Promoting Effective and Inclusive ICT Policy in Africa

Category Archives: Digital Inclusion

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29Dec

 Dr. Abdul Busuulwa

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Who is Dr. Abdul Busuulwa?

I am a Ugandan male with a visual impairment. I come from a humble family where resources were severely limited. Nevertheless, I managed to jump all the hurdles of growing up, and now I have a wife and four children.

With over 25 years of working experience, my career has been shaped around social development, training NGOs, conducting research, engaging in human rights advocacy, and promoting accessible ICTs for persons with disabilities. My career started with a short stint in journalism (freelance reporting) in the late 1990s. I transitioned to disability inclusion and capacity building, holding two positions at the Uganda National Association of the Blind (UNAB) and the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) between 2000 and 2008. Currently, I am a lecturer at Kyambogo University in the Department of Community and Disability Studies, where I teach several courses, supervise and coordinate research, and train future professionals in Community Development and Social Justice, Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR), disability studies, and inclusive development. Before my current role, I served as the Executive Director of CBR Africa Network (CAN), a regional organisation dedicated to networking and sharing information on community-based rehabilitation, disability inclusion, and advocacy across the African continent, from 2017 to 2020.

My motivation to become a disability, digital rights, and inclusion advocate in Africa stemmed from the challenges of accessing written information. As a Braille user from primary to tertiary education, I always got limited support in reading printed materials, although resilience and determination enabled me to succeed academically. Very often, I was unable to do class assignments satisfactorily just because of not reading as widely as my educational contemporaries who were endowed with sight. Even when I tried, sighted readers were often less than willing to provide me with adequate support.

The realisation that others were also struggling with the same challenge motivated me to take a six-week certificate course in computer literacy for the blind in 2001, after which I sought to train many of my kind in the use of computers and the Internet so they could easily obtain as much information in digital form as they wished. On a personal note, starting to access documents in soft copy was the real game-changer in my pursuit of a Master’s in Management Studies at Uganda Management Institute and a PhD in Accessible ICTs for People with Visual Disabilities from the University of Twente in the Netherlands. As I mentioned earlier, I struggled with large volumes of notes in Braille notes while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Makerere University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Community-Based Rehabilitation from the Institute of Teacher Education, Kyambogo (now part of Kyambogo University). This was no longer the case after accessing online repositories of articles and so on!

When the government enacted the Access to Information Act of 2005, I ensured that I participated in the process. I submitted my views on access to information for persons with disabilities to the parliamentary committee that was collecting public views.

Two developments have been crucial in the progress toward expanding digital rights and including persons with disabilities in Africa. First was the adoption of the MarrakeshTreaty in 2013, an international agreement on the rights of persons who are blind, have low vision, or have a print disability to access published works. The second was the enactment of the Protocolto the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2018 by the African Union Assembly, which has several articles (especially Article 2 and Article 19) that recognise digital rights for persons with disabilities in Africa.

One initiative I would like to mention is the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This initiative addresses at least five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that have direct and/or implicit references to disability inclusion. Furthermore, many African countries have signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), a commendable step towards the realisation and protection of various rights of persons with disabilities. Articles 9 and 21 are specifically related to digital rights; however, Articles 2, 5, 26, and 32 are also highly relevant in this context.

The ever-changing technology landscape is a direct threat to the realisation of digital rights and disability inclusion in Africa. It is worth noting that Africa is not a major manufacturer of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products, such as computers, smartphones, and other Internet accessories; therefore, enabling their accessibility for persons with disabilities will always remain a retrospective rather than a proactive approach.

Additionally, the two other major challenges to digital rights for persons with disabilities include the high cost of obtaining Assistive Technology (such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, captioning software, alternative keyboards, and automatic speech-to-text translation software) and the emergence of Artificial Intelligence. Very often, persons with disabilities are unemployed and therefore lack the means to procure expensive Assistive Technology they need for effective use of mainstream ICTs. On the side of Artificial Intelligence, although this may increase the precision of Assistive Technology in task completion, some systems where this is embedded may run the risk of perpetuating and replicating discrimination that persons with disabilities are already experiencing in education, employment, and healthcare. For example, Artificial Intelligence (AI) models that cannot take into account the slowness associated with some disabilities in the completion of an input task may fail a person with that disability to ever fill an online form fully and correctly; hence putting them at a disadvantage when trying to apply for a job, medical insurance, or anything else important in their life.

