<div dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Oops! I should have been more careful to remind people that the context of this thread was the MAG. The "mechanism" referred to a means of including a voice for people with disabilities as a permanent component of the MAG and wasn't intended in any way to question the value of the great work that is being done by DCAD.</p><p>Deirdre</p>
<div style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div><div><div><div><div>Judy has done a wonderful job in IG and on the MAG, and I am sure she will continue to help us address issues for persons with disabilities and other topics. The MAG does have another important advocate for persons with disabilities: Peter Major (DCAD Co-Coordinator, Special advisor, Hungarian Mission to the UN, Geneva). I am sure that he, Judy, and the other members of the DCAD (Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability), including De Williams and myself will continue to keep disability and inclusion issues high on the IGF agenda (think remote participation too). I am sure most of you are also familiar with the work of Andrea Saks as well--who is very active in IGF disability issues, with no need to be on the MAG to constantly push for change.<br><br></div>While there is no doubt in my mind that disability issues are very important,I have to admit, I am not sure that more mechanisms are the answer. (' What is needed is a mechanism to ensure that the concerns of people with disabilities are expressed.'). I think that the DCAD and the I<i style="font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;color:rgb(84,84,84);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-variant:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.2px;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">SOC</i><span style="color:rgb(84,84,84);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.2px;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;display:inline!important;float:none;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span> </span>Disabilities and Special Needs<span> </span></span><i style="font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;color:rgb(84,84,84);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-variant:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.2px;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Chapter</i>, as well as other advocates, do an excellent job of addressing concerns, and that we can all learn from their very practical work--DCAD was instrumental in making transcripts a part of IGF meetings (which is an amazing tool for all of us), and is, for example, a strong support for remote participation, as there is great synergy in tools, resources and concerns about inclusion. <br><br></div>I hope we can make sure that all voices are heard, including those of youth and persons with disabilities. It's amazing what we learn from each other, and how we all benefit in the end.<br><br></div>Please do help me (as a new MAG member) and the MAG include your concerns in the IGF agendas. Don't forget that each of you can bring your positions directly to the IGF Secretariat through the contributions that are often requested (See<strong> <a href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/" target="_blank">www.intgovforum.org/cms/</a> </strong><strong style="font-weight:bold">Taking stock of IGF 2014 and looking forward to IGF 2015</strong> -- Stakeholders were invited to submit written contributions taking stock of the Istanbul IGF meeting and looking forward to the IGF 2015 meeting, including suggestions on the format, schedule and themes. The<span> </span><a href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/documents/contributions/open-consultations/2014-december" style="color:rgb(64,132,131);text-decoration:none;word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">submitted contributions</a> are available and will be synthesized into a paper that will form an input into the Open Consultations and MAG meetings of 1-3 December.)<br><br></div>Cheers,<br></div>Ginger<strong style="font-weight:bold"></strong><p style="margin:0px 0px 9px;line-height:18px;word-wrap:break-word;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"PT Sans",sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> </p><div><div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 14 November 2014 15:53, Akinremi Peter Taiwo <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:compsoftnet@gmail.com" target="_blank">compsoftnet@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><p>That's a good suggestion raised by Lorena, there is strong need for disabilities to use and maximize the internet and I strongly see the internet as an avenue to compensate for their loss. The same issue was raised during Netmundia meeting in Brazil but I doubt it weather they really give attention to it. @ Williams and folks, how do u think we can stand and help the disabilities have part in IoT.</p>
<div class="gmail_quote"><div><div>On Nov 14, 2014 3:00 PM, "Deirdre Williams" <<a href="mailto:williams.deirdre@gmail.com" target="_blank">williams.deirdre@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"></div></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><div dir="ltr"><div>Let me add to Lorena's suggestion of a youth category, (made on the Bestbits list this morning) the need to have a constant voice for people with disabilities. Judy Okite has provided this for the last few years, but she has finished her term of appointment. She made this suggestion herself at the last MAG meeting in Istanbul. Since one billion people around the world suffer from some disability, and the Internet can offer considerable relief for them, they are the holders of a very significant "stake".</div><div>Sadly it is easy to forget if one does not suffer from a disability oneself, which is why it is so important to have a dedicated voice for these stakeholders in all such groups.</div><div>Deirdre</div><div><br></div>-- <br><div>“The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir William Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979</div>
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