News
UK aid announces £31 million to improve access to life-changing Assistive Technology for all, backing increased ground-breaking innovation and research by the AT2030 programme, led by Global Disability Innovation Hub, at UCL.
The UN annual Disability conference at the United Nations in New York, Rt Hon Tom Pursglove MP, Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work in the UK, announced that UK Aid would invest a further £31 million into the AT2030 programme, led by GDI Hub, to reach 9 million more people directly and 12 million more people indirectly with life-changing accessible technology.
![Text graphic - '[Monday 6:30pm EDT] Comprehensive Approaches to Disability Inclusion (hosted by World Bank Group)
GDI Hub CEO Dr Vicki Austin will address the event
[Tuesday 9:45am EDT]
Inclusive Urban Development: Accessibility as an enabler for reaching under-represented groups of persons with disabilities
(co-hosted by UN-Habitat India, UNRCO India, Global Disability Innovation Hub)
[Tuesday 6:30pm EDT]
‘What Works’ to improve access to life-changing Assistive Technology (AT) for all
(co-hosted by Global Disability Innovation Hub, WHO & His Majesty's Government United Kingdom) - find out more about our UK aid funded AT2030 programme
[Wednesday 9:45am EDT]
Breaking Down Accessibility Barriers Through Localisation: Presenting and unpacking recommendations for States Parties to accelerate implementation of accessibility
(hosted by WBU)
[Wednesday 1.15-2.30pm EDT] Digital Assistive Technology Challenges and Opportunities: The Potential of Mobile Devices Cover Image](/static/website_creator/img/FyDPnsxXsAQ4jv1.jpg)
GDI Hub and partners side events at COSP
A full list of details and registration to the GDI Hub led side-event at Conference of State Parties (COSP) to the CRPD as well as details of the side-events GDI Hub are co-hosting and supporting with partners.
GDI Hub at Conference of State Parties (COSP) - exploring ‘What Works’ to improve access to life-changing Assistive Tech (AT) for all
Five years ago we began to test something new. Bringing together key stakeholders and experts working across the AT arena, with the aim of enabling researchers, innovators and AT users to experiment with new ideas. Join Global Disability Innovation Hub, His Majesty's Government United Kingdom (UK), The World Health Organization and in partnership with UNICEF, ATscale and The International Disability Alliance for a unique insight into testing and backing new approaches.
Google project to assist sight and hearing in India, Brazil, and Kenya
Mobile as Assistive Technology: How Digital Assistive Technology is Transforming Lives GDI Hub, Google and AT Scale launch pioneering project to test ‘Mobile at Assistive Tech’ in Kenya, Brazil and India.
AT Standards and Procurement Guidelines Launch Freetown, 12 April 2023
Persons with disabilities face multiple challenges. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide experience significant disabilities, representing 16% of the world's population or 1 in 6 individuals. Additionally, persons with disabilities are at a higher risk of developing various health conditions and may experience premature mortality. To address these challenges in Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Health & Sanitation, with support from Clinton Health Foundation (CHAI) and other technical partners, conducted a landscape assessment of assistive technology (AT) services in Sierra Leone in 2019. The assessment revealed critical gaps in the Assistive Technology (AT) landscape, including the absence of a policy and strategy for AT, which posed challenges for planning and implementing evidence-based AT activities in the country.
Press Release: Inclusive Design and Accessibility of the Built Environment in Freetown
Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) and Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (SLURC) are delighted to invite you to the launch of this new case study considering Inclusive Design and Accessibility of the Built Environment in Freetown as part of the UK aid funded AT2030 sub-programme, ‘Inclusive Infrastructure’ - exploring the role of inclusive environments to enable equal access to Assistive Technology (AT).
Launch Event: Inclusive Design and Accessibility of the Built Environment in Freetown, Sierra Leone
A launch event of Freetown's Inclusive Design and Accessibility of the Built Environment Case Study. This event will share findings and recommendations for infrastructure, built environment and urban development - with the aim of driving global action to more accessible and inclusive cities.
Lessons learnt from the multi country rapid Assistive Technology Assessment rATA survey
On 28 and 29 March, the WHO Assistive technology team hosted a meeting in Geneva to review the methodology, outcome and dissemination of the WHO rapid Assistive Technology Assessment (rATA) survey and plan for further strengthening this important data collection tool.
