Draft ECOWAS ICT Accessibility Policy (2018) v1 post Burkina Faso and Gambia Workshops
Broadcasters, Operators, Service Providers and Distributors who provide remote
controls must ensure that all such equipment and software that is procured and made
available to the public is compliant with applicable universal design standards.
Electronic Programming Guide and other TV control providers must incorporate such
features in their EPGs and other TV controls as are appropriate to enable, so far as
practicable, people with disabilities affecting their sight or hearing to use the EPGs and
other TV controls for the same purposes as people without such disabilities.
EPGs are also to provide information about assistance in relation to programmes (e.g.
how to navigate radio and television listings, and how to operate television access
services such as subtitling, signing and audio description), as well as facilities for making
use of that assistance.
7.5.4
Implementation
ECOWAS Member States shall ensure that public broadcasters have adequate funding
to provide a high quality service to meet the needs of PwD.
Funding and education, offered via state funding mechanisms or programs, may be
necessary to provide assistance to facilitate access by PWD to broadcasting services.
ICT Accessibility requirement should be included in license agreements.
Requirements for accessible emergency communications should be defined.
7.6 Public Procurement
7.6.1
Context
Recognizing that Articles 4 (a) – (d) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities under “General obligations” require that signatories adopt appropriate
legislative, administrative and other measures to ensure these rights are met and to
refrain from any act or practice that is inconsistent with the Convention. Public
authorities and institutions are in particular required to act in conformity with the
Convention. The procurement of ICTs for use by the public that are not usable and
accessible by PwD may be deemed to be in contravention of the Convention.
Addressing the ICT accessibility needs of PwD can be achieved more cost effectively by
considering them in the earliest stage of the procurement and development process.
This is in line with Article 9(h) of the Convention which requires countries to “promote the
design, development, production and distribution of accessible information and
communications technologies and systems at an early stage, so that these technologies
and systems become accessible at minimum cost”. Practically, this is done through the
use of functional performance statements in the procurement process.
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