Headline News

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is calling on destinations to recognize the needs of travelers with disabilities or specific access requirements as they open up to visitors again. In partnership with the ONCE Foundation of Spain and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the United Nations specialized agency has released new guidelines… Continue Reading »

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: The Official Dictionary of the Dominican Sign Language is the result of the joint effort of the National Council on Disability (CONADIS), the Ministry of Education (MINERD) and the National Association of the Deaf of the Dominican Republic (ANSORDO), with the support of the Federation National Deaf People of… Continue Reading »

US – A group of students from internationally acclaimed US-based Harvard University has launched a startup called Foresight, a wearable navigation aid for people with vision impairments that uses cutting-edge soft robotics and computer vision technology. Foresight connects to a user’s smartphone camera, which is worn around the neck. It detects… Continue Reading »

UNITED KINGDOM: The Disability Unit has established a new Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) Forum to strengthen its engagement with disabled people. In a world where coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to affect usual ways of working, the Disability Unit is holding the first virtual Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) Forum this month, chaired by… Continue Reading »

CANADA: The Finance Minister Bill Morneau introduced in Parliament Bill C-20, An Act respecting further COVID-19 measures. Upon receiving Royal Assent, this legislation would make the CEWS more targeted, expand eligibility, and help more workers get back to their jobs as the economy continues to reopen. The Government of Canada is… Continue Reading »

Industrial designer jexter lim has created a range of adaptive tableware for the visually impaired. Titled ‘EATSY’, the set comprises a plate, bowl, cup, and utensils. each item has a distinctive feature that provides sensory cues to those with visual impairments. For example, the plate features a raised corner and slope to… Continue Reading »

Submit your application now and share the innovative ideas for digital empowerment of persons or groups! Nominations close on 2 September 2020 for the the 2020/2021 UNESCO/Emir Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah Prize for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. The aim of the Prize is to reward the outstanding contributions of individuals… Continue Reading »

AUSTRALIA: A new report released today by Women With Disabilities ACT (WWDACT), shows how difficult the COVID-19 pandemic has been for women with disabilities in the Canberra region. “66% of women with disability said they did not know where to seek help with accessing health care during this time.” said C… Continue Reading »

UNITED KINGDOM: Heriot-Watt University scientists are launching what they believe is the world’s first open and remote access living lab to research and create innovative independent living solutions for elderly and disabled people. Creating solutions for Ambient Assisted Living (OpenAAL), the multi-disciplinary lab will target the rapid co-creation of scalable… Continue Reading »

CANADA: Once again small businesses in the Quinte area will be able to take advantage of grants to help them become more accessible. Grants up to $10,000 are available to improve accessibility barriers within the workplace or community space. The grants can be used for small scale construction, renovation or retrofit… Continue Reading »

CHINA: With a new policy to allow more children with disabilities to attend ordinary schools and study with their non-disabled peers, China’s education authority said it is working to ensure such students’ better integration into society. China’s Ministry of Education has issued a guideline on improving the work on disabled… Continue Reading »

A new study of 120 global brands shows how over 90% of businesses are recognising the importance of disability in business with employees and customers. The study is the first to consider how businesses are serving the needs of disabled people at a global and local level and how to… Continue Reading »

SYRIA: War is causing havoc and destruction in Syria. However, children remain innocent within this realm and their pursuits of playtime and fun are undiminished. Ten-year-old Loai was playing in his neighborhood in Aleppo with his friends when a shell was dropped on them. Loai lost his hand in the attack.… Continue Reading »

BIOENGINEERS have built a glove able to translate sign language to speech in real-time. The cutting-edge glove features thin, stretchable sensors running to the fingertips. These sensors can detect motions and finger placement through electrically conducting yarns. Those sensors are then connected to a tiny circuit board – approximately the… Continue Reading »

GLOBAL: For too long the risks faced by people with disabilities in crisis settings have been exacerbated by their exclusion from humanitarian preparedness, response and recovery. The new IASC Guidelines on inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action provide an opportunity for humanitarian actors to deliver on their commitment… Continue Reading »

CANADA: The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, today issued the following statement: “On June 21, 2019, the Accessible Canada Act received Royal Assent. On this one-year anniversary, we celebrate the passage of this law as one of the most significant achievements for disability rights in Canada. Reaching this milestone… Continue Reading »

AUSTRALIA: The National Carer Network and Carers Australia welcomes today’s announcement of a National Disability Research Partnership. The approach, put forward by Ministers Roberts and Ruston, highlights a new approach that progresses a research agenda, research capability roadmap, and practical guides for disability-inclusive research to strengthen the disability research sector. Chief… Continue Reading »

EUROPE: As the current EU Disability Strategy comes to an end, Parliament is calling on the European Commission for an ambitious post-2020 strategy. Discover its priorities. What the Parliament wants in the new EU Disability Strategy The European Parliament wants an inclusive society in which the rights of people living… Continue Reading »

IRELAND: Carried out by researchers at Dublin City University, a new survey has been launched to explore and develop cost-effective assistive technology solutions to help elderly people to remain independent and safe in their own homes. Researchers at the Centre for e-Integrated Care (CeIC) and the Insight SFI Research Centre for… Continue Reading »

SINGAPORE: The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Singapore Branch (ICS-SG) has announced a new training initiative to provide maritime education to persons with disabilities. The training initiative is supported by SG Enable, an agency dedicated to enabling persons with disabilities. The course involves training the attendees on the basic understanding of shipping,… Continue Reading »