Assistive Technology Data & Insights Portal - a vision for a highly accessible tool to serve the global Assistive Technology ecosystem
Globally the AT space is developing rapdily, and alongside this comes a growing demand for highly accessible data & insight portal to serve the wider ecosystem, stakeholders, researchers and decision makers. Without a relevant and accessible source of data and insight, participants are struggling to connect, engage, research, invest, source, scout, procure, and contribute to the evolution of this nascent and rapidly growing global ecosystem. We are looking to change this.
New Assistive Tech Impact Fund playbook - a unique window into our experiences
Set up as a trial to learn if grant capital + venture building support would help African Assistive Tech (AT) ventures overcome the problems that stood in the way of scaling, the Assistive Tech Impact Fund playbook is a unique window into this UK aid funded project. It exlores the challenges, learnings & mechanisms for Assistive Tech ventures entering and scaling new markets in Africa.
Medellín announced as the sixth AT2030 Inclusive Infrastructure Case Study
The Global Disability Innovation Hub is delighted to announce that under the UK Aid-funded AT2030 programme, the sixth and final case study of the Inclusive Infrastructure sub-programme will take place in the city of Medellín, Colombia. The case study will start in January 2023 with the aim of launching the report in early summer.
AbilityNew Techshare Pro 2022
With over 2,000 registrations AbilityNet TechShare Pro 2022 was Europe's largest gathering of accessibility and disability inclusion professionals - and their allies. Archive tickets give you access to all recordings from three days of engaging, interactive sessions, inclduing keynotes, workshops and discussion forums. AT2030 programme leads Bernard Chiira and Professor Catherine Holloway were part of panel discussions at this conference.
Inclusive Infrastructure Case Study is launched in Nairobi, a city experiencing rapid growth and investment in infrastructure
Nairobi is a city of innovation - business opportunities and the start-up ecosystem is vibrant. Kenya has a strong legal framework to create inclusive cities and further disability inclusion. There is clear appetite from Government to take action represented through these legal frameworks, but there remains lots to be done.
Launch of WHO Training in Assistive Products
Training in Assistive Products (TAP) is a new open access online training resource to prepare primary health and other personnel to fulfil an assistive technology role. This new global resource has been driven by support from UK aid through GDI Hub's AT2030 programme.
Para Sport Against Stigma: Commonwealth Games athletes and coaches from Ghana and Zambia visit Loughborough University
Para Sport Against Stigma is a four-year project hat looks at how representation, education and communication in Para sport can challenge stigma associated with disability in Sub-Sarhan Africa. One part of PSAS focuses on Athlete Development and will see the International Paralympic Committee to deliver a programme to support National Paralympic Committees in Malawi, Ghana and Zambia to develop Para sport. As part of the Athlete Development focus, Para-Powerlifters who represented Ghana and Zambia at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022, along with their coaches, took the opportunity to visit and work with researchers and practitioners from Loughborough University and the International Paralympic Association.
AT2030 Midterm Impact Summary
With the launch of the Global Report on Assistive Technology, AT2030 publishes the Midterm Impact Summary brochure to highlight the impact of the work across our programmes.
Global Report on Assistive Technology is launched - setting the roadmap for improving access to assistive technology for everyone
There is a large, unmet need for assistive technology worldwide. The WHO-UNICEF Global Report on Assistive Technology will play an instrumental role in setting the global roadmap for improving access to assistive technology for everyone, everywhere.
Global Report on Assistive Technology due to be launched!
16th May 2022 marks the launch of the first ever Global Report for Assistive Technology
Liberia: Country Investment Fund and the production of National Priority Assistive Products List and National Roadmap to Increase Access to AT
Under the AT2030 programme and with the support of ATscale and the Country Investment Fund (CIF), the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) was the lead technical partner to the Liberia Ministry of Health in the development and validation of two major national documents for access to assistive technologies: National Roadmap to Increase Access to Assistive Technologies (2021-2023) and Liberia National Priority Assistive Products List (APL), First Edition. The development of these documents will pave the way in ensuring Assistive Technology can be accessed by disabled and older people living in Liberia.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Kenya
The President also launched the new Digital Registration System developed by the National Council for Persons With Disabilities this year, aimed at addressing data gaps and curbing cases of fraud. The system will also offer a new generation disability identification card with security features to prevent potential fraud and ensure the right people get registered.