – the global challenge

  • Today 2.5 billion people need at least one form of assistive technology and most people will require assistive technology at some point in their lifetime, whether because of a disability, injuries or simply old age. By 2050 this figure is likely to rise to 3.5 billion.
    • Without access to assistive technology, when it is needed, more than 30% of the global population will struggle to meet their most basic human needs.
    • At least 1 billion people around the world need glasses
    • Hearing aids are available to just 20 percent of the hundreds of millions of people with hearing loss.
    • Prostheses are available to just 20 percent of the roughly 65 million people who need them and demand is expected to double by 2050
    • Wheelchairs are available for just 5 to 35 percent of the 80 million people who need them. Of these 65 million are in low- and middle-income countries
  • Improving access to AT is a powerful way to accelerate progress towards all of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those relating to overcoming poverty, good health, quality education, gender equality, reducing inequalities, decent work and climate action.

                                                         -ENDS –

Notes to editor 

If you’re a journalist and want to find out more about the campaign or interview a spokesperson, please contact: UnlocktheEveryday@grayling.com / +44 2038613719

About Assistive technology

Assistive technology (AT) is an umbrella term for assistive products such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, prostheses, eyeglasses or digital devices, and their related systems and services. AT can facilitate people’s ability to move, communicate, and see better than before. People in need of assistive technology include people with chronic health conditions or physical impairments, temporary injuries and diseases, older people, and people with disabilities.

The first Global Report on Assistive Technology, published in 2022 by WHO and UNICEF, can be found here: Global Report on Assistive Technology (who.int)

Why assistive technology matters for reaching the SDGs: Why does Assistive Technology matter to the SDGs? — ATscale (atscalepartnership.org)

About the campaign

Unlock the Everyday is the first ever global campaign on assistive technology, which aims to raise awareness of assistive technology and people’s right to access it, no matter their income or where they live.

More information about the campaign can be found here: www.UnlockTheEveryday.org 

About ATscale

ATscale is a global partnership working to transform access to life-changing assistive technology across lower- and middle-income countries. Its vision is to ensure every person can access and afford the assistive technology they need, enabling a lifetime of potential. Partners      include the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the US Agency for International Development (USAID), China Disabled Person’s Federation (CDPF) the Government of Kenya, the Southern Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD) the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the International Disability Alliance. The organization is hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). 

About the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the Pact for the Future

The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The 17 SDGs are integrated—they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. Countries have committed to prioritize progress for those who’re furthest behind. The SDGs are designed to end poverty, hunger, AIDS, and discrimination against women and girls. More information on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be found here: Sustainable Development Goals | United Nations Development Programme (undp.org)

More information about the UN’s Summit of the Future and resulting Pact for the Future, can be found here: Pact : Summit of the Future (summitofthefutureun.org) 

Monday 23 September

Listen to the audio description of what is happening in Times Square:

In English: LINK

In French: LINK

In Spanish: LINK

Unlock The EveryDay campaigners are taking over Times Square today to call on decision-makers to prioritize policies that will improve the lives of millions of people, including those with disabilities, chronic health conditions, physical impairments, and older people around the world.

As world leaders are coming together in New York on 23 and 24 September 2024 for the UN Summit of the Future, the Unlock The Everyday campaign will use this moment to draw urgent attention to the one billion people around the world in need of assistive technology. 

For 15 minutes, at 1pm and 7pm on 23 September, the screens at 2 Times Square will showcase eye-catching visuals on a short 10-15 second loop. 

Campaigners from the US, Europe and Africa, representatives of development agencies including USAID and officials from New York City Hall, have come together in New York to send a stark message to the policymakers gathered for the UN’s landmark Summit of the Future, part of this year’s General Assembly. Without increased investment and national policies to improve access to assistive technology, they warn that it will be impossible for UN Member States to meet the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – especially overcoming poverty (goal #1), good health and well being (goal #3) enabling quality education (goal #4), gender equality (#5), reducing equalities (goal #10), and unlocking decent work and economic growth (goal #8).

We are capturing the moment and people reacting to it and will share this attention grabbing moment with the media and decision-makers. Follow Unlock the Everyday social media channels to see the Times Square visual in real time. 

IG: @unlocktheeveryday

X: @Unlock_Everyday

Facebook: Unlock The Everyday

Ensuring increased access to assistive technology is a sure way to create a truly level playing field – allowing more children and adults to be included in sports at school and in their communities.

With the Paris #Paralympics2024 striving to be the most accessible games so far, the Unlock The Everyday campaign is helping raise awareness of the urgent need for increased access to assistive technology globally – so that everyone can unlock their full potential and take part in the sports they love.

Assistive technology is revolutionizing the world of sports, creating unprecedented opportunities for athletes of all abilities. By providing tools that enhance mobility and communication, these innovations are levelling the playing field and unlocking human potential. From high-tech prosthetics to specialized wheelchairs, assistive devices are enabling athletes to compete at the highest levels, showcasing their skills and determination on a global stage.

