A United Nations resolution to change the lives of 2.5 billion people

Four questions for Valentina Pomatto, Advocacy Manager at HI:

The United Nations adopts a resolution to improve access to "assistive technology" — what does that mean?

Assistive technology covers the full range of products and services designed to help people with disabilities, older people, or anyone with functional limitations to carry out everyday tasks and live independently.

It includes prosthetics, hearing aids, canes and wheelchairs, as well as glasses, text-to-speech software, sign language translation apps, and adapted everyday objects such as simplified remote controls.

Some of these tools are part of everyday life in our societies. Yet in some countries they remain hard to access, often because of their cost or a lack of production and distribution capacity.

Why is this United Nations resolution important?

Take glasses as an example: without them, everyday life would be difficult for many of us. We might not be able to drive, we would struggle to read what's written on a classroom board, or to do certain jobs that require precision. We might also suffer from headaches or eye strain, and so on.

In total, 2.5 billion people worldwide need assistive technology to see, hear, move around, or communicate in their daily lives. That's more than a third of the world's population. In many low-income countries, only a very small share of these needs is met — sometimes as little as 3% to 10%.

Needs are particularly high in countries affected by crises. In Yemen or Syria, for example, many people live with a disability as a result of serious conflict-related injuries, without access to the equipment they need — such as a prosthesis or a wheelchair — or to the services required to use and maintain it properly.

Without this equipment and support, people can find themselves unable to work or to fully take part in social life. This can lead to declining health, isolation, and depression.

What exactly does this resolution say?

Adopted on 2 September, this is the first United Nations resolution specifically dedicated to assistive technology. It marks a significant level of political commitment on this issue.

Although not legally binding, it calls on States to strengthen access to assistive technology, particularly for the poorest and most vulnerable populations.

States are called on, among other things, to mobilize more resources, to promote collaboration across sectors — health, education, employment, and social protection — and to support research and innovation.

The resolution also stresses the importance of ensuring that users are involved in shaping policy. It also calls for access to assistive technology to be included in humanitarian crisis preparedness and response plans.

What must States do now?

Member States must now turn the commitments set out in this resolution into concrete action.
They are called on, in particular, to strengthen rehabilitation services and to support the supply chains that ensure access to assistive technology, from provision through to fitting, maintenance, and follow-up.

They must also set up data collection and monitoring systems to better understand and anticipate people's needs and to track the impact of their policies in this area.

Humanity & Inclusion stresses the importance of fully involving civil society organizations, particularly organizations of persons with disabilities and specialized NGOs, which are among the best placed to understand the needs of the people concerned and to help implement suitable solutions.

What does this change for an organization like Humanity & Inclusion?

This resolution is an additional argument for calling on governments and donors to commit to assistive technology in the countries where we work. In time, it could open up opportunities for funding and partnerships. What matters for an organization like Humanity & Inclusion is to monitor the resolution's implementation with partners, country by country.