We can build trust, promote partnerships, and enhance regional collaboration among different African stakeholders in the disability rights movement (including governments, inter-governmental bodies, civil society, industry, media, and academia) by simply creating awareness about disability and persons with disabilities. There are several myths and misconceptions about disability and persons with disabilities that require deconstructing and dispelling. For example, some people still believe that disability is a burden to society; hence, persons with disabilities should be isolated and made to live in their own designated parts and should allow the community to get on without them. While others think that persons with disabilities are less intelligent, less able, or less competent in their work. You cannot, therefore, expect such individuals to give jobs to qualified persons with disabilities, either in the public or private sectors of the economy. Many others believe that disability is contagious. These kinds of myths and attitudes hinder disability inclusion efforts, and they have had far-reaching consequences for the realisation of disability rights in Africa. Negative attitudes have always stood in the way of the financial contributions that African governments can make towards dismantling barriers to disability inclusion, such as the provision of Reasonable Accommodations and ensuring accessibility in public transport, education, information, and the physical environment for all, including persons with disabilities.

Disability is a cross-cutting issue. Therefore, the only way to ensure that persons with disabilities and other marginalised communities (women, youth, and older persons) are included in efforts to promote digital rights and inclusion in Africa is to take deliberate efforts to include persons with disabilities in the structures, systems, and processes of other marginalised communities. That way, all efforts to promote digital rights will automatically include issues related to disability. As an academic, I would like to humbly appeal to academic institutions to introduce disability studies course units across all their educational programs to raise awareness about disabilities.

29Dec

Berhanu Belay Wondimagegne

Author CIPESA Posted on

Who is Berhanu Belay Wondimagegne?

My name is Berhanu Belay Wondimagegne, born in Harer, Ethiopia, in 1948. I lost my vision at the age of seven, but that did not stop me from pursuing education and service. I identify myself as a teacher, a disability rights advocate, and a community servant. For over five decades, I have worked to empower persons with disabilities, particularly those who are blind, through education, training, advocacy, and access to technology. My life has been dedicated to ensuring that disability is never a barrier to dignity, opportunity, or participation in our society. I’m currently serving as Executive Director at TOGETHER, an Ethiopian civil society organisation working to empower persons with disabilities through access to information, technology, education, and integrated community development measures.

My motivation came from my own lived experience. Losing my sight as a child taught me the struggles of exclusion firsthand. When I joined the special school for the blind and later graduated from Addis Ababa University, I realised education was the key to independence. I began teaching history in Harer, but soon expanded my mission, organising Braille literacy, distributing white canes, and mobilising food and clothing for blind communities. These early efforts showed me that advocacy, combined with practical support, could transform lives.

Over the years, I have witnessed encouraging progress. Assistive technologies such as screen readers, Braille transcription, and audio devices have opened doors for blind students and professionals. Governments and civil society organisations are increasingly recognising digital inclusion as a human right. Today, more persons with disabilities in Africa are accessing education, training, employment, and information through digital platforms than ever before.

Some of the most promising initiatives include:

  • Braille transcription centers and adaptive technology hubs that make learning materials accessible.
  • Audio book distribution and digital literacy programs that empower visually impaired communities in the social, economic, and technology sectors.
  • Collaborations with NGOs and ministries to import white canes, Braille magazines, and assistive devices are progressing, allowing us to be a witness.
  • Inclusive technical and vocational training centers which provide skills training and contribute to independence.

Despite progress, challenges remain. Digital poverty, lack of accessible, affordable, and usable assistive devices, and limited internet access exclude many. Cybersecurity threats and misinformation also disproportionately affect marginalised groups. To stay ahead, Africa must invest in inclusive infrastructure, strengthen its policies, and ensure that persons with disabilities are fully integrated into decision-making processes.