Bridging the gap in accessibility

Despite the transformative power of assistive technology, access remains a significant challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Addressing this disparity is crucial for fostering inclusivity in sports and beyond. By increasing availability and affordability of assistive devices, more individuals will be able to participate in athletic pursuits, promoting physical and mental well-being while nurturing future para-athletes.  Improving access to assistive technology is key, but needs to be supported by improvements to sports training, infrastructure and investment, if we are to play sports more accessible for all.

A call for collaborative action

Ensuring equitable access to assistive technology requires a concerted effort from policymakers, community leaders, and sports organizations. By raising awareness, advocating for inclusive policies, and investing in research and development, we can create a world where everyone can reach their full potential. Together, we can unlock the everyday for countless individuals, paving the way for a more inclusive future in sports.

Get involved

 You can play a crucial role in raising awareness about the importance of assistive technology in sports.

  • Download the communications toolkit which contains messaging, social media assets and guidance on how to share campaign content on your social media platforms.
  • Use hashtags like #Paralympics2024 and #UnlockTheEveryday to increase visibility and reach a wider audience.
  • Follow @unlocktheeveryday on Instagram or @Unlock_Everyday on X. Like, share and promote our posts to your networks, and help to amplify the campaign’s impact.
  • Share Personal Experiences. Your unique story can motivate others and highlight the transformative power of assistive technology. Consider sharing your journey with assistive devices or your path to the Paralympics on social media platforms. Tag @unlocktheeveryday on Instagram or @Unlock_Everyday on X to connect with the campaign directly.

For the public in LMICs:

  • Many athletes wouldn’t be able to compete in Paralympics without access to assistive products such as wheelchairs or prosthetics and related services. Use your voice – demand better access to assistive technology and better provision for accessible sports for everyone.
  • Watching the Paralympic Games? Did you know that some of our athletes can’t participate because they are unable to access the high-quality assistive technology they need to compete? Join our campaign so that everyone, everywhere, can participate in sports

For communities and local leaders:

  • Does your community offer access to sports for people who use assistive technology? Pledge to make sports accessible for everyone, at school, in communities and for professionals.

For policymakers in LMICs

  • Develop national assistive technology policies that promote equal access to sports and activities for assistive technology users at both local and national level. [For instance, in 2022, France implemented a tax reduction, from 20% to 5.5%, on assistive technology ahead of the Paris 2024 Games, to make it more affordable for persons with disabilities to participate. Others should follow suit and enact meaningful change.]
  • Participation in sports isn’t just about access to assistive products – policymakers should also do more to improve access to related services and infrastructure.
  • We urge you to act now to strengthen policies to increase sports accessibility and inclusion – the work starts now to get more wheelchair users and prosthetics wearers from LMICs at the 2028 Paralympic Games.

For the general public:

  • Let’s celebrate this year’s Paralympic champions and highlight the importance of assistive products like wheelchairs, prosthetics and hearing aids for the people who need them around the world.
  • Join our call for equal access to assistive technology, so more people using assistive technology have the chance to compete at the 2028 Paralympics!

 

The new awareness day aims to draw attention to the importance of assistive technology and the urgent need to improve access to it in many low- and middle-income countries. Assistive products include wheelchairs, eyeglasses, artificial limbs, hearing aids and digital devices such as screen-readers, which enable people to live independent lives – to study, work and enjoy the everyday moments that many of us take for granted.

Access to these products is a human right – however today only 10% of people in low-income countries can access the assistive technology they need, compared to 90% in high-income countries.

Unlock the Everyday, and the leading health and development organizations behind the campaign,  are calling for organizations, policymakers, businesses and the public to show their support, take action to improve access to assistive technology, celebrate assistive technology initiatives and help unlock a world where there are opportunities for all. Organizations from all sectors are urged to get involved.

How you can get involved and mark the day

Whether you’re an individual who uses assistive technology (or not!), an organization, a company or other, there are many ways you can get involved with World Day for Assistive Technology this year.

For everyone:

  • Share the new World Day for Assistive Technology assets on your social channels along with your own supporting written or video messages
  • Share our new campaign video – launching on 4 June and help us make it go viral
  • Use the hashtags #UnlockTheEveryday and #WorldATDay to show your support on social media.
  • Publicly pledge your personal/ your organization’s or companies’ support and commitment to improving access to assistive technology
  • Publicly call on local, national or global policymakers to prioritize funding and resources to improve access to safe, affordable and appropriate assistive technology
  • Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and X, and share and repost directly from our pages!

If you use assistive technology

  • Use the day to share how assistive technology Unlocks your Everyday – tell us at @unlocktheeveryday on Instagram and @Unlock_Everyday on X, how your assistive technology enables you to live your life and do the things you love.

If you’re from a supporting organization or company:

  • Make sure the day is in your company/ organization calendar – promote the day and your plans to mark it, to staff in advance – think about getting staff involved in plans to mark the day
  • Host an event or seminar (virtual or physical), e.g. with expert speakers / assistive technology and accessibility advocates
  • Galvanize high-level support from within your organization/ company – can a senior leader record a video clip or write a blog to post on the day – why they/ the organization is taking part and is committed and passionate about supporting people who use assistive technology
  • Announce a new initiative or relevant partnership and / or celebrate the success of existing assistive technology related initiatives within your company/ organization.

