Stakeholders search for strategies for bridging digital inclusion, innovation gap for people with disabilities

The first prototype of the internet dates back to the late 1960s when it was a preserve for researchers and academia in the corridors of power and learning institutions.

As days rolled by, the use of internet extended to informal communication and entertainment. In 1990s, ways of business using the internet increased.

Today, the internet has become a necessity in communication and provision of vital services, including education, health, finance, transportation, and business.

Datareportal estimates that 5.4 billion people, equivalent to 66.2 per cent of the world's population, are using the internet this year, 1.8 per cent up from last year.

In Africa, about 40 per cent of the population is online, with UN Women citing Tanzania, DRC, Mozambique and Lesotho as having only 20 per cent of the peoples online.

You can imagine how difficult it is for marginalised people, especially people with disabilities, to access internet in Tanzania.

Available statistics shows that there are 1.3 billion people with disabilities worldwide, of whom 45 million are in Africa, in both urban and rural areas.

According to the UN Women website, Tanzania has 3.3 million people with disabilities, including the visually and hearing impaired as well as wheelchair users.

Many barriers and concepts have been discriminating against people with disabilities despite the fact that they are part of the family and the society at large.

Doris Mkiva, an activist and disability advocate, says disabled women face twice the challenges of non-disabled women.

"A disabled woman faces an inaccessible and non-inclusive environment, but she also faces challenges compounded by patriarchy like any other woman," Mkiva told a panel conversation recently.

Players, including disability rights advocates, technology designers and policy makers, used the Civil Society (CSO) Week 2024 observed in Arusha to discuss various knowledge and strategies to create an inclusive digital environment.

The panel conversation titled Technology for All: Bridging the Digital Inclusion and Innovation Gap for People with Disabilities highlighted challenges, opportunities and innovative solutions that ensure equal access and participation for all.

Besides Mkiva, the discussion moderated by Sandra Oswald, Manager of Vodacom Tanzania Foundation, involved other panelists, namely Mosses Mollel, Disability Coordinator with Ngorongoro Legal Aid Centre, Rajab Mpilipili, Executive Director of the Youth with Disability Organisation (YODO), and Doreen Kissoky, Head of Customer Care Services Department and vice president of Africa Accessibility Forum, Vodacom Tanzania.

Mpilipili, who is pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Dar es Salaam, said he is currently carrying out a research to determine results of the use of digital technology for people with disabilities to access financial services online.

He said YODO was implementing various projects to ensure news and reports reached people with disabilities.

The project known as Inclusion is our Business helps employers and institutions with people with disabilities to identify ways of involving them in various issues, including communication and knowledge.

YODO is, in addition, implementing a project to build the capacity of young people with disabilities to access various information on social media platforms.

It is also carrying out a movement known as My Turn to Speak to build the capacity of journalists to write news pertaining to people with disabilities and use methods that are accessible to them.

"We have already established 10 special desks in newsrooms and institutions," said Mpilipili, adding that they have established a digital platform known as YODO Connect to bring together people with disabilities who are looking for opportunities.

"This platform is still in its early stages, we are looking for funders to help us scale it, as many beneficiaries currently cannot access information due to lack of smart phones," he explained.

Mollel is optimistic people with disabilities will be provided with digital devices, enabling them to access financial services without relying on assistance from other people in commercial bank halls.

Kissoky said Vodacom employees, through their Africa Accessibility Forum (AAF), assessed themselves and found out to have a challenge of understanding ways of reaching out to customers with disabilities.

The employees persuaded Vodacom’s decision makers to consider providing services and products accessible to people with disabilities in their countries due to existing ones not meeting their needs.

In 2022, Vodacom Tanzania embarked on an inclusive programme along with some people with disabilities to design services and products that meet their needs.

Owing to low purchasing power of the majority of people with disabilities, Vodacom Tanzania had to provide subsidy to create low-cost accessible devices.

"A person with a disability now can buy a smart phone for Sh175,000 and use the assistive technology of video or braille to make calls," said Kissoky, explaining that a customer with disability paid for an airtime package in 30 days.

Vodacom Tanzania has, in collaboration with the hearing-impaired persons, trained 30 service providers from seven centres across the country.

If a customer is unable to visit the service centre physically, he dials a special number for an interpreter to help him through a video or braille

Despite the United Nations and the governments enacting policies, laws and guidelines to promote inclusion of people with disabilities in all sectors, the instruments are not adequately applied, the panelists noted.

In 2009, Tanzania ratified the International Convention of People with Disabilities of 2006 and enacted a Policy on People with Disabilities of 2004 and Act No. 9 on People with Disabilities.

The Ministry of State in the Office of the Prime Minister (Labour, Youth, Employment and People with Disabilities) prepared a guideline for the implementation, inclusion and strengthening of services for people with disabilities.

All these documents talk about the right of people with disabilities to get services and be included in various sectors including technology, communication and information.

"Some efforts have been made to reduce challenges people with disabilities face, we see them invited to meetings equipped with translation services as is the case with this panel," admitted Msigala.

"These are positive efforts, we want people with disabilities to enjoy their basic rights like others come 2050," Msigala stressed.