Trust grows when all stakeholders, governments, civil society, academia, industry, and media, work together transparently. Regional collaboration can be enhanced through the use of shared platforms, cross-border initiatives, and inclusive policies. Partnerships must be rooted in respect, accountability, and the recognition that disability rights are human rights.

Digital inclusion must go beyond disability. Women, youth, and older persons also face barriers. We must design policies and technologies that are intersectional, ensuring that no one is left behind. Community-based organisations and grassroots leaders play a vital role in amplifying these voices. My journey has taught me that one person cannot solve all the challenges, but collective effort can. Disability inclusion is not a matter of charity; it is a matter of justice. Africa’s future depends on embracing diversity and ensuring that digital transformation benefits everyone. My hope is that the next generation of advocates will continue this mission with courage and compassion.

29Dec

Dianah Msipa

Author CIPESA Posted on

Who is Dianah Msipa?

I am an International Human Rights Lawyer specialising in Disability Rights Law and Policy in Africa. I am currently the Programme Manager of the Disability Rights Unit at the Centre for Human Rights in the Faculty of Law at the University of Pretoria, where I contribute to promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in Africa through human rights education, advocacy, capacity strengthening, and research. I am also a postdoctoral fellow at the same institution, conducting research on the sexual and reproductive rights of women with disabilities in Africa. I am an author with numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and books, and I serve as an Assistant Editor for the academic journal, the African Disability Rights Yearbook. I am also an educator teaching African disability rights protection at the post-graduate level at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria.

I first became interested in disability rights while working as a Criminal Prosecutor. One of the cases I was prosecuting involved a young woman with intellectual disability who had been raped. I found it difficult to lead evidence from this complainant because I had no knowledge about how to provide accommodations to persons with disabilities in the criminal justice system. That is what motivated me to learn more about the rights of persons with disabilities. I then pursued a Master’s degree at McGill University in Canada, where I conducted research on the barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from accessing justice on an equal basis with others and the various accommodations that can be provided to enable their effective participation. After completing my Master’s degree, I left prosecution and began working in the disability rights sector, first as a human rights researcher with Inclusion International, and then as a programme officer and subsequently a programme manager in the Disability Rights Unit at the Centre for Human Rights. I further specialised in Disability Rights in Africa through my Doctor of Laws degree, which I completed at the Centre for Human Rights. Although access to justice was my entry point into disability rights, I later became interested in other areas of disability rights, including digital rights. Digital inclusion is not simply a right in and of itself, but it is also necessary for the enjoyment of numerous other rights, including education and access to justice. It is therefore integral for the societal inclusion of persons with disabilities and an important aspect of the work that I do.

A sign of progress in the recognition of digital rights for persons with disabilities is the increased attention being paid to inclusive digital technologies in recent years, particularly at the regional level in law and policy. The inclusion of digital rights in the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa (African Disability Protocol) is indicative of progress towards the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities on the continent. Article 15 on accessibility and Article 24 on access to information are examples of rights that require the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities. By incorporating digital rights into the African Disability Protocol, the African Union has effectively established an enabling legal framework for promoting the digital rights of persons with disabilities. In conjunction with policy frameworks such as the Economic Commission for West Africa (ECOWAS) ICT Accessibility Policy, the African Disability Protocol emphasises the importance of digital inclusion for persons with disabilities.

Poverty remains a pressing challenge to the realisation of digital rights by persons with disabilities in Africa. Research indicates that persons with disabilities are disproportionately represented amongst the poor due to a lack of opportunities to access education and employment. Financial barriers make it difficult for persons with disabilities to have access to smart devices, internet connectivity and digital skills training. This is a significant barrier to their digital inclusion on the continent. Moreover, the rapid pace at which technology, including Artificial Intelligence, is developing without much attention being paid to its impact on the rights of persons with disabilities, creates an additional threat that needs to be addressed.

To address some of these challenges, States and other relevant stakeholders need to ensure that persons with disabilities receive digital skills training and are provided with accessible devices to participate in the digital world. Accessibility assessments and audits of new software and AI need to be conducted to determine the level to which they are inclusive and to interrogate how they can be made more accessible. Crucially, persons with disabilities need to be meaningfully involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes seeking to achieve digital inclusion.