For more ideas about how you or your organization can get involved and to download the new World Day for Assistive Technology assets, please visit the ‘Get Involved’ page on the website.

Join us as we build a movement for assistive technology and take us one step closer to our goal for equal access and greater awareness and investment in assistive technology!

First ever global campaign to improve access to assistive technology launched at World Economic Forum

First Lady of Pakistan, together with health and development organisations and the private sector, calls for world leaders to prioritise assistive technology access

 

16 January 2024 – A new global campaign, backed by the Honourable First Lady of Pakistan, Begum Samina Arif Alvi, was launched today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, calling for urgent action to improve access to assistive technology for millions of people around the world.

The campaign, ‘Unlock the Everyday’, is the first ever global campaign on assistive technology and aims to raise awareness of everyone’s right to assistive technology – such as wheelchairs, glasses, hearing aids, prostheses and digital devices – no matter where they live, or their income.

It is estimated that 2.5 billion people today need at least one form of assistive technology and most people will require assistive technology at some point in their lifetime. However, only 10% of people in low-income countries can access the assistive technology they need, compared to 90% in high-income countries.

The campaign is calling for global action to address this inequity. Without access to appropriate assistive products, millions of people are prevented from earning a living, gaining an education or living independent and fulfilled lives, further compounding existing social and economic inequalities.

The Honourable First Lady of Pakistan, Begum Samina Arif Alvi, is encouraging global leaders to support the campaign and prioritise assistive technology:

“Assistive Technology is a bridge that connects individuals with disabilities, ageing populations, and those suffering from non-communicable diseases to a world of opportunities – opportunities for education, employment, and above all, inclusion in society. It is vital to focus on enhancing the affordability and accessibility of high-quality Assistive Technology, ensuring that individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds can equally benefit from these advancements. As a key driver in achieving numerous Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this initiative is essential to ensure inclusivity in our path towards 2030.Yet, we have a long road ahead in our journey towards full inclusion. I urge global leaders to prioritize the integration of assistive technology into their national plans and SDG strategies. Let’s work together to build a more inclusive world where no one is left behind!”

Launched by global partnership ATscale, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the International Disability Alliance, amongst other partners, the Unlock the Everyday campaign has already been endorsed by various leaders in the global development and private sectors.

Pascal Bijleveld, CEO of ATscale, said:

“Despite having the power to unlock potential and transform lives, assistive technology has historically been under-resourced and under invested in – leading to the shocking inequity in access and huge funding gap we have today. This simply cannot go on. Not only will improving access improve the lives of millions of people, it is key to accelerating progress towards the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which all UN member states are committed to.”

Unlock the Everyday was launched at a high-level panel event in Davos, on the sidelines of the 2024 World Economic Forum. As well as the Honourable First Lady of Pakistan, other panellists, representing organisations supporting the campaign, included:

  • Pascal Bijleveld, CEO of ATscale, the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology
  • Leopoldine Huyghues Despointes, filmmaker & global expert and advocate of disability rights
  • Caroline Casey, Founder of The Valuable 500 and President of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness
  • Professor Gilles Carbonnier, Vice President, International Committee of the Red Cross
  • Louise James, Managing Director, Accenture Development Partnerships
  • Deputy Director, Private Sector Partnerships, Jorge Olague, UNICEF

Panellists discussed not only the importance of improving access to assistive technology, but crucially, the role that policymakers, the private sector and those working in the health and development sectors can play in bringing about change.

Research from ATscale shows that for every dollar invested in assistive technology, a $9 return can be expected through improved educational outcomes, better paid employment and high productivity among adults and lower longer-term healthcare costs.

 

However, despite this significant return on investment, a vast funding gap remains, which the campaign aims to highlight and address. To ensure lifetime access to appropriate assistive technology for all people needing it in low- and middle-income countries today would cost approximately USD 700 billion over 55 years.

 

Overall, key things the campaign is calling for, include:

  • Governments worldwide to commit greater investment in assistive technology – including investing in the provision of appropriate products and services so more people can access AT when they need it
  • Governments in low- and middle-income countries to implement supportive and inclusive policies that establish assistive technology as core parts of national health systems/ services, financing schemes including insurance, social protection programmes, and education initiatives.
  • Bilateral and multilateral donors to recognise the importance of access to AT and ramp-up their financial support
  • Stakeholders, including those in the private sector, to collaborate to improve assistive technology supply chains

The campaign is asking policymakers and leaders across the world to show their support for assistive technology users and those in need of assistive technology, and help raise awareness of these issues to drive change.

All people who use assistive technology and other members of the public across the world can also get involved and show their support on social media. More information can be found here.

Bijleveld concluded: “We truly believe that by uniting partners, policymakers, global decision-makers, the private sector, communities and of course, assistive technology users themselves, we can create a global movement that will motivate those in a position of power to take decisive action.”

Please find photos of the panel event here and watch the panel discussion here.