It is estimated that by 2050 over 3.5 billion people would benefit from Assistive Technology, yet 90% will not have access.

AT2030 is changing that. 

GDI Hub

It is estimated that by 2050 over 3.5 billion people would benefit from Assistive Technology, yet 90% will not have access.

AT2030 is changing that. 

AT2030 tests ‘what works’ to improve access to life-changing Assistive Technology (AT) for all. Led by Global Disability Innovation Hub and funded by UK aid, we've reached 34 million people in 61 countries, driving a lifetime of potential. In 2023 UK aid announced a further £31 million investment to the AT2030 programme.

Search the AT2030 programme

Inclusive Cities, Global Action Report

The aim of this report is to equip cities with practical but evidence-based actions to accelerate accessibility and inclusion in their physical infrastructure, buildings, services and operation.


Cities worldwide are experiencing continued growth and increasing resource challenges In low-and-middle income settings, this is particularly challenging, where in many cases huge infrastructural development is necessary. With resource constraints and increasing global challenges (rising inequality, climate changes, pandemics), it is even more critical that accessibility and inclusive design are seamlessly integrated into the planning and design of cities and all their functions, to ensure the effective and resilient use of resources to create liveable and enjoyable cities and ensure persons with disabilities are not left behind.

Programme Clusters

The current programme (AT2030 version 3) is divided into five Programme Clusters and 13 sub-programmes to test ‘what works’ for AT. For more about AT2030 version 1 and 2 and our delivery between 2018 and 2024 - visit the about section.

AT2030 Inclusive Infrastructure - six cities

We've researched inclusive city design in 6 global cities to understand the current challenges, the opportunities, what's working well and what isn’t. To get AT to people who need it, the built environment must be inclusive, easy to use and navigate. Hear from the cities involved, and the next steps.

Find out more.

Latest

  • Kenyan para athletes

    Harrison Kamau
    May 1, 2025
    Kenya

    Alongside Paris 2024 we explored innovative mechanisms to amplify para sport activities and drive change. Working alongside Kenyan athletes and the youth movement and award-winning media house Shujaaz – we were able to reach new audiences with the aim of dismantling stereotypes and sharing first person narratives of entrepreneurship, sporting achievement and community participation. Thought the narrative of successful para-athletes we have looked to spark youth interest to expanding the pipeline of future sporting talent.  A vivid illustration of these efforts can be seen in the experiences of two Kenyan para-athletes who competed on the international stage at Paris 2024 – and were part of the team that ensured Kenya’s most decorated Paralympic team since 2008 Beijing. Samson Ojuka a long-jumper and sprinter. Here are the stories of the two para athletes.

  • Amplifying Para Athlete Voices Through Radio Drama.

    Story Worskshop
    April 22, 2025
    Malawi

    In the lead up to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games six episodes of the popular Malawian radio drama series, Zimachitika (These Things Happen) were broadcast as a creative way of building interest in Para sport. In Malawi, radio remains a cornerstone of communication, with a listenership rate of 71.2% of the national population . This makes it the most consumed and trusted source of information in the country. With 76 licensed radio stations, ranging from national to community levels, radio has the unparalleled ability to reach diverse audiences. For 28 years, programs like Zimachitika, produced by Story Workshop Educational Trust (SWET), have leveraged this reach to address pressing social issues, including discrimination against people with disabilities. By weaving authentic narratives into its storytelling, the drama not only entertains but also educates and challenges societal biases, a strategy known as ‘edutainment’.

  • Kenyan Para athelete Stency Neema

    Harrison Kamau
    March 31, 2025
    Kenya

    Alongside Paris 2024 we explored innovative mechanisms to amplify para sport activities and drive change. Working alongside Kenyan athletes and the youth movement and award-winning media house Shujaaz, we were able to reach new audiences with the aim of dismantling stereotypes and sharing first person narratives of entrepreneurship, sporting achievement and community participation. Through the narrative of successful para-athletes, we have looked to spark youth interest to expanding the pipeline of future sporting talent.  A vivid illustration of these efforts can be seen in the experiences of Stency Neema, a Kenyan para-athlete, para-badminton, and para-taekwondo star.