29Dec

Ahouty Kouakou

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Who is Ahouty Kouakou?

I am Ahouty Kouakou, an Ivorian living in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. I am a wheelchair user. I contracted this mobility impairment due to poliomyelitis when I was 4 years old. My disability did not, however, prevent me from attending school and pursuing higher university studies. Today, I hold two bachelor’s degrees in Communication and Anthropology from the University Felix Houphouet Boigny of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. I have also attended several short courses and earned certificates. In 2013, my ambition to transform the lives of marginalised communities drove me to establish a disability rights organisation called Action et Humanisme, to give persons with disabilities a chance to reach their full potential and thrive, utilising various factors, including digital technology. My work has been recognised internationally. For example, I am a 2022 D30 Disability Impact List Honoree of Diversability, an international organisation dedicated to empowering persons with disabilities.

My motivation came from the realisation that while the Internet and other emerging technologies offered great opportunities online, access was not guaranteed to persons with disabilities. The lack of Internet infrastructure in remote areas and the high cost of Internet data and technology devices meant that persons with disabilities, the majority of whom do not have the necessary resources, were excluded from the digital world. Most of the local cyber cafes were, and still are, inaccessible to persons with disabilities due to the lack of ramps and elevators. Digital illiteracy is also a significant barrier. Additionally, there is a lack of political will and strong digital enforcement by African governments. Persons with disabilities, therefore, miss out on several opportunities, including education, access to quality information, entertainment, and job opportunities, that are offered online. These issues drove me to become a frontline defender of digital rights for persons with disabilities. I believe in our mantra of leaving no one behind.

Calls are being made for harmonised legal frameworks and more consistent accessibility standards in both public and private sectors.

The African Union Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has entered into force, strengthening their rights to barrier-free access to the physical environment, transportation, and information.

Access to digital services can transform the lives of persons with disabilities in Africa, opening doors to education, employment, and civic participation.

There are several emerging threats to achieving digital rights and inclusion for persons with disabilities in Africa, such as

  • Some of the policies are not disability friendly and offer lip service to the digital rights of persons with disabilities.
  • The lack of accessibility: progress in digital accessibility for persons with disabilities is slow, uneven, and inequitable.
  •  High rates of illiteracy and poverty hinder access to technologies such as smartphones and computers.
  •  The high cost of internet data.
  •  The risk associated with Artificial Intelligence for persons with disabilities.
  •  The lack of knowledge about digital citizenship and the associated risks of the internet.

To cope with these issues, we can:

  • Strengthen the sensitisation and education of persons with disabilities on digital citizenship and online threats.
  • Partner with governments and enterprises to make technology and websites accessible to persons with disabilities.
  • Support under-resourced human rights and organisations of persons with disabilities through grants and capacity building so that they can effectively advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities.
  • Mitigate the digital divide by enhancing access to technology and offering training to individuals with disabilities.

  • Establish multi-stakeholder partnerships and work in synergy to achieve the goals of disability rights and inclusion.
  • African governments must take concrete action to implement digital laws that promote the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities.
  • Promote international cooperation to pool efforts.
  • Encourage collaboration across human rights movements.

Strengthen policy and regulatory frameworks to enable women, young people, older persons, and persons with disabilities to access digital technology effectively.

Promote access to education and digital skills in schools and within communities.

Develop inclusive digital social protection systems to meet the needs of marginalised communities in Africa, including women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

Support organisations and initiatives that defend and promote the interests of persons with disabilities in Africa. Most organisations lack funding to develop solutions that contribute to improving the quality of life for persons with disabilities.

Put in place mechanisms that include persons with disabilities in the decision-making process when it directly affects them. Nothing about us without us!

29Dec

Sarah Kekeli Akunor

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Who is Sarah Kekeli Akunor?

