What Can We Do to Promote Information Rights for the Disabled?

Having discussed last week some of the challenges that persons with disabilities face when it comes to accessing information affecting their lives, it is important to explore this week some of the interventions we can make to ensure that they are able to enjoy their right to information.

Whether we are Government, policy makers, rights advocates, chiefs, or just ordinary citizens, there are surely certain things that can be done. Government, which is probably the principal duty bearer, has obviously the biggest role to play, especially in creating a conducive policy and legislative environment to enhance both protection and participation of persons with disabilities in social life.

For example, besides enacting the long-awaited Disability Bill, Government, Parliamentarians and policy makers, must also undertake to ensure that the needs of persons with disabilities are addressed in another long-awaited draft piece of legislation, the Access to Information Bill, before it is enacted.

It is a shame to note that in this era the draft Access to Information Bill, in its present state, does not sufficiently incorporate provisions that take into consideration the distinct challenges that persons with disabilities face when accessing public information. Apparently, there was no deliberate effort on the part of the framers of the Bill then to include this group except – rather subtly – only in Section 29 (d) that talks about the means by which communication is to be made when information is being released. The provision mandates the pubic official to provide the “applicant with a sensory disability” with a record in a format that allows the person to read or listen to the information. Other than that, the whole document is silent on accessibility of information, records or useful technologies by persons with disabilities.

Human rights advocates and programme implementers must advocate for increased and improved communication of messages about HIV/AIDS, Reproductive health, and all other issues that affect society are well tailored for persons with different disabilities. They must adapt their programmes to ensure ersons with disabilities have equal access to such information and actively participate their programmes.

Finally, Government should, in consultation with other key stakeholders, develop a strategy and action plan regarding acquisition and use of adaptive technologies in schools, libraries, community centres and government institutions. “Adaptive Technology” is a computer software and hardware that has been modified to be accessible by persons with disabilities. It offers people with the opportunity to use computers to complete tasks that were previously not possible for them.

Next week, we shall attempt to list down examples of adaptive technologies since in this age of technology, access to vital information through computers is becoming enormously critical for persons with certain disabilities, and there is great need for library owners, schools, private and public institutions to ensure that they do everything possibly to integrate adaptive technologies.