  • Kenyan para athlete Samson Ojuka

    Harrison Kamau
    March 31, 2025
    Kenya

    Samson who was born with Erb's palsy, competes in para athletics classifications that typically involve athletes with lower-limb differences or limitations. Born and raised in Kenya, Samson is based in Nairobi, where he trains under challenging conditions. He has been competing for close to a decade, having started his athletic journey in secondary school as a 100-meter sprinter before coaches recognized his exceptional takeoff power and fluid stride perfect traits for the long jump.

  • Forbes Accessibility 100 for 2025

    Global Disability Innovation Hub
    June 18, 2025
    Global

    We’re thrilled to announce that two organisations - Koalaa and the Assistive Technology for Disability Trust (AT4D) - supported by Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) through the UK government funded AT2030 programme  have been recognised in the prestigious Forbes Accessibility 100 for 2025. This annual list celebrates global changemakers designing technologies that break barriers and unlock everyday opportunities for people with disabilities.

  • Signvrse joins Google.org Accelerator: Generative AI

    Harrison Kamau
    June 10, 2025
    Kenya

    Kenyan-based assistive technology startup Signvrse has been selected for the prestigious Google.org Accelerator: Generative AI, a global initiative supporting tech-driven solutions for social impact. As one of the few African enterprises in the $30 million program, Signvrse’s inclusion marks a major milestone in advancing inclusive communication for Deaf communities across the continent.

  • Driving Inclusive Innovation: GDI Hub Co-Hosts Global Dialogue on AI and Communication at the UN’s Civil Society Day

    Sophie Glickman
    June 9, 2025
    America

    The Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) was proud to co-host “A Look Ahead: AI and Innovative Inclusive Communication” yesterday alongside the UK Mission to the United Nations and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Held during the 18th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP18), the event convened global leaders, innovators, and advocates to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in advancing inclusive communication, particularly for Deaf and disabled communities.

  • Next Wave of Assistive Technology Innovation in Africa

    Global Disability Innovation Hub
    June 6, 2025
    Kenya

    Africa’s assistive technology (AT) ecosystem stands at a crucial inflection point, as innovation, policy, and investment converge to drive forward inclusive solutions. On Friday, 6 June 2025, Assitive Technologies for Disability Trust together with the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub), Kilimanjario Blind Trust Africa (KBTA), Senses Hub and the Innovate Now Accelerator will host “Accelerating Impact: Shaping the Next Wave of Assistive Technology Innovation in Africa” at Senses Hub in Nairobi

  • Restoring Dignity: Crafting Inclusive Humanitarian Support in the Asia-Pacific

    Dr Dilisha Patel, Nisanart Yeamkhong, Roos Middlekoop
    June 30, 2025
    Global

    The Asia-Pacific faces increasingly frequent and severe humanitarian crises. During these emergencies, women and girls, especially those with disabilities, are among the most vulnerable. Disasters force them to (over)crowded shelters that are often not easily accessible, nor safe. Many women and girls experience gender-based violence (GBV) and often cannot access lifesaving health and protection services. Persons with disabilities also face discrimination and mobility issues that impact other areas (e.g. managing menstrual health in small or inaccessible washrooms), compromising their dignity and physical and mental wellbeing.

  • Inclusive services: a cornerstone for inclusive cities

    Shivani Gupta, Annamae Muldowney, Bala Nagendran
    June 23, 2025
    Global

    As cities evolve, so too must the services that sustain them. From healthcare and education to transport and sanitation, urban services form the lifeblood of everyday life. While making the physical environment accessible in the city is critical, so is ensuring that all basic services are responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities to enable them to function independently (CRPD 2006). For instance, while a court may be completely accessible, unless specific steps are taken to make the proceedings accessible to persons with disabilities, it would not be inclusive. This may include having a sign language interpreter available if a deaf person seeks legislative services or the legal document in accessible formats. However, in reality, services remain fragmented, inaccessible, or out of reach for most persons with disabilities. This challenge is explored in the third webinar IncluCity series: Making Services Inclusive.

