7 - Targeted Strategic Initiatives
Third: NEPAD
The New Partnership for Africa’s Development,
an African Union strategic framework for panAfrican socioeconomic development, is both a
vision and a policy framework for Africa, aimed
at addressing critical challenges facing the
continent: poverty, development and Africa’s
marginalization internationally.
NEPAD provides opportunities for African
countries to take full control of their
development agenda, to work more closely
together, and to cooperate more effectively
with international partners.
NEPAD manages a number of programs and
projects in six thematic areas:
Agriculture and food security
Climate change and national resource
management
Regional integration and infrastructure
Human development
gender,
The ICT track includes the e-Africa program,
created to develop policies, strategies and
projects at the continent’s . The program aims
to pursue cross-sector initiatives to entrench
ICT in all sectors, develop e-services and raise
Africa’s digital competitiveness.
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MCIT is paying a special attention to people
with disabilities in the 2012- 2017 sector
strategy. The ministry is currently working on
a long-term strategy with the participation
of representatives of this group that focuses
on integrating people with disabilities in
the Egyptian society, rehabilitating and
empowering them through information and
communications technology in order to ensure
their participation in the development process.
Current status assessment:
Economic and corporate governance
Cross-cutting issues, including
capacity development and ICT
7.5 ICT for Empowering People with Disabilities
Initiative
Ensuring communication with all segments
of the Egyptian society and providing ICT for
development services are two of the most
important objectives of the ministry. In order
to achieve these objectives, the ministry has
worked since its inception to build a strong
information society. However, and despite
all effort, the needs of PWD remains a major
challenge.
Egypt is a signatory to the UN Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007,
supporting the efforts of the United Nations
to change attitudes and approaches to people
with disabilities, and to ensure they are able to
enjoy their full rights, make decisions for their
lives based on their free and informed consent,
and function as active members of society.
In the same year, Egypt held the First Arab
Regional Forum on Sharing Experience on
Best Practices in ICT Services for Persons with
Disabilities. The resulting Cairo Declaration
on Supporting Access to Information and
Communications Technology Services for
Persons with Disabilities emphasized the need
to develop and use ICTs as assistive tools to
provide services to people with disabilities,
and identify the roles of government entities,
research centers, universities, civil society and
the private sector in providing such services.
The declaration also covered legislation and
regulations, collection of accurate information
and statistics, means to increase opportunities
for employment, and provision of access
to high-quality ICT devices and services at
affordable prices.
Description:
The ICT for Empowering People with
Disabilities Initiative, is a long-term strategy,
involving the participation of people with
disabilities and organizations representing
their interests. The Initiative focuses on
integrating people with disabilities in the
Egyptian society, and empowering them
through ICTs. It aims at removing barriers
and facilitating opportunities for people
with disabilities – using ICTs to develop their
abilities and potential – and enabling them to
enjoy their rights, fulfill their responsibilities,
and participate fully in developing their
communities and society.
The primary objectives of this initiative are:
Promoting access to information and
knowledge and strengthening personal
interaction and communication:
Launching a web portal covering issues of
concern to people with disabilities, and
ensuring provision of internet services at
reduced cost, with the aim of facilitating
their access to information and knowledge,
protecting their right to freedom of
expression and raising awareness about
assistive devices
Collaborating with relevant government
agencies and local and international
companies to provide computers for persons
with disabilities
Providing specialized software and relevant
training for people with disabilities through
the national network of Technology Homes
Providing courses in sign language and audio
programs to facilitate correct pronunciation of
letters
Improving the quality and accessibility of
services:
Facilitating access to and use of the physical
environment by persons with disabilities
through the development of public facilities
and services – including enhancement
of e-government services, adaptation of
post offices and telephone exchanges, and
facilitation of access to online financial and
banking services
Implementing disability assistance programs,
such as telemedicine services and free audio
book libraries
Launching a hotline to serve people with
disabilities, with the aim of establishing a
direct link with the community and collecting
information in order to serve them betterHotline services will include directories of
inclusive schools and centers, as well as
useful medical and legal information