Internet: a tool to improve the situation of disabled people in Africa

Transcription

1 Internet: a tool to improve the situation of disabled people in Africa Mr Oumar DIOP dit El Hadj Coordinator HANDICAP FORMEDUC / CRPH (Resource Centre for the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) Senegal 1

2 Introduction Like the phone which can converse with any person whose number is known, the Internet is a global electronic document exchange system, text, files, images, sounds and video sequences. It is the combination of computing and telecommunications telematics. Internet is a global computer network consists of a set of national, regional and private networks. On the military and scientific use, initially, Internet early 90s has become the public by the grace of a system of easily accessed on the World Wide Web (WWW). The way a TV whose programs are such a variety that everyone can find something, the Web is actually seems to know no bounds. 2

3 Network (Net), limited initially to U.S. universities, has experienced continuous expansion. The number of users also increases mechanically with the world's population and the share of it that has Internet access. In April 2012, there would be 677 million websites (according to Netcraft monitoring) and more than two billion users (according to various sources, including the ITU and Internet Word Stats). By 2016, it is expected that Internet traffic has been multiplied by 4. 3

4 Tool of social advancement Thus, the Internet uniqueness lies in the fact that it facilitates exchange as much as possible from any place where you are in the world, transcending distances. This is an opportunity for people with disabilities whose reduced mobility mobility is the main feature, to interact with the world in all fields of knowledge, and to have power from their place of residence. So to speak, the Internet and Information Technology and Communication (ICT) have become actually a shortcut to ensure the socio economic advancement of the social group. Reducing distances, the Internet favours the emergence of new professions and skills: Telemedicine, E learning etc.. These activities can be found under the name of Telecommuting opens up new opportunities for income generation for all those who came to appropriate ICT. 4

5 Need to have a job suitable for Internet access depending on their (s) handicap (s). New technologies enable people with disabilities and Internet users to access Internet. The quality of the connection completes the picture by the speed and capacity of these information highways and communication. "Access to digital content has become an integral part of our daily lives. Becoming a fundamental right. Do not have access to the Internet for technical reasons, economic or disability is a factor of discrimination and social and professional exclusion. "(JDN 2012) These rights are enshrined in a legal arsenal at national, regional and global chief among which is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities United Nations. Articles 9 and 21 of the CRPD evoke Rights to information and communication, accessibility of all kinds. 5

6 Centre project Telework PH Dakar The project is initiated by Handicap International Solidarity Network and Technologies, APAHM Handicap FormEduC / CRPH ASRADEC and in partnership with the City of Dakar, Microsoft AO, the ENTSS, IAR, HI, UNESCO / Breda and DGAS. It will train cohorts of 12 project leaders disabled every 8 months by putting them in a situation (incubation). The financial package is complex and requires at startup to have the commitments of all partners. Begun in 2009, soon to be effective despite the willingness of all strategic partners. 6

7 Reference to a Google study on the Internet's impact on the economy in Africa This study, commissioned from the consultancy firm Dalberg, is one of the first to specifically examine the potential impact of the Internet on the economy and sectors such as health, education, agriculture and finance through investments on Internet Access in Africa (Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and Nigeria). It provides insights such as: The situation of the countries targeted against indicators such as infrastructure and conditions of use of the Internet, The level of investment needed to meet the challenges of broadband And the vision of SMEs in relation to the importance of the Internet. 80% of SME managers expect that the Internet increases their business. 7

8 The actual situation In Africa, you can imagine that the problems are much more complicated because of Underdevelopment. 15% of the world population lives in Africa south of the Sahara and only 6% of Internet users. Without being exhaustive, we can mention a jumble: Poverty often alongside disability, PH many do not have the chance to study fairly extensive, great need to strengthen the professional and technical capacity, poor access to equipment because of its relatively high cost and rapid obsolescence, From one country to another, the speed of the Internet speed (cable or optical fibre) gives another aspect of the problem, NGOs and organizations working in the disability sector should accompany many PH and their organizations for greater ownership of ICT can offer great opportunities for socio economic integration through selfemployment. 8

9 3 4 main obstacles: Insufficient appropriation of ICTs by PH High cost and difficult access to hard and soft material Problem Infrastructure (Broadband connection). 9

10 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION DIADIEUF 10