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Global Disability Innovation Hub becomes the worlds first WHO Collaborating Centre on Assistive Technology
The Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub), based at UCL, is the first organisation to be awarded the status of World Health Organisation (WHO) Official Collaborating Centre on Assistive Technology (AT). Led by GDI Hub’s Academic Director, Professor Cathy Holloway, the WHO Collaborating Centre will focus on driving global disability innovation to work towards a fairer world through access to assistive and accessible technology.
First ever global guide for assistive technology to improve the life of millions
The new WHO Assistive Products Specifications is the first global guide for quality-assured assistive products, containing specs for 26 prioritised assistive products, including the minimum quality requirements for manufacturing. Funded by UK Aid under the AT2030 programme, the work is a major milestone to drive high quality, affordable AT globally.
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.
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.
New report calls for global action for children and adults with clubfoot
A new report by the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) for AT2030, a UK Aid-funded program led by the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub), aims to drive progress for children and adults with clubfoot to reach their full potential.
Global Report on Assistive Technology due to be launched!
16th May 2022 marks the launch of the first ever Global Report for Assistive Technology
Estimating need and coverage for five priority assistive products: A systematic review of global population based research
This systematic review collates data extracted from 207 studies, presenting indicators of population-level access to AT globally.
Assistive Tech Impact Fund launches global call for innovative African solutions
The Assistive Tech Impact Fund (ATIF) is changing the prospects of AT innovators in Africa, providing up to £200k of grant funding alongside expert-led venture-building support to facilitate the growth of the AT sector.
Professor Catherine Holloway at UNESCO: Global Media and Information Literacy Week
On 29th October, Professor Catherine Holloway was invited to speak as a research partner of UNESCO and advocated for the need of technology to account for the needs of the population. The event was held virtually and organised by The Permanent Mission of Chile in its capacity of Presidency of the Group of Friends of Older Persons, UNESCO, WHO and ITU.
CRPD jurisprudence on Assistive Technologies through Concluding Observations: An analysis from Global South perspectives
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) recognizes the importance of assistive technology to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and fully participate in society. The CRPD has defined the obligations of States Parties to promote the use, research, development, production, and distribution of assistive technology, making it affordable and widely available for persons with disabilities.
Assistive Technology Use and Provision During COVID19: Results From a Rapid Global Survey
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted all segments of society, but it has posed particular challenges for the inclusion of persons with disabilities, those with chronic illness and older people regarding their participation in daily life. These groups often benefit from assistive technology (AT) and so it is important to understand how use of AT may be affected by or may help to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.
Global Assistive Technology User Network - launch events
International Disability Alliance, Global Disability Innovation Hub, UK aid funded AT2030 programme and ATscale, the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology are delighted to be launching the Global Assistive Technology User Network, a global platform for collaboration, networking, exchange and conversation about Assistive Technologies.
Do we have the right Global Strategy to build access to Assistive Technology?
Vicki discusses the importance of global partnerships to address the gap to access assistive technology.
Global moments can and do change the way we see the world: reflections from Jenny Sealey and Bradley Hemmings: Co-artistic directors of the Paralympic Opening Ceremony, 2012
The magnificent 2012 Paralympic Games were a game-changer - a Big Bang for the Paralympic Movement. Never before had a Paralympic Games achieved such record breaking attendance, with the stadium selling out, national and international broadcast attention and a global audience of 3.8 billion. Hear reflections from Jenny Sealey and Bradley Hemmings: Co-artistic directors of the Paralympic Opening Ceremony, 2012 as they explore how global moments can and do change the way we see the world.
UK Aid funding to support 10.5 million more people with access to life changing Assistive Technology through three innovative investments
Today, on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) is proud to announce three new innovative investments to reach an additional 10.5 million people as part of the UK Aid funded AT2030 programme.
Unpacking ‘What Works’: A Commentary of the Key Learnings for ICT from the AT2030 Program
The AT2030 programme was launched in 2018 to test ‘what works’ in getting assistive technology (AT) to people globally, specifically in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), where there is often a systematic lack of provision. After four years, this paper reviews the project outcomes, focussing on published material. It provides the backdrop to the AT2030 program, contextualises current developments in global AT global and funding, and unpacks the key learnings of what works to get AT to the people that need it around the world, with a focus on ICT.
Assistive Tech Impact Fund: £4m fund trialling impact investment
On the International Day of People with Disabilities, the new Assistive Tech Impact Fund (ATIF) has been launched out of the UK Aid-funded AT2030 programme, led by the Global Disability Innovation (GDI) Hub. It is a collaboration between GDI Hub, Brink, Tamara Giltsoff and Catalyst Fund. The partnership combines deep expertise in AT, innovation and venture building in Africa, respectively.
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.
Disability Innovation Summit - Recordings
Bringing together global experts and new voices to share big ideas and ask the question: What next for disability innovation? Catch up the summit recordings
Press release: IPC–led partnership secures a record breaking 49 territories for free-to-air African broadcast coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has confirmed that it will provide free-to-air coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games to 49 Sub-Saharan African territories as part of the AT2030 programme’s Para Sport Against Stigma project, which is funded by UK Aid. This is an effort to elevate Para sport and ensure human rights for people with disabilities around the world. Globally, there are 1.2 billion people with disabilities who are often unable to reach their full potential. Central to this is disability stigma, which limits full participation in society from employment and education to sport.
Assistive Technology Impact Fund: Join the launch of this Global Funding Call
Join us for the launch of the Assistive Technology Impact Fund Global Call (ATIF) and hear about the opportunity for assistive technology (AT) innovation in the African market on Wednesday 10th Feb 10-11.30 GMT.
Guidelines for assistive technology service provision – A scoping review
Despite the high unmet need for effective AT provision, multiple service delivery models across different countries, and a shortage of personnel trained in this field, no widely useable and accepted Assistive Technology (AT) service provision guidelines currently exist. This review aims to provide an overview of the literature regarding AT service provision guidelines to inform the development of globally useable AT provision guidance, aligned with contemporary global initiatives to improve access to AT.
Hearing Aid Product Narrative launched during World Hearing Day
In celebration of World Hearing Day on March 3rd, AT2030 and ATscale, the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology, launched the publication: “Hearing Aid Product Narrative: A Market Landscape and Strategic Approach to Increasing Access to Hearing Aids and Related Services in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.”
Powering Inclusion: AI and AT. The findings of an online expert roundtable
This briefing summarises the findings of an online expert roundtable on AI and AT held in November 2020. The event brought together experts working at the forefront of AI and AT to highlight the potential of using AI for AT and establish a list of ‘grand challenges’ to drive forward innovation in the AI & AT sector ahead of the launch of the newly formed International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence under the auspices of UNESCO (IRCAI). Participants included industry leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and AT users. The roundtable was funded by the AT2030 programme which is funded by FCDO and led by Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub). The session focused on four areas: AI & Communication, AI & Mobility, AI & Improving Information,
Beyond this land - attracting new audiences to Para sport
Africa remains one of the least engaged regions when it comes to disability sports and the adoption of assistive technology. Feedback from Phase One of the AT2030 Para Sport Against Stigma project highlighted a recurring misconception that disability sports are primarily a concept of the Global North, with little relevance in Africa. To challenge this narrative, and to leverage the global attention on disability sports in the lead-up to the Paris Games, we launched the #BeyondThisLand campaign - a digital initiative aimed at attracting a new and diverse audience to disability sports while increasing viewership among existing enthusiasts in Africa.