I am a young woman with visual impairment. I recently graduated from the University of Ghana with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Philosophy. I am a member of the Mastercard Foundation’s Alumni Network Committee, serving as the lead for Inclusion, Gender, and Safeguard. I am also a Disability Inclusion Facilitator under the Mastercard Foundation’s ‘We Can Work’ programme. I also serve as an interim executive for the newly inaugurated Ghana Youth Federation, where I hold the position of Secretary for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion. I am a passionate advocate for disability rights and digital rights, and inclusion. I have a certificate in Disability Leadership in Internet Governance and Digital Rights from the Internet Society (ISOC).

Before I lost my sight, I had a very limited understanding of disability or its challenges. I have a genetic eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa, which was only diagnosed when I was 24 years old. I was born with the condition, but I could see with the help of glasses until the condition deteriorated through my teenage years and early twenties. After I lost my sight, I couldn’t read Braille, so I needed to learn how to use a computer. I noticed that leveraging technology made it possible for me to live a more fulfilling life. This served as a basis for my strong passion for advocating for digital rights, not just for myself, but for the countless persons with disabilities who are out there. Through my experience, I witnessed the transformative impact of Assistive Technology in the lives of persons with disabilities.

In Africa, there is inaccessibility everywhere. I noticed that persons with disabilities are left behind even in the digital space. I started by advocating in my own space, such as discussing disability inclusion with family and friends. I entered the digital space by volunteering at the Ghana Blind Union Assistive Technology lab and with Inclusive Tech Group. Now that I have a platform, my goal is to see the rights of persons with disabilities mainstreamed in all spaces, especially online, as online spaces have become increasingly central to how the world functions.

Across Africa, there are several innovators creating brilliant solutions for various categories of persons with disabilities. In Ghana, for example, a young innovator has developed an app called DeafCanTalk, which enables deaf people to communicate through sign language. The app converts the signs into written or spoken text for the other party to understand.

Other initiatives in Ghana, such as the “Disability Conclusion Hackathon”, organised by the Inclusive Tech Group, make it possible for young innovators without disabilities to co-design and co-create disability-relevant tech solutions together with their counterparts with disabilities. One organisation I belong to, The Phoenix Unity Club, is also championing the accessibility of apps and websites in Ghana by advocating strongly for the development of Ghana’s own ‘Web Content Accessibility Policy.’

In furtherance of these goals, I have held positive engagements with the authorities at the National Information Technology Agency and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication. Across Africa, InABLE is doing great work promoting digital rights through its annual Inclusive Africa Conference. The Collaboration of ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), with its Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa, the Internet Society, the Internet Governance Forum, and Paradigm Initiative, with its Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF), are all actively promoting the realisation of digital rights for persons with disability across Africa.

The deployment of various apps, technologies, and AI platforms in Africa is definitely worth commending. However, there is a real risk of widening the digital divide if these technologies and AI platforms are not accessible to persons with disability, either because they are too expensive or poorly designed without consideration for accessibility needs. There are also real risks of data protection issues, particularly for persons with disabilities and those with little or no education.

To stay ahead of the curve, policymakers need to ensure that new technologies in Africa are only deployed for public use after they have been proven to be compliant with diverse accessibility needs. Again, innovators must be encouraged to co-create with persons with disabilities. And finally, data protection laws must be strengthened and strictly enforced.

There are several things that we should be doing. First, we need to make sure that we build meaningful collaborations and partnerships among all stakeholders across policy, civil society, digital rights activists, government, and persons with disabilities from different parts of Africa, and foster a spirit of true friendship and openness in discussing the common problems of access to assistive devices, online accessibility, data privacy breaches, etc., and develop solutions that are relevant to our local African context.

Secondly, it is important to promote co-creation and co-design of all innovations in Africa with persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities, women, youth, and older persons must be involved in the innovation process right from the ideation stage. Once these innovations are complete, these groups of people must be consulted in testing the products before they are released to the market.

In addition, as digital rights advocates, we must not only make passionate arguments for inclusion but also insist that there is a business case for including persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in the development of new technologies. After all, there are countless funding and grant opportunities that make accessibility a non-negotiable requirement before these funds are granted. In short, disability inclusion is not a matter of charity but a long-term business strategy.

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