  • Reflections from COSP18

    Sophie Glickman
    June 19, 2025

    Last week, the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) joined governments, civil society organisations, organisations of persons with disabilities (OPD), researchers, and private sector partners at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the 18th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP18).

  • Landmark Gathering to Accelerate Assistive Technology Innovation Across Africa

    Harrison Kamau
    June 13, 2025
    Kenya

    At the sidelines of Inclusove Africa conference, a new era for Africa’s assistive technology (AT) ecosystem began began at the “Accelerating Impact: Shaping the Next Wave of Assistive Technology Innovation in Africa

  • AT Innovation and Impact Podcast

    Maryam Bandukda, Harrison Kamau
    Dec. 3, 2024
    Kenya
    Case Studies and Reports

    This podcast is brought to you by the Global Disability Innovation Hub’s flagship AT2030 programme, funded by UKAid. In this series, we're embarking on a journey through the heart of Africa to explore a world where creativity and technology meet to challenge and change our understanding of disability. We will spotlight the incredible work of Innovate Now, Africa’s first assistive technology accelerator, and the pioneering spirits behind its success. We’ll uncover how the AT innovation ecosystem in Africa is not just evolving but also revolutionising the way assistive technologies are perceived, developed, and adopted. Innovate Now was co-founded 2019 by the Global Disability Innovation Hub and Bernard Chiira.

  • Innovation Podcast

    Global Disability Innovation Hub, University College London, Giulia Barbareschi, Government of Kenya, ALL Institute (Maynooth University), UK Aid, UCL, Rhys Williams, Dr Rhys Williams, Institute of Making
    Feb. 15, 2021
    Global
    News

    A podcast featuring interviews and stories from the brains behind the disruptive and cutting-edge innovations that are aiming to impact the lives of millions of people living in different areas of the world.

  • Disability inclusive Solutions for the Climate Crisis: Roundtable

    Global Disability Innovation Hub
    June 23, 2025
    10:00AM- 17:00hrs
    United Kingdom

    Join us for a full-day participatory roundtable and workshop exploring the intersection of disability inclusion and climate action.

  • The Future of Financial Inclusion: Transforming global financing and the finance sector from the inside out.

    Global Disability Innovation Hub
    June 10, 2025
    6:30-8:30 pm (EDT)
    United States

    Hosted by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), Small Enterprise Assistance Funds (SEAF) and the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub), this insightful discussion will explore how the financial sector can and is partnering with the international disability community, to accelerate sustainable, inclusive growth.

  • GDI Hub at the 18th Session Of The Conference Of States Parties To The CRPD (COSP18)

    Global Disability Innovation Hub, Sophie Glickman
    June 9, 2025

    The Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) is thrilled to participate in the upcoming COSP18, the UN’s annual meeting where governments, civil society, and other stakeholders review progress and share ideas on implementing disability rights under the CRPD. Taking place at the UN’s headquarters in New York City from the 9th to the 12th, this year’s COSP will focus on innovative financing to strengthen inclusive policies, the role of AI in enhancing participation, and recognising the rights of Indigenous persons with disabilities in advancing disability inclusion.

  • Innovate for Impact: Device & Digital Assistive Tech Hackathon 2025

    Global Disability Innovation Hub, Kilimanjaro Blind Trust, Norad
    May 15, 2025
    Midnight

    This flagship hackathon is powered by Innovate Now, Africa’s pioneering AT accelerator, led by the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) and Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa (KBTA), with support from NORAD. It is delivered in partnership with AT4D, a Kenyan OPD and non-profit spun out from GDI Hub’s UK aid-funded AT2030 programme.

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