Deadline: 31-Aug-2024
The Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, will be convening a hybrid conference titled ‘Disability Rights, Information, and Communication Technologies in Africa’, scheduled for 13-14 November 2024.
The conference aims to achieve two primary objectives: firstly, to critically examine laws, policies, practices, programs, and ideologies pertaining to the rights of individuals with disabilities in Africa within the context of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT); secondly, to promote discussions on innovative solutions aimed at enhancing human rights for individuals with disabilities through the utilisation of ICTs. It is anticipated that papers presented at the conference will be refined by authors and subsequently submitted for potential publication in the 2025 volume of the African Disability Rights Yearbook.
The Centre for Human Rights hosts the annual Disability Rights in Africa conference every November. The annual conference provides a platform for engaging key stakeholders in dialogue on disability issues and highlighting critical and emerging disability rights issues across Africa.
Topics
- Legal frameworks for ICT and disability in Africa
- Digital inclusion/exclusion of persons with disabilities in Africa
- Assistive devices and access to education in Africa
- ICT, skills development, and employment for persons with disabilities
- ICT and access to government services in Africa
- ICT and access to information for persons with disabilities in Africa
- ICT use by persons with disabilities in African elections
- Affordability of assistive devices in Africa
- Accessibility of mobile applications by the telecommunications industry
- Socio-economic barriers to ICT access for persons with disabilities in Africa
- Collaboration for ICT accessibility in Africa (governments, telecoms, regulators, civil society)
- ICT impact on persons with disabilities during crises in Africa
- Improving digital literacy among persons with disabilities in Africa
- Advocacy for digital rights of persons with disabilities in Africa
- Intersectionalities
- Lessons and best practices for digital rights of persons with disabilities in Africa including ICT accessibility
Eligibility Criteria
- The conference aims to convene a diverse group of stakeholders dedicated to advancing the human rights of persons with disabilities through ICT. This includes individuals with disabilities, civil society organisations, particularly those advocating for disability rights, legal academics and scholars, policymakers, representatives from telecommunications companies, and government officials.
For more information, visit Centre for Human Rights.
